Rising Sun Pictures

Rising Sun Pictures
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryVisual effects
Founded1995
Founder
  • Tony Clark
  • Gail Fuller
  • Wayne Lewis
HeadquartersFlinders Street,
Adelaide
,
Australia
Key people
Alexandra Daunt Watney (Company President)[1]
ParentPitch Black Company
Websitewww.rsp.com.au

Rising Sun Pictures (RSP) is an Australian visual effects and computer animation company headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia, led by Alexandra Daunt Watney. Since September 2023, it has been owned by Pitch Black Company. Its film and television credits include Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Deadpool & Wolverine, Charlotte's Web, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Knuckles.

History

The company was founded in 1995 by Tony Clark, Wayne Lewis, and Gail Fuller in Adelaide. It is named after the Rising Sun Inn in the Adelaide suburb of Kensington,[2] where they held their first meeting.[3]

In 2015, RSP formed a partnership with the University of South Australia whereby nine Bachelor of Media Arts students would work at RSP as part of their degree.[4] This collaboration continues as of 2022, with graduates in high demand and several subsequently employed at RSP.[5]

In 2016, the company launched a production office in Sydney, located at Fox Studios Australia. This is intended to support both local Australian filmmakers (many of whom are based nearby and use Fox for shooting, editorial and other production and post-production work) as well as its ongoing work with international clients. Having a base in Sydney would allow RSP to become involved at an earlier stage of production. This office has since been closed down.[6]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia's relative insulation from the worst effects allowed film and television production to continue in near-normal conditions, including the production of Mortal Kombat in Adelaide.

In March 2021 RSP expanded its offices and studios.[7] In mid-2021, it opened a small production studio in Southbank precinct of Brisbane, Queensland.[5]

In April 2021, Los Angeles-based FuseFX acquired Rising Sun Pictures.[2][8] No operational changes were planned at the company, which would continue to maintain its brand, but the acquisition would allow it to expand further.[9]

Rising Sun has worked with the Australian Institute for Machine Learning, enabling it to develop some cutting-edge new tools.[10]

In January 2023, the Pitch Black Company[11] was founded to encompass all of the brands owned by the now defunct Fuse Group. This includes Folks VFX, FuseFX, Rising Sun Pictures and El Ranchito VFX.

Description and people

RSP head office is located on Flinders Street, Adelaide.[12]

As of September 2025, Alexandra Daunt Watney serves as president of the studio, Phil Barrenger as head of operations, and Ian Cope as executive producer.[13]

Awards

The company has won many awards over the years.

It won the Best Video award at the 2003 edition of the ARIA Music Awards, for their work on Rogue Traders' "One of My Kind".[14]

The company won AEAF Special Merit Awards for Mortal Kombat and the second season of The Boys in 2021.[15]

In 2022, RSP won two AEAF Bronze Awards, for Jungle Cruise and Cowboy Bebop.[15] In the same year, VFX supervisor Julian Hutchens was co-winner of the AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation for the team's work on Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis.[16]

In 2026, VFX supervisor Guido Wolter and his team are nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 98th Academy Awards for his work on Sinners.[12]

Film and TV credits

Source:[17]

Open source projects

Open source projects sponsored by Rising Sun Pictures include:[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Pitch Black Appoints Alexandra Daunt Watney as President of Rising Sun Pictures - RSP | Rising Sun Pictures | 71 comments". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  2. ^ a b "Our Story". Rising Sun Pictures. 16 February 2022. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  3. ^ Taylor, Mary (22 April 2015). "The Forager: New dawn for Rising Sun". InDaily. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Rising Sun collaboration – a new dawn for UniSA media arts students". UniSA. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Rising Sun Pictures launches studio in Brisbane". Ausfilm. 19 January 2022. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  6. ^ "Rising Sun Pictures launches production office in Sydney". FilmInk. 13 September 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  7. ^ "Rising Sun Pictures Expands Studio and Staff As Production Rebounds In Australia". SHOOTonline. 29 March 2021. Archived from the original on 11 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  8. ^ "Adelaide visual effects studio Rising Sun Pictures acquired by US giant". Business News Australia. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  9. ^ Spence, Andrew (9 April 2021). "Rising Sun Pictures sold to Hollywood studio". InDaily. Archived from the original on 11 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Excellence in Science & Industry Collaboration". SA Science Excellence and Innovation Awards. 2021. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  11. ^ "The Fuse Group is now the Pitch Black Company". FuseFX. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  12. ^ a b Dare, Laura (3 March 2026). "Meet the Adelaide team up for an Oscar". The Post. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  13. ^ "Our Team". RSP. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  14. ^ ARIA Award previous winners. "Winners by Award – Artisan Awards – Best Video". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  15. ^ a b "Awards and Nominations" (PDF). 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 January 2025. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  16. ^ Newman, Crystel (5 December 2022). "2022 AACTA Award win". RSP. Archived from the original on 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Filmography". Rising Sun Pictures. Archived from the original on 26 November 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  18. ^ Frei, Vincent. "Avengers: Doomsday - The Art of VFX". The Art of VFX. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  19. ^ Frei, Vincent. "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping - The Art of VFX". The Art of VFX. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  20. ^ "Projects at Open Source at Rising Sun Pictures". Rising Sun Pictures. Archived from the original on 13 January 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2007.
  21. ^ "Earth - Trac". open.rsp.com.au. Archived from the original on 24 February 2008. Retrieved 19 February 2008.
  22. ^ "pyshake - Trac". open.rsp.com.au. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  23. ^ "SourceForge.net: Affogato: XSI Rendering Translator". sourceforge.net. Archived from the original on 4 May 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  24. ^ "RSP works with Sun to make improvements to Grid Engine at Open Source at Rising Sun Pictures". open.rsp.com.au. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  25. ^ "RSP to make improvements to Grid Engine (continued) at Open Source at Rising Sun Pictures". open.rsp.com.au. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
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