Background: Rolling Thunder Animation (also known as "Rolling Thunder, Inc.") is the production company of Sam Webster (Me), producer of various animated shows, mostly on GoAnimate TV. It opened up in 1992 as a branding/advertising company named "Webster/Seibert Projects" in association with Fred Seibert. Webster/Seibert Projects worked for STV, SJ1, GoAnimate TV, GHBO, Time Machine, Levity TV, LEG Digital Network, TOONS! TV Animation Network, the now-defunct Xtranormal TV, and also became GoAnimate TV's advertising agency. Webster/Seibert Projects helped Rob Cade open up a production studio called "Suddenly I Turned Productions" in 1988 (which was then sold to Cade in 1992). The company moved to Collingpark in August 1998, and as a result, became "Rolling Thunder Animation". Rob Cade, meanwhile, founded Punchies Biggies in the mid-1980s (and resurrected it in 2005).
Suddenly I Turned Productions, Inc.
(1988-1997)
Logo: On a background of blue-gray diagonal stripes, We see a city skyline with an orange/red sky, bordered by a gray frame. A large white sun emerges from the skyline. Then from the top right, the text "Suddenly I Turned Productions, Inc." spins in and places itself on the sun.
Variant: On early Prankster's Select Prankers, the logo appears superimposed in black and white. The frame looks like TV static instead of a solid border, and there is a large outline under the sun.
FX/SFX: The sun, the text spinning in.
Cheesy Factor: The text spinning in looks very choppy.
Music/Sounds: A crumbling noise over the closing theme. On Legos Court, there is no crumbling noise.
Availability: Was seen on Boomerang You Don't Know Jack, Global You Don't Know Jack, Movie Pool, Lego's Court, and Prank Time with Joe "Prankster" Webster. Also appears on early Prankster's Select Prankers.
Scare Factor: Low. The crumbling noise may catch you off guard. _______________________________________________________________
Rolling Thunder Animation
1st Logo (1997-2008)
Nicknames: "The Sports Drink", "The Rolling Thunder Sports Drink", "Another Frederator Ripoff"
Logo: Over a label of a sports drink, the words "Rolling Thunder, Incorporated" appeared on the label.
FX/SFX: None. This and the next logo were produced by Joe Webster.
Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show.
Availability: Rare. It's seen on Over My Dead Body! Cartoons, on later episodes of The Meth Minute 50 (earlier episodes have the second logo), and on earlier episodes of The Fairly SunScreen and Soda Can-Zone.
Scare Factor: None.
2nd Logo (2001- )
Nicknames: "The Sports Drink II", "The Rolling Thunder Sports Drink II", "The Animated Sports Drink"
Logo: Same as before, but animated! On the same background on the bench of the SoccerBall field, a man offscreen drinks an amount of a sports drink, and then puts it down on the bench. On the Label are the words "Rolling Thunder, Incorporated".
Variants: There is a variant in which the soccerball field background is replaced by a basketball court with the words "Rolling Thunder" in yellow or steel gray and "Incorporated" in purple or white. There is also a variant in which the background is red/green gradient with the words "Rolling Thunder" in steel gray and "Incorporated" in white. There is also a black & white variant.
FX/SFX: The hand putting down the sports drink.
Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show accompanied by a drinking sound effect, then the sound of a glass breaking as the sports drink gets put down by a hand. This was followed by Sam Webster (founder of the company) saying "This has been a Rolling Thunder Incorporated Presentation!". On the Sammy/Achmed Power Hour animated specials, only the sound effects and voiceover are heard due to the Red Wire Blue Wire logo preceding this one.
Availability: Common. It can be seen on The Fairly SunScreen, Soda Can-Zone, and My Life as a "Something You Know Whatever" Robot.
Scare Factor: Low. The sound effects could catch you off-guard.
3rd Logo (2005-2009)
Nicknames: "Rolling Thunder Lego Minifig", "Thunderminifig"
Logo: On a white background, we see a red silhoutte of Thunderminifig with a yellow "R" on it. The words "A ROLLING THUNDER PRESENTATION" appear below.
Trivia: This was produced by Fred Seibert.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Common. It's seen on the first episodes of the webshow Channel Rolling Thunder and its spin-off, Soda Fite.
Scare Factor: None.
4th Logo (2009- )
Nicknames: " Light-up Billboard Rolling Thunder", "Rolling Thunder Minifig II", "Thunderminifig II", "Light-up Billboard Thunderminifig", "Light-up Billboard Minifig", "CuteMinifig"
Logo: On a black background, on a spotlight, we see a Thunderminifig (Who is a Lego Minifigure with attitude) but the "R" on him is green this time, pulling a lever, in which lights up these words on the billboard: ROLLiNG THUNDER ANIMATION
and when Thunderminifig is done, he walks away, and the lit-up words pop out, along with him in a straight position and spinning red triangles appear in the background.
FX/SFX: This is a stop-motion animation designed, animated, and directed by Sam's sister, Natalie Webster, a person working at Rolling Thunder Animation.
Music/Sounds: A lever pulling noise followed by two bangs then the majestic sounding voiceover (provided by Sam Webster) saying "Thunder!".
Music/Sounds Variant: On A Fairly Movie: Grow Up, Sammy Neeson!, the ending theme of the movie plays over it.
Availability: Common. Seen on Samuel And Joseph on GoAnimate TV and Boomerang, current episodes of Channel Rolling Thunder, and S1 and early S2 episodes of Hey Joe! It's Sam on GoAnimate Kids. It was also seen on the live-action Fairly Sunscreen movie, A Fairly Movie: Grow Up, Sammy Neeson! and it's sequel, A Fairly Christmas.
Scare Factor: Low. The sounds can catch of off-guard. Otherwise, Thunderminifig looks cute.
5th Logo (2010- )
Nicknames: "Rolling Thunder Minifig III", "Thunderminifig III", "Paper Mache Minifig", "Thunmache" "Another Frederator Ripoff II"
Logo: Against a wood background, we see a piece of paper on the table. The hand then build up to form Thunderminifig's face. Then the word, "ROLLiNG THUNDER" in the same font as before, zooms onto the ThunderMinifig, which bounces once.
FX/SFX: The hand building, the text zooming out. It's all live action, but in stop-motion. The Rolling Thunder text is animated. The design was created by Paper Mache artist Daniel Da Vinci.
Music/Sounds: The paper crumbling sound and then two bangs when the text bounces one followed by the majestic sounding voice (this time provided by Sam's brother, Joe Webster) saying "Thunder!".
Availability: Brand new. It's currently seen on Hey Joe! It's Sam on GoAnimate Kids since the 2nd season.
Scare Factor: Same as the 4th logo. It might surprise you the first time you see it, but Thunderminifig is again cute, and any fans of Paper Mache will like this logo.