Paramount's logo features a ring of stars surrounding a mountain. The mountain image was originally drawn based on Ben Lomond Mountain in Utah. Mountains connote adventure and exploration in films, and are featured in many myths. The original number of stars in the logo represented Paramount's contracted movie stars at the time.
The name "Paramount" derives from Greek words meaning "beside" or "adjacent to" a mountain, connoting reaching great heights or a summit. Paramount was founded in 1914 and quickly established itself as a major film studio, becoming the first to market and distribute films globally. It has produced over $1.2 billion in revenue and owns DreamWorks animation.
2. Paramount
• Paramount’s logo follows a ring of stars to center a mountain. The
mountain was originally drawn by W.W. Hodkinson and is based on
the Ben Lomond Mountain in Utah. The image has now been
modified and replicated using CGI.
3. Connotations of the mountain
• Mountains connote notions surrounding adventure and exploration
as they are a conventional location for subgenres of action of
thriller. Mountains are also included in a multitude of myths and
stories, for example Mount Olympus, thus making it an apposite
logo for a film institution.
4. Connotations of the star
• The 24 stars represent the 24 contracted movie stars that
Paramount had at the time. The amount of stars has now been
reduced to only 22 stars, possibly because the update to CGI
couldn’t fit 24. Stars are used as a literal representation of the
American terminology and by equating them with heavenly bodies,
elevates the actors to an idolized pedestal.
5. Connotation of the name
• Para’ derives the Greek work meaning ‘besides’ or ‘adjacent to’;
this is used in conjunction with ‘mount’ meaning ‘climb up’,
‘ascend’, or simply an abbreviation of ‘mountain’, to form
Paramount. Thus the meaning of the institution’s name connotes
the notion of a summit or being able to ascend to greatness.
6. Founders and History
• Paramount was founded by Adolph Zukor, Jessie L. Laskey and W. W.
Hodkinson in 1914 making it the fifth oldest film studio. The studio’s
first film production was Squaw Man (1914). After the founding of
Paramount Pictures the company quickly established itself as a key
player in progressing market, which was just beginning to make its mark
on the world. Before the creation of paramount the film production
market was very mundane, films were only distributed within the same
states. Hardly ever crossing borders into new territories, after the
creation of paramount pictures this principle was soon destroyed.
Paramount became the first production company to market and produce
films for entire nations, this proved to be revolutionary factor which
changed the way the business worked. Since its formation Paramount
Pictures has become one of the biggest film production companies in the
world, it has manufactured a global conglomerate which includes the
animation company: DreamWorks. So far Paramount has produced $1.2
billion (£ 74,229,8400.00) in revenue, showing the scale it has achieved.
7. Facts about Paramount
• Paramount Pictures Corporation is a film studio, television
production company and motion picture distributor, consistently
ranked as one of the "Big Six" film studios of Hollywood.
• The mountain featured on the Paramount Pictures’ logo, has been
used in some form in the company’s logo since it was founded, and
is the longest, existing, original icon in Hollywood film industry.
• Paramount Pictures hold two-hour tours every day of the week,
with visits around the studio premises, and four and a half hour
tours are also offered with a more extensive look into its history
and current production processes.
• Paramount Pictures celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012, which
is a milestone that no other significant Hollywood studio had
obtained by that time.
