Lion Network (Australia)

Background
This was a joint alliance between Entropy Films and Nine Network board members Mandy McDonald and Ruth Dodd, with financial support from alcoholic beverage company Lion, Hoyts Cinemas and the South Australian Film Corporation, created solely to co-finance the controversial 2005 film Field Trip. The deal was that Entropy owners Rod Livermore, Robert and Linda Dunn had initially intended to shoot the film in Saint John, New Brunswick, but due to their selected director, Ann Bidels, refusal to travel by air due to a case of aerophobia, forcing the producers to move their shoot to South Australia, where Bidels had a currently standing filming permit. Entropy ran into issues due to a lack of connections to Australian funders, and performed a call to action, where they would meet McDonald and Dodd at a film festival and coordinate the deal. Both would use their connections to the Nine Network to secure financiers, albeit those willing to back a film in spite of its intended nature. Lion would help bankroll and promote the film in exchange for advertising the company's products and a cut of the film's box office returns, while the SAFC would represent Bidels, with additional support from the Film Finance Corporation. Lion supposedly held a 50% stake in the venture, with Hoyts holding a looser 25% of the deal and the remainder being relegated to 5% shares among the producers, SAFC and the Film Finance Corporation would pull out as they would handle financial affairs due to Bidels being a resident of South Australia and thus be represented by southern film credit unions, FFC being more of the same for the entirety of Australia. Hoyts had agreed to back the film on the condition it would be exclusively released in their cinemas and they would have full control of the film's distribution rights. While sales were handled by another company, Beyond Films, Hoyts had coordinated an American distribution sale to LionsGate, who they have distributed their films in Australian territories. The venture was dissolved after the film was completed.

1st (and only) Logo (2005)
Logo: We fade in to a cliffside against a dusk sky. A lion approaches the edge of the cliff and steps onto its hindlegs as it morphs into a 2D gold rendering, actually the logo for Lion as the background around it fades to black. No company indicator is present.

FX/SFX: A mix between 2D Animation and 3D effects.

Music/Sounds: A somber orchestrated fanfare, culminating in a drumroll and a synth guitar note.

Availability: It was only seen on the controversial Field Trip.

Editor's Note:


 * The calm nature and beautiful appearance of the logo contrasts heavily to the gruesome nature of the film it precedes.
 * Beyond an on-screen logo, Lion Network is not credited anywhere by name. It is represented through production and participation credits for Entropy Films and Lion respectively; Hoyts handled distribution thus had no reason to be credited in either two categories. This also applies for trailers and print adverts, where Lion and Entropy's logos are shown with no reference to Lion Network.