Dolby

Dolby Digital
1st Trailer (June 19, 1992- )

Nickname: "Train", "Ghost Train"

Trailer: On a smoky background, we see the wheels of a train fade into picture and the train starts to move. Once it's out of the picture, a gold Dolby Digital logo fades in and the smoky background fades out.

Variants: During the logo's early days, from around 1992-1995, a silver Dolby Stereo Digital logo appeared (Dolby Digital's old name). There is also a longer version. The trailer exists in 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 widescreen, and in rare cases 4:3.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Early CGI by Xaos, which is rather dated for today, but was pretty advanced for the early '90s.

Music/Sounds: We start with a mysterious wind tune that fades with a high-pitched descending shriek of some sort (long version only). Following is some ringing sounds of bells, another wind tune (long version only), the metallic sounds of the train gears along with a train whistle and the rails clattering. An eerie synth drone/hum is heard throughout starting with the bells. "Sound design and mix by Academy Award® Winner Randy Thom, Skywalker Sound" according to the Dolby Demo DVD Explore our World.

Availability: Can be seen in some cinemas that use the Dolby Digital technology and on the Japanese Laserdisc of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (in Surround EX!) and the THX certified 1997 DVD of Platoon. The Dolby Stereo version is seen on some Laserdisc releases such as Stargate,True Lies, Speed, and Immortal Beloved. The 4:3 version appears on the rare THX certifided 1998 Laserdisc of Singin' in the Rain. Can also be seen on the Dolby demo disc Explore Our World and some Roadshow Entertainment DVD's such as Happy Feet. This logo debuted on the theatrical release of Batman Returns.

Scare Factor: Low to medium. The overall dark atmosphere and its sounds and creepy music may be unsettling, which is probably intentional. The scare factor can also rise if seen followed by the THX Laserdisc logo.

2nd Trailer (June 1, 1997, May 1999-)

Nickname: "Aurora"

Trailer: We see a starfield in space. Suddenly lights appear from the left of the screen (which resemble the Northern Lights). The lights then move around into the Double D symbol of Dolby. We slowly zoom out the see the Dolby Digital logo which shines during the zoom out. In the background we pan through the stars which turns up into nebula. When the logo finishes the website URL "www.dolby.com" fades in below.

FX/SFX: The lights morphing into the Dolby logo, the zoom out followed by the shining of the logo and the movement of the stars.

Music/Sounds: A brass piece which rises in sound and intensity. When the logo is zooming out a choir is heard. At the end a five beat sounder is heard (the same as in the "Rain" trailer). The score was performed by the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra. Sound design by Macro D'Ambrosio at MarcoCo; Mixed by David Parker at The Saul Zaentz Film Center and in Surround EX by Gary A. Rizzo at Skywalker Sound.

Availability: Common. Seen in cinemas as well as on some later Laserdiscs, and a few early DVDs, including Terminator 2: Ultimate Edition. It also appears on the Japanese DVD of Card Captor Sakura the Movie: Enchanted Cards. It appears on demo discs like Explore our World. A filmed version (in poor quality) has been found on the 1997 DVD releases of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Also seen on some Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD's as well such as the region 4 DVD releases of Monster House, Open Season, Lord of War, The Adventures of Sharkboy & Lavagirl, 50 First Dates, Laws of Attraction, Spider-Man 2 and Matilda.

Scare Factor: None to low. This is an incredible logo that is a favorite of many people.

3rd Trailer (October 1996-)

Nickname: "Canyon"

Trailer: We travel through a narrow canyon with steep walls either side. We pass an opening in the canyon where on top of a rock wall we see the Dolby Digital logo. An eagle's shadow is seen over the Dolby logo. The canyon fades away, leaving the golden Dolby logo which shines.

FX/SFX: Basically the ride through the canyon and then the pan up to the Dolby logo which shines.

Music/Sounds: Rock falling sounds and a coyote/wolf howl are heard followed by a tribal desert theme. The famous sound sample of an eagle is heard as its shadow appears over the Dolby logo. Sound elements from Project One Audio; Mixed by David Parker at The Saul Zaentz Film Center.

