Colossal Pictures (also styled as (Colossal) Pictures or (C)P) was an American entertainment company that developed and produced television programming, advertising, network branding, and visual effects. Colossal's work has won every major industry award, from the Clio, Emmy, and Grammy Awards to the Cannes Gold Lion and Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Top Honor.
History In the mid-1970s, Drew Takahashi and Gary Gutierrez were working with John Korty on animated shorts for children's programs such as Vegetable Soup. When Vegetable Soup was renewed for a second season, Korty began working on a movie, and suggested to Drew and Gary that they start their own production company. The two founded Colossal Pictures in 1976 and worked on projects such as shorts for Vegetable Soup, the opening sequence of The Grateful Dead Movie and commercials for Boise Cascade, KQED, KSAN-FM, and Gap Inc.Cohen, Karl (September 1999). "Colossal Memories". ASIFA San Francisco. Retrieved 2016-12-11. The Boise Cascade commercial received national attention and attracted many businesses to Colossal.
In 1981, Colossal began producing dozens of network IDs for MTV, which led to the company receiving more high-profile clients including Nickelodeon, Levi's, and Coca-Cola. The following year, Gary Gutierrez launched USFX, a new division of Colossal, while he was working on The Right Stuff. Colossal started producing computer animation in 1983, when they collaborated with Pacific Data Images to produce a commercial for the Atari game Joust and a network ID for MTV. In 1986, Colossal began working with Western Images using a Quantel Harry unit, resulting in Colossal being able to create state-of-the-art computer graphics. Colossal also launched a new division, BIG Pictures, which produced television programs. In January 1989, New York City production company Noyes & Laybourne became Colossal's East Coast division. In September, Colossal began representing Pixar to produce CGI-animated commercials. As part of the deal, Colossal would receive a project and develop the storyboards, while Pixar animated the project. Colossal terminated its relationship with Pixar in 1992 when they started production on Toy Story for Walt Disney Pictures.
During the early 1990s, well-known artists like Caroline Leaf and Henry Selick were hired to direct commercials at Colossal. In 1991, Colossal began representing Sculptoons and the Brothers Quay, but their relationships with Colossal did not last very long. That same year, after Colossal's relationship with Pixar ended in 1992, Stuart Cudlitz and Brad DeGraf launched a new digital media division, which produced projects such as The Moxy Show, RoboCop: The Ride, and a Living Books game. Colossal closed BIG Pictures in 1994; that October, Colossal employees John Hays, Phil Robinson, and Jeff Fino left the company and launched a new animation studio, Wild Brain.
Earlier in 1994, Colossal created exhibits for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Due to cost overruns, production delays and other problems, the museum refused to pay all of Colossal's bills. In April 1996, Colossal laid off a third of its staff, including co-founder Gary Gutierrez, and on May 30, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Colossal sued the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for $1,200,000 in damages plus $10,000,000 in punitive damages. That year, Colossal signed a development deal with the Disney Channel to produce content for the network. Colossal produced the interstitial series Frankenguy and the Professor and The Mix-Ups plus the Zoog Disney block for the Disney Channel. After Colossal decided to restructure itself into a smaller company, consolidating all of its activities into one building in the process, they emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy on December 1, 1997. Jamie Hyneman, manager of Colossal's model shop, took over the facility and turned it into M5 Industries.
Although Colossal was able to sustain itself the following year with a lean work force, the company experienced a downturn in revenue at the beginning of 1999. On August 31, Colossal closed after 23 years in business. The decision was made in order to liquidate property and honor outstanding debts. Many of Colossal's employees, such as Ed Bell, Charlie Canfield, and George Evelyn moved to Wild Brain as a result.
