Background: Pacific Data Images was an American visual effects and animation studio. Founded in 1980 by Carl Rosendahl, his partners Richard Chuang & Glenn Entis wrote the company's computer software, which was to be a part of the studio's goal to incorporate computer graphics into the entertainment field. Some of its early projects included the TV special The Last Halloween and the "Homer3" segment from The Simpsons S7 special "Treehouse of Horror VI". In 1998, PDI collaborated with DreamWorks SKG's feature animation division to produce Antz. The studio was purchased by DreamWorks in 2000 and was renamed PDI/DreamWorks, in which the two companies worked within a single entity, comprised of the original PDI studio in Redwood City and the DreamWorks campus in Glendale, which became "DreamWorks Animation". On January 22, 2015, as a part of restructuring of DreamWorks Animation, PDI/DreamWorks closed its doors. The studio's biggest hit was 2004's Shrek 2.
1st Logo (October 2, 1998)[]
Nicknames: "The Cameraman", "Man with Camera", "Man Holding a Camera", "PDI Cameraman"
Logo: We see a stickman jumping in and doing a few front flips. He lands on a floor with white dots and causes the wooden letters "PDI" to shake and emit sparks. A film camera drops from above, making him catch it and kneel, and the floor fades out. An ™ symbol fades in next to the "I".
Variant: An early version had it slightly shortened at the start, the sparks are removed from the letters and the finished result stays on screen for a few seconds longer.
FX/SFX: Flashinmation (with minimal CGI) & FX combined.
Music/Sounds: None usually. But on the variant, it has a whooshing sound effect where the stickman does front flips, then has the same whoosh sound when he lands, and the thud when the letters jump up, and a another whoosh when the camera lands.
Availability: Rare. This only appeared at the end of international prints and TV airings of Antz, as the U.S. version doesn't contain it.
2nd Logo (As PDI/DreamWorks)
(April 22, 2001-May 27, 2005)[]
Logo: An in-credit logo. The words "PDI" and "DreamWorks" appear next to each other in the DreamWorks font. The words are separated by DW's "Moon Boy" symbol.
FX/SFX: The credits scrolling up.
Music/Sounds: The end credits music.
Availability: Rare. Seen at the ending of the closing credits of Shrek, Shrek 2, and Madagascar.
3rd Logo (May 18, 2007-November 26, 2014)[]
Logo: On a black background we see the white "PDI" in the same font as the previous logo with an "®" symbol next to the "I".
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Seen at the end of Shrek the Third, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Megamind, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, and Penguins of Madagascar.