Availability: Common. First seen in cinemas and was used on Laserdiscs (like Contact and The Lost World: Jurassic Park) and early DVDs from the era. Can still be seen on some current DVD releases from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Roadshow Entertainment like The Man from Snowy River.

Scare Factor: Low. The sounds may catch some off-guard.

4th Trailer (July 1995-)

Nicknames: "Dolby City", "Helicopter", "The Sound of the Future"

Trailer: On a stormy city background, there are lightning flashes as we follow a helicopter. We move over the buildings to see a theater with a huge pylon with the Double D symbol and neon letters spelling "DOLBY". The neon letters flash one by one as we go to ground level. The theater has a Dolby Digital logo which the words "NOW PLAYING" and "THE SOUND OF THE FUTURE" under it. We quickly zoom through the doors to a Dolby Digital logo with a light shining across the top of it.

Variants: The logo ends with the Dolby Surround AC-3 Digital logo ("DOLBY SURROUND" in the rectangle, AC-3 below the "Double D", and "DIGITAL" underneath the rectangle). Later years used an updated Dolby logo (with a bigger Dolby inside the box, not exactly the '04 version). The logo exists in matted widescreen but is usually 4:3.

FX/SFX: The zooming through the city, the lighting up of the letters, the quick zoom into the theater and the shining of the Dolby logo.

Music/Sounds: A thunderclap followed by a quick-paced drum solo ending with a cymbal hit, a helicopter and an ascending electric guitar strum that fades into a choir. Drum and cymbal hits and electrical sounds are heard as "DOLBY" is spelled out. A synth-like moan (or the helicopter) and 2 long, quiet flute notes with a sustained background string-section are heard during the zooming into the theater and finally a moaning sound and a descending piano tune. Mixed at Pacific Ocean Post Studios and re-mixed by Terry Porter at Walt Disney Studios.

Availability: Common. First used mainly on later Laserdiscs from that time including early DVDs, such as Cats Don't Dance and the 1997 MGM DVD of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Still used on some DVDs from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Roadshow Entertainment, like the region 4 DVD releases of Charlie's Angels, Fly Away Home, A Knight's Tale, Spider-Man and the first two Stuart Little films. The AC-3 Digital version can be found on the DVD of Tenchi Muyo: The Movie, The Mask 1994 LD, AC-3 US T2 LD, 1995 Laserdisc of Die Hard 3 and the letterboxed edition of The Indian and the Cupboard. Also appeared on the computer game Descent 3.

Scare Factor: Medium; the thunder and fast pace may scare a few, but this is a great logo.

5th Trailer (December 1996-)

Nicknames: "Egypt"

Trailer: In a temple in Egypt, we see a light shine,and the camera moves to reveal that it's coming from a wall.In front of the light, we see the Dolby Digital logo in gold. The light shines bright twice as the camera zooms into the logo. When we finally get close enough to the logo, the light shines behind the logo very brightly, causing the logo to shine brightly, and the scene changes to a black background with the logo, which shines.

Variants: Sometimes, after the light shines behind the logo, the screen fades to black, and then the logo fades in seconds after. ACT III Theaters would show THX (w/LUCASFILM LTD. Byline above; the alternative THX print logo is in CGI and shines) in place of Dolby, which is engraved on the floor with "PRESENTED IN" above. Then it fades out to show the ACT III logo with "FEATURE PRESENTATION" below. The trailers exist filmed or digital and in normal widescreen and scope widescreen.

FX/SFX: The camera moving, and the shine. Great CG animation.

Music/Sounds: We start with Egyptian percussion. Crickets, birds and a lion roar can be heard during the logo. We hear a rattlesnake-like sound before the we see the light. Then we hear Egyptian music with wood instruments; at the end are drums. Sound elements from Project One Audio; Mixed by David Parker at The Saul Zaentz Film Center.

Availability: Common. First used mainly on later Laserdiscs (like Saving Private Ryan and Volcano) from that time including DVDs, such as Stuntman. Can also be seen on Roadshow Entertainment DVD's such as The Wedding Singer and Hoodwinked!.

Scare Factor: Minimal. The slow pace or lion roar may get to some.

