Lightning Bolt Pictures

Lightning Bolt Pictures (or, as seen on the logo, in all caps, LIGHTNING BOLT) is a film/tv distribution company owned by WTNF Communications. They own Taylor Enterprises and New Nation Pictures. The company was founded in 1991, making it possibly the first company that WTNF Communications formed. They have a television network called LBTV (Lightning Bolt TV), a record label (Lightning Bolt Records), a television division (Lightning Bolt Television), and a home entertainment division (Lightning Bolt Home Entertainment). The company turned 30 in 2021.

1st Logo

(June 1991-August 1997)

Background: On a black background we see the Lightning Bolt logo and text, then the bolt turns purple.

FX: Byline fading in and the bolt changing to purple.

SFX: None. The logo is silent.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extinct. Seen on the films from that era.

2nd Logo #1

(August 1997-July 2015)

Background: Same logo as above but with a theme added.

FX: Same as the 1st logo.

SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The Touchstone Pictures theme in a high tone.

Availability: Same as the 1st Logo.

2nd Logo #2

(August 1997-July 2015)

Background: The Lightning Bolt logo (now with a bank gothic font) zooms in on a black background, then the screen flashes, the bolt is purple, and finally, the byline fades in shortened to “A WTNF-TV Company”

FX: The logo zooming in and the screen flashing

SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: Possibly the UA Theme from 1984.

3rd Logo #1 (25 years variant)

Background: Same as the 2nd Logo, but the words “25 YEARS” and “SHOCKING THE WORLD” are added, and the byline, for unknown reasons, changed back to “A WTNF-TV COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY“.

FX: Same as the 2nd Logo.

SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: Same as the 2nd Logo.

Availability: Extinct. Seen on The Best of WTNF, The DVD release of Paramount Logo Bloopers Season 1 and 2. The TV Version of this Logo was seen on a couple of PLB episodes.

3rd Logo #2

(July 2015-2016)

Same as the 2nd Logo. Other variations of this logo with different themes exist. The byline was again changed to “A WTNF COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY”.

FX: Same as the 2nd Logo.

SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The UA Theme from 1993.

Availability: Uncommon. Was seen on the movies and shows from that era.

4th Logo

(2016-)

Background: We see some dark clouds moving, then, a loud lightning strike sound is heard, with 3 bolts on both sides of the screen appear with a bolt effect. Finally, the Lightning Bolt Logo is revealed.

FX: The clouds moving, the screen flashing, and the lightning bolt effect.

SFX: A loud lightning strike.

Music/Sounds: The first version used the UA theme from 1993, but pitched down to -6 semitones, and the second version used a custom-made theme made by 4evercdi.

Availability: Current. Seen on the Blu-Ray releases of Paramount Logo Bloopers Season 3 and 4, and many other releases. This may not be seen on Attack in the RTD, considering what happened in 2020.