Work
Filmography Title Year Notes Client The Grateful Dead Movie 1977 Opening sequence Grateful Dead Vegetable Soup 1978 "Children's Questions" (season 2) New York State Education Department What Is An American? 1979 Short film Pyramid Films The Black Stallion Title sequence and storyboards American Zoetrope One from the Heart 1982 Title sequence Zoetrope Studios The State of the Language 1983 Pilot (main titles) Power Rector Productions Playboy's Hot Rocks Bumper The Playboy Channel The Right Stuff Special photographic effects and storyboards The Ladd Company Flicks Animation, opening titles, and film dating Edward R. Pressman The Cotton Club 1984 Title sequence and photography American Zoetrope Seven Minutes in Heaven 1985 Title sequence Warner Bros. Stroh's Circle of Sports Opening sequence Ohlmeyer Communications The Twilight Zone Main titles and special effects CBS Productions A Chorus Line "Surprise, Surprise" music video Columbia Pictures Fast Times 1986 Main titles Universal Television Children of a Lesser God Title sequence Paramount Pictures Peggy Sue Got Married Title sequence and production American Zoetrope Top Gun Special effects Paramount Pictures The Rock 'n Roll Evening News Main titles Andy Friendly Productions Soul Man "Soul Man" music video New World Pictures Eyes on the Prize 1987 Main titles Blackside Gardens of Stone Title sequence American Zoetrope The Running Man Special visual effects Taft Entertainment The Serpent and the Rainbow 1988 Special visual effects Universal Pictures Tucker: The Man and His Dream Title sequence Zoetrope Studios The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley Hanna-Barbera Dead Pan Alley Set design for TV pilot KQED D-TV² Title The Walt Disney Company New York Stories 1989 Titles for Life Without Zoë American Zoetrope The All-New Mickey Mouse Club Main titles Walt Disney Television Lunch Box Main titles and bumpers The Walt Disney Company Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt Title sequence and soundstage New Yorker Films The Betty Boop Movie Mystery As BIG Pictures King Features Saturday Night Live 1990 Main titles Broadway Video Big Beast Quintet TV pilot Nickelodeon Liquid Television 1991–1994 MTV Back to the Future 1991–1992 As BIG Pictures Universal Cartoon Studios Fresh Arithmetic 1991 Interstitial series Fox Kids The Wonderful World of DisneyDisney Family Films Presents 19911994 Opening sequences The Walt Disney Company The Wish That Changed Christmas 1991 Children's Television Workshop Bram Stoker's Dracula 1992 Special effects American Zoetrope GTV Planetary Manager Videodisc National Geographic Society The Great Depression 1993 Main titles Blackside Demolition Man Virtual reality sex scene Silver Pictures RoboCop: The Ride Ridefilm Iwerks The Moxy Show 1993–1995 Cartoon Network Natural Born Killers 1994 Animation Regency Enterprises Mickey's Fun Songs Opening sequence Walt Disney Home Video Living Books: Ruff's Bone Video game Random House/Broderbund Tank Girl 1995 Animation United Artists Psychic Detective Video game Electronic Arts Æon Flux MTV Jack 1996 Title sequence American Zoetrope Play-Doh Creations Video game Hasbro Interactive Koala Lumpur: Journey to the Edge 1997 Video game Broderbund Frankenguy and the Professor Interstitial series Disney Channel ZOOB Toons Short film Primordial Toys Showtime Championship Boxing 1998 Main titles Showtime Networks The Mix-Ups Interstitial series Disney Channel Super Chunk Show packaging Cartoon Network Zoog Disney 1998–1999 First season only; co-produced with Mondo Media Disney Channel
Noyes and Laybourne
