Vin Di Bona Productions

Logo descriptions and captures by John Montagnino, Cameron McCaffrey, AsdfTheRevival, Tlogos, Hoa,Yeow95 and rj4712
Editions by AsdfTheRevival, Bob Fish, Michael Bass, and V of Doom
Video captures courtesy of JohnnyL80and Eric S.

Background: Vin Di Bona Productions is an independent television production company established in 1986 by television producer Vin Di Bona, but the company did not use an official logo until 1987.

1st Logo
(August 8, 1987-September 1, 1990)

Nicknames: "The Spinning Handwriting", "The Spinning Signature", "The Diamond", "The Cheesy Diamond"

Logo: On a gray/black gradient background, we see the pale gold text "Vin Di Bona", in Vin's signature, spinning around. The text then unfolds itself. A gold diamond outline flips up from under the Vin Di Bona text. A dark orange rounded rectangle with the word "PRODUCTIONS" on it in pale gold, moves up from the bottom of the screen onto the diamond.

FX/SFX: The spinning text, and the "PRODUCTIONS" graphic.

Music/Sounds: A synth humming-like tune.

Availability: Last seen on S1 episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos on the Hallmark Channel and the short-lived ABC series Animal Crack Ups hosted by Alan Thicke.

Editor's Note: The logo features some rather primitive CGI for the late '80s. Though, its most notorious aspect by some was the creepy synth humming tune that tries to sound "cheerful".

2nd Logo
(May 1, 1990-May 18, 1997)

Nicknames: "The Spinning Handwriting II", "The Spinning Signature II", "The Signature of Doom"

Logo: On a deep blue/black gradient background, the "Vin Di Bona" text from before spins around briefly before unfolding. After this is done, a coral pink rounded rectangle with the text "PRODUCTIONS" (in white) on it zooms in underneath the signature.

Variants:

On the 1995-1996 Showtime TV series Sherman Oaks, the logo is superimposed in the credits. The "PRODUCTIONS" oblong is now colored scarlet and looks slightly different, as well, and zooms up from the bottom of the screen (a la the 1987 logo) but at a much slower pace. (As a side note, this logo was the only logo on the program to feature its music.)
On the TV movie For the Love of Nancy, the logo is chromed in over a red-black gradient background, expect this time the "Vin Di Bona" text spins around longer. The "PRODUCTIONS" oblong has the same design and animation from the Sherman Oaks variant as well. The byline "A VIN DI BONA COMPANY" appears below the "PRODUCTIONS" oblong, and the "Vin Di Bona" text shines afterwards.
On the U.S. game show pilot Conquer Fort Boyard, a copyright stamp is seen below the logo.
An in-credit notice can be seen on the TV movie Touched by Evil.

FX/SFX: The text spinning, and the "PRODUCTIONS" graphic zooming in.

Music/Sounds: Same as the 1st logo.

Music/Sounds Variant: On some shows and TV movies such as some 1990-1991 episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos, the end theme plays over the logo.

Availability: Not too hard to find. Strangely, it can be found on WGN America's very rare airings of the second revival of America's Funniest Home Videos with Daisy Fuentes and John Fugelsang, replacing the next logo. Also seen on AFV's spin-off, America's Funniest People, which ran from 1990-1994. A 1992 special called Storm the Castle (which aired on CBS, and was based on Japan's Takeshi's Castle) should have this logo as well.

Editor's Note: Some more archaic CGI and the infamous music are both present, and this logo's animation made things even more unnerving than the previous logo by some.

3rd Logo
(January 4, 1998-May 16, 2008)

Nicknames: "The Spinning Handwriting III", "The Spinning Signature III"

Logo: Basically a slower version of the previous logos, except the background now has spotlights, and the word "PRODUCTIONS", now rectangle-less, is moved next to the Vin Di Bona text, and animates similar to the script.

Variants:

On the game show The Big Moment, the spinning handwriting animation is sped up. After the logo forms, it shifts up a little to make room for the Richard Brustein Entertainment text.
On some appearances of the logo, a registered trademark symbol appears next to "Productions".

FX/SFX: Same as the 1st and 2nd logos, except the spinning handwriting is slower, and "PRODUCTIONS" extends out along with the Vin Di Bona text.

Music/Sounds: Same as the previous logos. The original ABC airings of The Big Moment uses generic network music.

Availability: Seen on the second revival of AFV, as well as episodes hosted by Tom Bergeron on Freeform, WGN America, and local syndication. On current (but very rare) airings of the second revival on WGN America, however, it was plastered over by the previous logo. It also appeared on the short-lived, long-forgotten Disney Channel game show Off the Wall and the ABC short-lived game show The Big Moment.

Editor's Note: The CGI in this one is much better and less dated than the previous logos, but the music may still put off some.

4th Logo
(October 5, 2008- )

[1][2][3]

Nicknames: "The Spinning Handwriting IV", "The Spinning Signature IV"

Logo: Same as the previous logo, but the background is a swirly red with a little bit of yellow (similar to the background of the current AFV opening) and the company logo is redone and tilted slightly.

Variants:

For the 2011 season of AFV, the background is more yellow-orange colored. This yellow is similar to the background of the ABC Entertainment logo found at the end of some of their shows at the time.
Starting with the 25th season of AFV (2014-2015), the BG is now a blue-green gradient.
Starting in 2018, the logo can now sometimes be seen superimposed over the closing credits.
On AFV: America, This is You!, the logo is on a black background.

FX/SFX: The spinning company name, along with the moving background.

Music/Sounds: A redone version of the Vin Di Bona theme, with a ticking sound and twinkle sounds heard with the final note. It is not easily heard on ABC due to Bill Ratner or other announcers plugging the show that follows AFV, but can be easily heard on international airings of Di Bona shows.

Music/Sounds Variant: On some reruns of America's Funniest Home Videos on WGN America, the music is played in a super low tone.

Availability: Can be seen on current episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos.

Editor's Note: The logo provides some superb CGI, and the music was finely redone that it's not considered uncanny anymore.

Vin Di Bona Productions

Navigation menu

Search