6th Trailer (December 18, 1998-)

Nickname: "Rain"

Trailer: We start with bronze-ish colored water which appear to reflect the Dolby logo; then we flash and see a splash of water with it drops hitting each other. It fades to rain falling toward us. We then see it hit water reflecting the Dolby Digital logo, then fade to the Dolby Digital logo, a 3D object, in water. We fade to a smoky bronze background with "www.dolby.com".

Variant: A short version exists starting with the appearance of the Dolby logo.

FX/SFX: 90% "organic", less than 10% yU+Co.

Music/Sounds: Water gurgling and an ominous sounder cutting to a flash sound, some quite tings and ominous harp strokes, and an intense orchestra which becomes more whimsical and ends with a 5-note sounder along with some strange flourishing sounds. Mixed by Gary A. Rizzo at Skywalker Sound; sound design and mix by Marco D'Ambrosio at MarcoCo; music by San Francisco Ballet, Opera and Symphony

Availability: TBA. The short version is seen on some Australian DVDs and TV airings of movies and a few TV shows.

Scare Factor: Low. None for the short version.

7th Trailer (2003-)

Nicknames: "The Garbage Cans", "Stomp - Perspectives"

Trailer: On a black background, a hand snaps its fingers three times. On the third snap, the background changes to white with gray Dolby logos as we see several members of the performance group Stomp make music with garbage cans, brooms, trash can lids and keys. We pan to the left throughout the duration of the logo and see a man walking with his feet strapped to large garbage cans. The camera cuts to him stomping on it from ground view, then cutting to a shiny gray Dolby logo appearing. A Dolby byline and the Stomp logo appear below it.

FX/SFX: Just live-action.

Music/Sounds: The Stomp crew, well, stomping around and making noise with the aforementioned. Drums are in the background. The crew laughs then applauds at the end.

Availability: Common.

Scare Factor: Low to Medium. The ending part might throw you off.

8th Trailer (2004-2008)

Nickname: "Argon"

Trailer: We see lines of light coming from the sides of the screen. When they meet we see the Dolby Digital logo.

FX/SFX: The logo forming.

Variant: On some games, the Dolby Pro Logic II logo is featured.

Music/Sounds: Just the sounds when the light makes.

Availability: Seen mainly on games from this era.

Scare Factor: Low to medium.

9th Trailer (2008, Bee Movie only)

Nickname: "Dolbee"

Trailer: In a sound studio, we have a sketch where Barry B. Benson (the main character from Bee Movie) is collecting sound data for Dolby but the sound guys (one of them being Ken) want to finish recording the sounds ("...so we can get out of here!"). Barry asks what the Dolby people want from them when Ken gets annoyed and just tells him to flap his wings. Barry flaps his wings while Ken turns up the Dolby switch. This causes the sound to become so loud that Ken floats up into the air and break the wall behind him (which happens to be the ladies bathroom where a woman is screaming and running). Barry considers the name "Dol-bee?" and then asks where the cupcakes are. The Dolby logo is in gold and says "DOLBEE" for a second before turning to normal.

Trivia: The animation for this logo comes from DreamWorks Animation and the voice of Barry B. Benson is done by Seinfeld star Jerry Seinfeld.

FX/SFX: The CGI animation, and the text changing at the end.

Music/Sounds: The dialogue and sound effects corresponding to the animation; the Dolby end sounder for the logo. It's possible that Randy Thom & Will Files are the sound designers here since they were such on the film.

Availability: Only seen on the DVD and Blu-ray release of Bee Movie.

Scare Factor: None. This is a humorous trailer (or promotional sketch).

10th Trailer (2010-)

Nickname: "Catalyst"

Trailer: We see a trail of blue particles from the left, vanishing in the center. Another trail proceeds from the right, then both sides and from the viewer. The bubble explodes in the center, leaving the Dolby logo.

FX/SFX: The light trails and logo forming.

Music/Sounds: The whizzing sounds.

Availability: Seen on the newest games, like Crysis 2.

Scare Factor: Medium.

