Sterner Stuff

Background
Sterner Stuff is a production company ran by former bodybuilder and producer Julia West and screenwriter, producer and director Phil Sterns, based in Decatur, Illinois but also having offices in Hamilton, Ontario. It was originally formed in 1987 as Sternwest Productions, producing television films. In 1997, the company rebranded full time to Sterner Stuff and acted as a licensing firm, while still assuming film and television production duties. In 2008, Renee Sterns, daughter of Sterns and West, actress and cosplayer, joined the company.

1st logo (1987)
Logo: On a black background, we see the word "STERNWEST" in red, each letter is encased in a thick white outline. The word is set to the top of the screen.

Variant: On local reruns of The Halloween Gang, text reading "PRODUCED UNDER LICENSE TO STERNWEST PRODUCTIONS" is below

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: A three note fanfare.

Availability: Seen on the syndicated run of The Halloween Gang, and along with the Gecko Studios logo, plastered the Blessard Animation Productions logo on reruns of the first season in local syndication and home video releases through Family Home Entertainment. This was removed on more recent prints.

2nd Logo (1993-1996)
Logo: We fade in to a room with a table, chair, waste basket and a window overlooking a giant field. Two portraits containing caricatures of Sterns and West are on opposing sides of the window. "sternwest productions" appears above in a typewriter fashion. Suddenly, a knife flies in from the right and hits the wall, causing the caricatures' expressions to turn into that of shock. The image shakes, implying someone fainted.

FX/SFX: Stop-motion animation.

Music/Sounds: Typewriter sounds, followed by the sound of the knife hitting the wall, a woman screaming and the thud.

Availability: Appeared on two TV movies, Hotter than the Sun and Dead and Aside, which both aired on Fox. Also appeared on I Saw Mommy Kill Santa Claus, which aired on USA Network.

1st Logo (1997)
Logo: On a grey background, we see the company name slide in. "STERNER" is white and "STUFF" is red, and a thick black outline surrounds each letter. "CHARACTERS CREATED BY" appears above in white, along with copyright information.

FX/SFX: The sliding.

Music/Sounds: A hip hop tune.

Availability: Seen on the video game Green Jean 2: Enter the Nega Jean for the SEGA Saturn, PlayStation and PC.

2nd Logo (1999-2009, 2017-)
Logo: On a black background, we pan across a rhombus at different angles. The rhombus contains various abstract shapes such as that of a filmstrip, a crescent moon and the "S" from the first logo. A spotlight forms from the right and illuminates the rhombus, which is set at an angle, as the image is boxed in. The interior becomes 2D.

FX/SFX: 3D animation.

Music/Sounds: A droning synth tune, ending with a muted reverb.

Availability: Appeared on the films Lockin and The Incredible Hulk vs. The Wolfman, the short-lived series The Halloween Kids, the video game Green Jean and the Machinima series Grid Gen. Was brought back for 7 Deadly Tales and Turn Away and also appears at the start and end of newer prints of their old content streamed on YouTube, often following the FilmRise logo at the start.