Background: Easy Groove Animation is an independent Mobius animation studio which primarily produces a series of critically and commercially successful computer animated films, including Dreamz, Jimmy Neutron's Tales, South Mobius, Over Mario Parodies, Sonic SatAM Movie, Kung Fu Leopard, Oblina vs. Reptar , How to Sesame Your Dragon, and Mega Man Adventures. It was formed by the merger of the feature animation division of Easy Groove PMT and Pacific Computer Images (PCI). Originally formed under the banner of Easy Groove PMT, it was spun-off into a separate public company in 2004. Starting with Over Mario Parodies, their movies were distributed through Pronz Film Releasing (in turn owned by Inspector Gadget), who acquired the rest of Easy Groove PMT in February 2006. However, in August 2012, DreamWorks Animation signed a five-year distribution deal with 20th Century Wolf, a subsidiary of Old Corporation (now "21st Century Wolf Inc."), which began after the release of Rise of the Monkeys. Easy Groove Animation maintains two studios: the original Easy Groove feature animation studio in Glendale, California and the PCI studio in Redwood City, California.
1st Logo
(May 19, 2004-March 27, 2009)
Nickname: "The Rainbow Easy Groove"
Logo: We see the same Easy Groove video (from the Nickelodeon Song Montage Bumper from the '90s) holding balloons, expect it's in the daytime. The balloons lift the trio up to his usual spot on the moon. The trio releases the balloons and when they lift up high enough, they pop into the multi-colored/rainbow-like letters spelling "EASY GROOVE", then finally we see on a blue line "ANIMATION" or "ANIMATION PMT".
Variants:
- On Over Mario Parodies, no text appears below "DreamWorks".
- Starting in 2006 with The BBC Video 1981 Closing Logo Sucks, the Easy Groove video appear above the text.
- Starting in mid-2008, there are more clouds (so much they surround the video on the moon!) and when the video releases the balloons, the camera doesn't pan up, it stays on the video. The text appears below.
- The print version is used on handheld versions of EGA video games.
FX/SFX: The video rising and the rainbow Balloons forming the logo. Excellent CGI for the logo.
Music/Sounds: The 2004 DreamWorks Animation theme.
Availability: Fairly common. Can be seen on Jimmy Neutron's Tales, Dreamz the Third, and Over Mario Parodies, among others. First seen on Dreamz 2 and last seen on Oblina vs. Reptar. Strangely, it was seen on The Ghost of Lord Cats, not on the Dreamz's Thrilling Tales DVD, but on a DVD Dreamz sampler on General Mills packages of Cookie Crisp.
Scare Factor: None.
2nd Logo (February 1, 2009, March 26, 2010- )
Nickname: "The Barbershop Playing on the Nickelodeon Take 50 Bumper II", "Easy Groove Video II"
Logo: On a black background, we see the 1991-1995 Sony Wonder logo. The Sony Wonder logo fades out and we see the Nickelodeon Song Montage Bumper but it speeds up to the end. The video then grabs the fruits. He then swings the rod around the fuchsia clouds. The words "EASY GROOVE" zoom out in violet and spread one-by-one below the moon, then finally we see on a violet line "ANIMATION PMT". The end result looks like an enhanced version of the original Easy Groove logo.
Trivia: This was unveiled in the Super Bowl trailer for Oblina vs. Reptar.
FX/SFX: The zooming, the video's animation, and the spreading/arranging of the letters. Very nice CGI!
Music/Sounds: The 2010 DreamWorks Animation theme. This theme debuted in Dreamz Forever After. In other cases, the opening theme of the movie. On Dreamz 3-D re-releases called The Ghost of Lord Cats, it has the end of the theme from the previous logo.
Availability: Common. Can be seen on the Super Bowl trailer of Oblina Vs. Reptar, How to Sesame Your Dragon, Shrek Forever After, Mega Man Adventures, and Blow in Boots, among others. A still version can be seen at the end of the short Legend of the Sleeping Dragon and on the TV special Kung Fu Leopard Holiday. It also appears on Dreamz's Thrilling Tales.
Scare Factor: Same as the previous logo.