11th Trailer (2011- )

Nickname: "Spheres"

Trailer: Several spheres are thrown to the ground, made from various materials, one even from glass. They fly forth into a dim space. Then four other spheres fly in slow motion, leaving rich colored tails, and explode in the sky. Two streams of yellow and blue bubbles proceed, forming the "7.1" and other part of the stream condense into the Dolby logo.

Variant: There is a variant with just the Dolby logo.

FX/SFX: The spheres landing on the ground, the spheres flying, the explosion. Great animation.

Music/Sounds: Sounds of spheres hitting the ground and other sounds, such as bubbling. At the end, there is a woman's voice softly saying "All...around...you."

Availability: Appears on The Art of Flight and most Dolby theaters.

Scare Factor: Low to medium. The woman's voice may get to some people.

Dolby Digital Surround EX
1st Trailer (May 1999/July 2000-)

Nickname: "Waterfall"

Trailer: On a black background, sounds of puddles being splashed are heard. The words "This following film is presented in" fades in and fades out to black. A large amount of water is pouring over the screen in very little slow-motion as the Dolby Digital Surround Ex logo fades in. Under that the words "The latest Development in surround sound technology" appear. The water pouring then fades to black with the Dolby sign still appearing over the black background as a small trademark byline appears under.

Variant: On one variant it's just the Dolby Digital logo.

FX/SFX: The water pouring over the screen.

Music/Sounds: The sounds of puddles splashing, and chimes, similar to the "Rain" logo. Sound Design by Marco D'Ambrosio at MarcoCo; Mixed by David Parker at The Saul Zaentz Film Center.

Availability: Rare. Probably in theaters. May have been seen on VHS's in the late 1990s to 2000s (needs verification: Surround EX is an incompatible sound format as an extra speaker is added)

Scare Factor: Low to medium. The dark atmosphere and the dark sounds may be frightening, but it's a cool logo.

2nd Trailer (2005)

Trailer: It's just the Dolby Digital Surround Ex print logo fading in over a black background; this may not count as it's probably part of the credits.

FX/SFX: None if you don't count the fading.

Music/Sounds: TBA; probably the opening/closing music of the film.

Availability: Seen on the 2005 Malay movie Pontianak Menjerit.

Scare Factor: None

Dolby Surround
1st Trailer (1975-2002) Logo: Superimposed in the closing credits of a movie or a show is PRESENTED IN in Arial Italic font. Below it is the DD Dolby symbol and next to it is DOLBY SURROUND in a box. This may not count as it's just part of the credits, whereas the ones below aren't.

Game Variants: The logo on Druid is revealed by light and the shield appears to be gray, but the next second it opens at full view and becomes golden with "SURROUND" below. The same logo with a white background appeared on the first Burnout game. Need for Speed 2 has the same logo, but it moves into the screen with engine sounds, and the floor has several lighted circles it passes by.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The closing/opening theme of a movie or show.

Availability: Common. The opening variant which can be seen on 1998 episodes of Thomas & Friends on Sprout and some episodes of The Simpsons on FOX. Appeared in games, for example - the still version was seen on Krazy Ivan.

Scare Factor: None.

2nd Trailer (1990s)

Nickname: "Dolby in Space"

Logo:We see DD doors closed on the whole screen, as they open wide and SURROUND floats by, then returns in opposite direction through the doors' holes. After this DOLBY flies through the same door holes and two words meet in distance. The doors close and move to the left, while the name is taken inside the rectangle. "PRESENTED IN" appears above, in different languages (depending on the country).

FX/SFX: TBA

Variant: There is a shorter version of the logo too - so far, it was only seen on G-Police for PS1

Music/Sounds: A quiet synth drone and bell toll to start, and a quiet 4-note string-section and synth jingle. Whooshing sounds are heard as the words and the rectangle fly around. The jingle ends with a synth chime fade out.

Availability: TBA. It appears on UK and French VHS, as well as the game Armored Fist 2.

Scare Factor: Minimal. The DD doors might catch you off-guard at first.

