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 Oakville, Ontario. It was originally formed in 1987 as Sternwest Productions, both Sterns and West previously served as writers on The Halloween Gang and had agreed to co-finance the show's syndication package, later going on to produce television films and specials. In 1989, Linda Dunn and Jerry Berman joined the company and it rebranded to Sterns/West/Dunn/Berman, shifting their focus to low budget movies and TV series. The company shut down in 2004 due to financial issues and legal trouble following allegations of Sterns and West using their Ontario branch as a front to use Canadian funding in their films, as well as disputes relating to Dunn and Berman allegedly using funds from religious outfits to back their films but not explaining their sacrilegious nature. In 2017, the company was resurrected as Sterner Stuff, currently dedicated to shortform entertainment, horror films and managing their former properties.

1st logo (1987-1992)
Logo: On a white background, we see a robotic toy walking up to the viewer. The robot's chest is open, revealing a TV monitor with the word "Sternwest" in a black Peignot font.

FX/SFX: Live action.

Music/Sounds:


 * 1987-1992: Rhythmic robot noises.
 * 1994-2003: Sounds of a walking robot toy.

Availability: First 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 due to Blessard buying them back. It also appeared on the four episode special Nick At Nite's Commercial Corner and the unsold pilot for an American adaptation of Watch With Mother.

1st Logo (1989)
Logo: We fade in to a close view of a grey hawk. A spark forms on its eye and it zooms toward the middle left. The text "STERNS/WEST/DUNN/BERMAN" fades in to the right.

FX/SFX: The zooming and spark.

Music/Sounds: A bird screeching twice, mixed in with a two note synth fanfare.

Music/Sounds/Variant: On cable airings, a more triumphant synth fanfare plays over the logo.

Availability: Ultra rare, seen on No Air.

2nd Logo (1994-2003)
Logo: On a purple background, we see Phil Sterns, Julia West, Linda Dunn and Jerry Berman facing away from the viewer. The text "BERMAN/DUNN/WEST/STERNS" is above in a white ITC Avant Gard Gothic font. Sterns raises his hand and knocks the text, causing it to rotate and be seen in the right order.

FX/SFX: Live-action, plus the text turning.

Music/Sounds: A cranking sound, ending with a pop and a chuckle.

Availability: Appeared on three television films, Hotter than the Sun which aired on USA Network, Dead and Aside which aired on Fox and a live-action adaptation of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe which aired on TBS. Also appeared on the unsold pilot for She-Hulk, the ultra short-lived 1999 revival of Inner Sanctum and the documentary Through the Heart, To the Grave: The Life and Murder of Scott Amedure, which aired on Bravo.

3rd Logo (1995-2002)
Logo: On a gradient cream background, we see an oblong red shape in the distance. A blue rhombus bounces in and upon getting close to the shape, bounces on top of it causing to split into two abstract shapes (A diamond with two sections cut out, making it resemble an "S", two blended triangles resembling a "W" and the blue rhombus splits, forming two triangles, one of which has a cut second to resemble a "B", the former triangle resembles a "D") The background turns blue gradient as a spotlight forms on the shapes. "STERNS/WEST/DUNN/BERMAN" fades in below.

FX/SFX: Traditional animation.

Music/Sounds: Bizarre background noise.

Availability: Appeared on the 1995 remake of The Beast of Yucca Flats, The Piano Teacher and Siphon.

1st Logo (2017-)
Logo: Same concept as the 3rd logo, this time animated to pan through the crowd, then the negative fading and the company name appearing around the circle.

FX/SFX: 3D animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Appeared on 7 Deadly Tales and Turn Away.