See also
- Cospective, software company that started as Rising Sun Research
- List of film production companies
- List of television production companies
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Visual effects |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder |
|
| Headquarters | Flinders Street, , |
Key people | Alexandra Daunt Watney (Company President) [1] |
| Parent | Pitch Black Company |
| Website | www |
Rising Sun Pictures (RSP) is an Australian visual effects company headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia, lead by Alexandra Daunt Watney. Since September 2023 it has been led by Pitch Black Company. Its film and television credits include Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga , Deadpool & Wolverine , Charlotte's Web , Sonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles .
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]
At the beginning of 2021 it was revealed multiple students had suffered traumatic experiences after undertaking the Bachelors degree which resulted in one student taking his own life after he was harassed by RSP employees following his completion of the course.
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.
RSP's offices are located across Australia, with the head office located on Flinders Street, in Adelaide.
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. [12]
The company has won many awards, including AEAF Special Merit Awards for Mortal Kombat and the second season of The Boys in 2021. [13]
In 2022, RSP won two AEAF Bronze Awards, for Jungle Cruise and Cowboy Bebop . [13] 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. [14]
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARIA Music Awards of 2003 | Rising Sun Pictures for Rogue Traders' "One of My Kind" | Best Video | Nominated | [15] |
Source: [16]
Projects sponsored by Rising Sun Pictures include: [17]