Starz Rating Bumpers

February 1, 1994-August 31, 1997

Bumper: On a purple/orange gradient sky background with the symbol of the 1994-2005 Starz logo, we see a rating of the movie on the left in front of the logo, with symbols next to it for a particular broadcast:

• The letters "ESP" ("En Español") or "SAP" ("Secondary Audio Programming")
• A "TV speech bubble" symbol ("Closed Captioned")
• Headphones ("Digital Stereo Where Available")
• A "Tilde" symbol ("Digital Audio Where Available")

Containing texts below for its format.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds/Voiceover: A male announcer saying "The following feature is rated "[rating]", or "not rated" (for the "NR" variant).

Availability: Extinct.

January 1, 1997-November 1, 2002

Bumper: Same as the 1997-1999 Encore bumper, but on a background filled with a filmstrip and other objects, the filmstrip is now bronze, but it rotates on the left side of the screen and contains the rating of the movie ("G", "PG", "PG13", "R") inside filmstrip prints, and a bronze rectangle, containing symbols with a text next to them, pertaining to that particular broadcast:

• Headphones ("Digital Stereo")
• 1965-2008 Dolby logo ("Dolby Digital")
• A "Tilde" symbol ("Digital Audio")
• A "TV chat balloon" symbol ("Closed Captioned")
• The initials "ESP" ("En Espanol")
• The letters "SAP" ("Secondary Audio Programming")

Below all that is a 1994-2005 Starz logo.

Content Bumper: After either a filmstrip with the ratings of the movie moves away with the particular broadcasting format symbols and phrases, or the TV ratings with the texts beside it disappear, five boxes containing various letter symbols regarding the content of a particular program appear:

• AC (Adult Content)
• AL (Adult Language)
• BN (Brief Nudity)
• GL (Graphic Language)
• GV (Graphic Violence)
• MV (Mild Violence)
• N (Nudity)
• RP (Rape)
• SC (Strong Sexual Content)
• V (Violence)

TV Ratings: Starting on 1997, Starz began to precede its series and specials with bumpers featuring the TV ratings that were adopted by the rest of the industry: "TV-Y7" ("Directed to Older Children"), "TV-G" ("General Audiences"), "TV-PG" ("Parental Guidance Suggested"), "TV-14" ("Parents Strongly Cautioned") and "TV-M" ("Mature Audience"), later "TV-MA" ("Mature Audience Only").

FX/SFX: Just like the 3rd Encore bumper from 1997-1999, but with a 35mm film reel spinning about.

Music/Sounds/Voiceover: Same as the 3rd Encore bumper.

Availability: Same as the previous bumper.

November 4, 2002-March 27, 2005

Bumper: We see a sky with a river below moving about. The text "The following is rated" with a shutter (a la the gunbarrel in the opening and ending of the James Bond 007 film franchise) for a rating of the movie ("G", "PG", "PG13", "R") or TV show ("TVG", "TVPG", "TV14", "TVMA") next to it, containing symbols with a text next to them, pertaining to that particular broadcast:

• Headphones ("Digital Stereo")
• 1965-2008 Dolby logo ("Dolby Digital")
• A "Tilde" symbol ("Digital Audio")
• A "TV chat balloon" symbol ("Closed Captioned")
• The initials "ESP" ("En Espanol")
• The letters "SAP" ("Secondary Audio Programming")
• HDTV Where Available

Content Bumper: After the text, rating and the particular broadcasting format symbols and phrases fade out, all squares containing various letter symbols regarding the content of a particular program appear:

• AC (Adult Content)
• AL (Adult Language)
• BN (Brief Nudity)
• GL (Graphic Language)
• GV (Graphic Violence)
• MV (Mild Violence)
• N (Nudity)
• RP (Rape)
• SC (Strong Sexual Content)
• V (Violence)

The shutter slowly then moves upward, then closes like a camera.

FX/SFX: All done by At the Post.

Music/Sounds/Voiceover: A male voiceover saying "The following feature/presentation is rated (insert rating)."