Formerly known as Cyclops Films (1969–1978) and Eliott Noyes Productions (1978–1983). Operated by Eli Noyes and Kit Laybourne Title Year Notes Client Sesame Street 1971–19721974 "Mad Painter" and "Sand Alphabet" shorts Children's Television Workshop The Fable of He and She 1974 short film Learning Corporation of America Pinwheel 1979–1982 animation Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment Braingames 1983 pilot HBO About Alcohol 1984 short film Channing L. Bete Company MTV Top 20 Video Countdown 1984 opening MTV The Great Ape Activity Tape 1986 Karl-Lorimar Home Video Colorforms Learn 'n' Play 1986 two kits Karl-Lorimar Home VideoScholastic Productions Clifford's Sing Along Adventure 1986 Karl-Lorimar Home VideoScholastic Productions About Drinking and DrivingAbout Drug AbuseAbout Cocaine and CrackYoung People & AIDS 1987 short films Channing L. Bete Company Eureeka's Castle 1989–1992 Nickelodeon Stories to Remember 1990 "Beauty and the Beast" (animation production) Lightyear Entertainment Liquid Television 1991–1994 MTV Adventures in Wonderland 1992 opening title sequence Walt Disney Television Top Gun: Fire at Will 1996 video game Spectrum HoloByte
Music videos "Calling All Girls" (Hilly Michaels, 1980) "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" (The Power Station, 1985) "Raspberry Beret" (Prince, 1985) "All Around the World" (Robert Palmer, 1985) "Color of Success" (Morris Day, 1985) "Mutual Surrender (What a Wonderful World)" (Bourgeois Tagg, 1986) "Partners, Brothers and Friends" (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 1986) "Touch of Grey" (Grateful Dead, 1987) "Airhead" (Thomas Dolby, 1988) "Don't Worry, Be Happy" (Bobby McFerrin, 1988) "Good Lovin'" (Bobby McFerrin, 1988) "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" (They Might Be Giants, 1990) "Living in the Promiseland" (Joe Cocker, 1990) "The Garden" (Bobby McFerrin, 1990) Kevin Volans: Hunting:Gathering (Kronos Quartet, 1991) "Steam" (Peter Gabriel, 1993) "Get a Haircut" (George Thorogood, 1993) "George of the Jungle" (Presidents of the United States of America, 1997)
Commercials
1-800-MUSIC-NOW (1995) 7Up (1985, 1995) ABC (1985) Adventure Island (1987) Allstate (1990–95) Americast American Express (1991) Ascriptin Atari (1983) AT&T (1991) Bankers Trust (1993) BellSouth Best Buy (1994) Blockbuster Video (1998) Bloomingdale's (1985) Boise Cascade (1980) Budweiser Burger King (1996) Cadbury California Federal Bank California Lottery (1990) California Milk Advisory Board (1985, 1989) Cap'n Crunch Carl's Jr. (1993) Cartoon Network (1992, 1998) CBS C.C. Lemon (1995) Celestial Seasonings (1995) Century Theatres Channel V (1994) Chevrolet Chili's Chuck E. Cheese (1979-80) Cigna (1985) Clorox (1985) Coca-Cola (1993–98) Cocoa Krispies (1987–88) Converse Coors Brewing Company Del Monte Foods (1985) Denny's (1997) DHL Discovery Channel (1997) Disney Channel (1986–90, 1992) Dole Food Company (1985) Dr. Scholl's ESPN2 (1993) Final Fantasy III (1994) Ford Fox Kids Network (1991) Franco-American (1996) Fresca (1993) Frito-Lay Gap Inc. (1981) General Mills (1986, 1990, 1992–94) Geo (1989) Good Guys (1993) GTE Ha! (1990) Haggar Hanna-Barbera (1989) Hawaiian Punch (1995) HBO (1984) Heineken (1992) Hershey's Kisses (1989–96) Hitachi (1993) Hi-C (1993) Homebase (1992) Home Club Hewlett-Packard (1992) Honda (1990, 1993, 1995) JCPenney Jeep (1994) Keds (1994) KGO-TV (1983) Kibbles 'n Bits (1989) Kikkoman KQED (1979) KSAN-FM (1979) L'eggs (1985) Le Méridien Levi's (1981, 1983–86, 1991, 1994–95) Liberty Mutual Life Savers (1990–91) Lifetime (1985) Listerine (1990–92) Little Caesars Locomotion (1996) Löwenbräu Brewery (1989) Mainstay (1995) MCI Communications McDonald's (1986–87, 1989–90) Miller's Outpost (1993) Mirinda (1985) Mobilink Motorola (1994) Mountain Dew The Movie Channel (1985) MSN MSNBC MTV (1981–86, 1990–93) Mrs. Baird's Nabisco (1990, 1993) Nature Valley NBA NBC (1986–87) New Visions Pictures (1989) Nickelodeon (1984–85, 1994–96, 1998) Nickelodeon Movies (1996, 1998) Nick at Nite (1989, 1991) Nike (1991–95, 1997) Nintendo Power (1988) NYNEX (1992–93) Ocean Spray (1984)