Dolby Virtual Speaker
(2005-2006)

Logo: On a yellow background, Curious George runs in, making monkey noises. Suddenly, various sounds can be heard, such as a whisper, a door being knocked and a train passing by. George begins to look around, opening holes, vents, trapdoors and blinds before eventually he gets tired and centers in the middle of the screen. The phrase 'CURIOUS WHERE GREAT SOUND COMES FROM?' flies in like a helicopter blade. George looks at the text, before turning at the audience and smiling. He jumps at the top-right corner of the screen and peels it away, revealing the shining golden Dolby Digital logo. 'www.dolby.com' and a copyright stamp fade in below.

FX/SFX: All of the animation in the trailer, with the golden Dolby logo slowly zooming in at the end.

Music/Sounds: The various sound effects throughout the trailer, along with George's monkey noises, a helicopter blade sound when the aforementioned phrase flies in, and a twinkly tune at the end when the Dolby logo appears.

Availability: Appears on various DVDs to promote the 2006 Curious George film, such as Madagascar and Kicking and Screaming.

Scare Factor: None to minimal. It's a cute and memorable logo.

3rd Trailer

Nickname: "The Best Sound All 'Round!"

Logo: We start in a room with a sleeping cat and a goldfish. Then some guy crashes in the front door carrying a box with the [D(I] [DOLBY SURROUND] logo on it. The camera zooms into the [D(I] on the box and out of the [D(I] button on his remote, which he then presses, resulting in sound waves striking toward his speakers around him. His room turns into a movie theater and he eats popcorn, then the ocean. He changes this into a rock concert where the cat is being thrown around. The two then change to outer space floating under a shooting spaceship. Finally, he switches to a blank background, where he and the cat suddenly fall out of the shot. The [D(I] [DOLBY SURROUND] logo appears with the text "The Best Sound All Round!" in red drawn text that shakes. The cat walks from the right to the left with a sack. "Produced by Capstone Films and Wibbly Wobbly Films" (the animation companies) appears below.

FX/SFX: The jiggly cartoon animation, produced by the aforementioned companies.

Music/Sounds: A calm, weird synth cartoon ditty plays throughout which turns into rousing orchestral music, a rock version of the ditty, which resumes near the end. Strange synth or cartoon sounds correspond to the animation. These sounds are placed on certain sides or pan around to demonstrate surround sound.

Availability: TBA. It might've been a promotional featurette or test on one of their demo discs.

Scare Factor: Probably none; it's rather humorous.

4th Trailer (2006-)

Nickname: "City Redux", "Flying Car", "Dolby City Revisited", "Dolby City 2.0","The Sound of the Future 2.0"

Logo: A futuristic city appears during sunrise, and a hovercar flies past the right side of the screen. The camera then quickly starts moving to the bottom left, and we zoom past a bunch of close up buildings before zooming downwards. The camera pans down as we rush through a circuit-board type hole with lots of hovercars darting past us, left and right. Eventually, we pan up, ending up in a New York-esque town, following a singular road before stopping outside a cinema with a neon Dolby logo on it. We stop for a few seconds, before zooming forwards, into the cinema doors. They open, blasting a white light at us. The flash fades away, revealing the Dolby logo.

Variants: In some cases, 'DIGITAL' will appear below 'DOLBY'.

FX/SFX: Amazing CGI. Similar to the Helicopter trailer, it gave a more updated and photorealistic use of CGI.

Music/Sounds: Sci-fi sounds, general conversation around the theater entrance, and an orchestral hit (the Dolby end sounder).

Availability: Seen on a DVD of Free Jimmy. Also shown on theatres and DVDs, plus Blu-Rays as well (possibly during that time period until the early 2010s).

Scare Factor: Low. Unlike the Helicopter trailer, this does not include the Thunderclap sound effect, however, the fast pace may scare a few as well.

5th Trailer Nickname:"Enlighten"

Logo: The silver Dolby logo rotates on the screen, emitting lights while it rotates.

FX/SFX: The lights.

Music/Sounds: A synth flourish.

Availability: TBA.

Scare Factor: Minimal.

9th Logo "Game" Nickname: "Game"

Logo: A ton of code is seen on a scene of a military base with a helicopter exploding. It changes to a racing scene with a car and a motorcycle. Another car crashes into it and then switches to a man (looking a lot like Duke Nukem) with the Dolby symbol on his suit on a spaceship walking away from an alien in which 5 speakers and a TV set zoom out and shards form the golden Dolby logo as the background fades to black.