Music/Sounds/Voiceover Trivia: The announcer is presumably Benjamin Patrick Johnson, who also did the 2002 and 2005 bumpers for Starz's on-air programming. He also did the voiceover work for Cartoon Network promos for both Teen Titans and the American airing premiere of Atomic Betty, as well as the TV spot for Disney's Brother Bear and Ferdinand.

Availability: Same as the previous bumper.

March 28, 2005-April 6, 2008

Bumper: Following the preceding Feature Presentation ID, the "FEATURE PRESENTATION" area shifts down, then pulls back up to reveal rating information. It fades out, and content descriptors fade in.

Variant: The color scheme and music varies by channel.

Content Bumper: TBA

FX/SFX: The background, the ID forming, the text fading.

Music/Sounds: The end of the preceding ID's music.

Availability: Same as the previous bumper.

April 7, 2008-September 4, 2011

Bumper: On an black/orange evening background, we see the black words "THE FOLLOWING IS RATED" with either the film or show's rating below it and a light shining behind them, while containing symbols in boxes with a text next to them, pertaining to that particular broadcast:

• Headphones ("Digital Stereo")
• 1965-2008 Dolby logo ("Dolby Digital")
• A "Tilde" symbol ("Digital Audio")
• A "TV chat balloon" symbol ("Closed Captioned")
• The initials "ESP" ("En Espanol")
• The letters "SAP" ("Secondary Audio Programming")
• HDTV Where Available

Content Bumper: After the text, rating and the particular broadcasting format symbols and phrases fade out, all squares containing various letter symbols regarding the content of a particular program appear:

• AC (Adult Content)
• AL (Adult Language)
• BN (Brief Nudity)
• GL (Graphic Language)
• GV (Graphic Violence)
• MV (Mild Violence)
• N (Nudity)
• RP (Rape)
• SC (Strong Sexual Content)
• V (Violence)

FX/SFX: Computer animation, but with a light shining.

Music/Sounds: An ending of the last notes of the pop/rock rendition of the 2002 jingle.

Availability: Same as the previous bumper.

September 5, 2011-August 31, 2013

Bumper: Following the 2011 Feature Presentation ID, we begin with a quick flash, which brings forth a light orange/blue gradient background to reveal the same rating information and particular broadcast descriptors from before (all in black). They all fade out, and content descriptors fade in afterwards.

FX/SFX: Computer animation, and shining effects.

Music/Sounds: The finishing of the rock tune of the 2011 ID.

Availability: Same as the previous bumper.

September 1, 2013-April 2, 2016

Bumper: On a background of the 2013 Starz ID, the rating information appears on the left with particular broadcast descriptors next to it and two vertical lines shown between them. Afterwards, they fade out and content descriptors fade in.

Variant: On a background of the $1 bill with a profile of Benjamin Franklin displayed on it, we see the same rating information (presumably the "TV-MA" rating) and particular broadcast descriptors underneath it from before (as used in the 2012 bumpers). The critic text for when The New York Times raved, "Survivor's Remorse is not suitable for sensitive or humorless audiences" is shown on the left with a vertical line between them. They all fade out, and content descriptors fade in afterwards.

FX/SFX: Computer animation.

Music/Sounds: A soft, quiet synth tune used in the 2013 ID.

Music/Sounds Variant: The theme for Survivor's Remorse, used in the ID.

Availability: Same as the previous bumper.

April 3, 2016-2022

Bumper: On a black-gray gradient background, we see "THE FOLLOWING IS RATED," with the film's rating below it. Content descriptors appear next to it.

Variant: On Starz's streaming print of the 1986 comedy The Longshot, since the film was sourced from a VHS master, the bumper appears non-anamorphically.

FX/SFX: A fade-in and fade-out.

Music/Sounds: The end of the then-current Starz jingle.

Availability: No longer in use.

September 29, 2022-present

Bumper: Over an aurora-like background, "THE FOLLOWING IS RATED", the rating, and the content descriptors all appear in pinkish-yellow, moving to the center of the screen.

FX/SFX: The text moving, 2D effects. The background is CGI.

Music/Sounds: A piano theme, inspired by the 2016 Starz music.

Availability: Current.