Scanimate and game shows

[BrandonFG]

I'm a huge fan of watching Youtube commercial montages from the late-70s/early-80s, and one thing I love is the cheesy, now-primitive graphics. However, I've become fascinated by a process known as Scanimate. Two companies that extensively used it were Image West and Dolphin.

I've since developed a somewhat good eye at spotting Scanimate graphics, including games of the era. Here's what I have so far:

-Games People Play, shown at the top of the Image West reel (not sure if it was actually a game, or a competition series like American Gladiators)
-LMAD...the magic carpet intro from the mid-70s and logo animation from the 1980 version
-Bullseye
-Play the Percentages
-Face the Music? The "Sandy Frank Presents" animation at the very top of the show had the look
-Super Pay Cards? The opening card animation also had the look

Any others?

[Chief-O]

I'm a huge fan of watching Youtube commercial montages from the late-70s/early-80s, and one thing I love is the cheesy, now-primitive graphics. However, I've become a fascinated by a process known as Scanimate. Two companies that extensively used it were Image West and Dolphin.
[snip snip]
-Face the Music? The "Sandy Frank Presents" animation at the very top of the show had the look
-Super Pay Cards? The opening card animation sure also had the look

Believe you're right on both. The effects on the "Sandy Frank Presents" title were typical Scanimate.

I remember seeing a really odd animation on a TTD ep. quite a while back. I'll post a YT link if I can find it.

/can also claim membership to the Scanimate fan club
//and how about that old library music?
///1000 points to Image West for using a YMO track in their reel!

[gamed121683]

Games People Play (♫ night or day, they're just not matching ♫)...IIRC, it wasn't a game show, but rather a Real People type show the centered around unusual competitions. In fact, wasn't Mr. T discovered on this show?

[clemon79]

In fact, wasn't Mr. T discovered on this show?

In the World's Toughest Bouncer competition, I believe you are correct sir.

[dazztardly]

Barry & Enright used Image West for one of Joker's Tournament of Champions that had a payoff of $1,000,000.

Bullseye aside from the opening title animation, Image West also designed the film-projected swirl animatics used in the gameboard, and the separate sequence used for the contestant call. The projectors had to be very carefully maintained, during a tape day. Spare film reels were kept on site, in the event of a breakage. When the value of a window was revealed, the light circuit inside the film projector would dim out, and the motor that spun the film reel stopped. Later in the show's life(around the time they had to move to CBS), the motor speed in each projector had to be adjusted to run slower, because the constant on/off of the motors would break the film!

The twinkling stars seen in the gameboard swirl, were already existing stock animations used in commercial advertisements. I don't think those reels exist anymore, as they may have fallen apart from age.

- Seen at 1:49.

[thewhammy_2000]

I can think of at least two UK game show intros that may use Scanimate (or some other similiar special efects):
The way Paul Daniels sweeps around the screen in Odd One Out.
From watching the Demo video, I wonder if the 1970s' intro for The Golden Shot qualifies as well.

I think maybe some of the special effects for the Dating Game "kisses" have tried this.

What about the way Beat the Clock '79 used to do their pilot intros?

Maybe how the triangles fly around in Battlestars?

I think Stumpers' "A Lin Bolen Production" used this process.

I feel like the way "Super" appears in Super Password does it, too.

In other words, I think I may have a fascination, too.

[BrandonFG]

Barry & Enright used Image West for one of Joker's Tournament of Champions that had a payoff of $1,000,000.

I remember that...there's a point when Jack mentions the top prize, and $1,000,000 is displayed in gold and purple. Pretty fancy.

I got a chuckle out of Barry & Enright using state-of-the-art technology for some of their logos, yet still used art cards and/or keyed eggcrates to display dollar figures (champion totals, prize package amounts). :-P At least they went fully chyron for Hot Potato, although that may have been courtesy of NBC, which used Helvetica extensively back then.

[BrandonFG]

Bumping to add Everything Goes! to the list. The "squiggly" undressing animations makes me think Dolphin Productions designed this.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rO7irX3rWgs&t=3m38s

[Jimmy Owen]

This is somewhat of a stretch, but the open, bumpers, etc. on ABC's Wide World of Entertainment (WML at 25, Great American Game Show, etc.)

[chrisholland03]

The Battlestars intro was Scanimate.  One of Image West's demo reels has the pilot opening in it (different font was used for the logo in the pilot).

[BrandonFG]

I’ve seen this funky effect used anytime TPiR offered a jukebox. Dunno if those triangles are Scanimate, but it has that feel. I’m curious at how they did that.

[Chief-O]

I’ve seen this funky effect used anytime TPiR offered a jukebox. Dunno if those triangles are Scanimate, but it has that feel. I’m curious at how they did that.

Switcher wipe. Back then, some switchers allowed for the wipe/transition edge to be modulated. I believe a similar modulation effect was used when the TPIR Train appeared.

[johnnya2k3]

I feel like the way "Super" appears in Super Password does it, too.

Nope; the Super Password intro was CGI (at 8:20):

[JakeT]

I feel like the way "Super" appears in Super Password does it, too.

Nope; the Super Password intro was CGI (at 8:20):

The SP logo looked even greater when displayed on an all-black background!

JakeT

[johnnya2k3]

Bumping to add Everything Goes! to the list. The "squiggly" undressing animations makes me think Dolphin Productions designed this.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rO7irX3rWgs&t=3m38s

Nope; that too was by Image West (they also did Break The Bank and Strike It Rich before closing up shop by late 1986).