FX/SFX: TBA

Music/Sounds: Sounds to correspond with the various scenes with a synth chord at the end.

Availability: TBA.

Scare Factor: Minimal.

10th Logo Nicknames: "City in the Theater", "Headphone"

Logo: We zoom out of the City trailer where the Dolby theater is to reveal we're in a theater. We pan through the theater and lights go off at certain angles to illustrate virtual surround sound when listening. The lights shine toward the ceiling to flash, from which comes down a golden [D(I] with headphones. DOLBY HEADPHONE appears in its corporate font by flashing letter. The theater fades out to a black BG and the logo shines.

FX/SFX: The lights and objects moving. Nice animation by Sunset Digital.

Music/Sounds: A cool synth theme with drums and sci-fi sounds that sound like it's coming from certain angles, by Paul Klingberg.

Availability: Appears before in-flight movies since May 1999; otherwise seen only on the DVDs of Pearl Harbor including the Director's Cut and Dolby's Explore our World.

Scare Factor: Minimal.

11th Trailer (2002) "Optimiser" Optimizer 1/2 - dolby (guiamartinez)Optimizer 2/2 - dolby (guiamartinez)

Logo:The Dolby logo and text fades in sky blue, which then fades to a optimizer test with "Optimizing this disc for playback" above it. A copyright appears below.

FX/SFX: TBA

Music/Sounds: The signature sounder.

Availability: Rare. May have appeared on some DVD players with Dolby sound.

Scare Factor: None

Surround Sound

1st Logo "Temple" Logo: We see a shot of stairs at ruins of a temple. We then fly through to see a silver Dolby logo on a pedestal. Everything fades out except the logo, which shines.

FX/SFX: The fly through.

Music/Sounds: A choir harmonizing throughout ending with a slow gong and chimes/string-section. Wind, pigeons and an owl hooting are heard. Sound elements from Project One Audio; Mixed by David Parker at The Saul Zaentz Film Center.

Availability: Said to appear on a DVD of a Rambo film.

Scare Factor: None.

2nd Logo "Symbolon"

Logo: Many symbols and lines form as we move up. Snowflake-like symbols shoot out before vines form the Dolby symbol and the rest of the logo zooms out.

FX/SFX: The symbols

Music/Sounds: A bunch of indescribable sounds with some synths.

Availability: May have appeared on games.

Scare Factor: None

Dolby Stereo
1st Trailer (1970s- )

Nicknames: "Surround Fantastique", "The Dolby Fanfare"

Trailer: We fly through various terrain and mountains. We then see one mountain and then we fly over it, where we can see a man throwing clothes off it, before we go into the sky to see the Dolby Stereo logo or regular Dolby logo float down. "Making Films Sound Better" appears below, along with stuff for Spectral Recording on the Dolby Stereo variant.

FX/SFX: Live action mostly.

Music/Sounds: A loud, proud, groovy-esque fanfare. The music was composed by Henry Mancini.

Availability: TBA

Scare Factor: Low because of the fast pace, but this is a favorite of many.

2nd Trailer (1979?-????)

Nickname: "Our Feature Presentation in Dolby Stereo"

Trailer: On a space background, a bunch of stars shoot from our face when "OUR FEATURE PRESENTATION" zooms from the bottom and shines. After that, we see a blank Dolby Stereo logo zoom from the top with a trail effect until it gets to the center. About before the trail is done, we see the whole logo, and "PRESENTED IN" zooms to the top of it afterwards.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Rather limited animation.

Music/Sounds: "Zap!" by Derek Scott.

Availability: TBA

Scare Factor: Low.

3rd Trailer (1980s)

Nickname: "For Your Listening Pleasure"

Trailer: We have a space background. Suddenly, a Dolby logo zooms in fast. Then, it zooms out from the left. When it's done, it flashes and forms the box with "DOLBY STEREO". When that is done, the slogan "FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE" fades in below.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The animation. It's kinda choppy, despite being stunning for the time.

Music/Sounds: Whooshing sounds.

Availability: TBA

Scare Factor: Medium, because of that logo coming at you without warning, along with the sounds.