| 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 Australianvisual effects andcomputer animation company headquartered inAdelaide,South Australia, led by Alexandra Daunt Watney. Since September 2023, it has been owned by Pitch Black Company. Its film and television credits includeFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga,Deadpool & Wolverine,Charlotte's Web,Sonic the Hedgehog andKnuckles.
The company was founded in 1995 by Tony Clark, Wayne Lewis, and Gail Fuller in Adelaide. It is named after theRising Sun Inn in the Adelaide suburb ofKensington,[2] where they held their first meeting.[3]
In 2015, RSP formed a partnership with theUniversity 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 inSydney, located atFox 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 theCOVID-19 pandemic, Australia's relative insulation from the worst effects allowed film and television production to continue in near-normal conditions, including the production ofMortal Kombat in Adelaide.
In March 2021 RSP expanded its offices and studios.[7] In mid-2021, it opened a small production studio inSouthbank precinct ofBrisbane,Queensland.[5]
In April 2021,Los Angeles-basedFuseFX 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 theAustralian 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 includesFolks VFX,FuseFX, Rising Sun Pictures and El Ranchito VFX.
RSP's offices are located across Australia, with the head office located onFlinders 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, includingAEAF Special Merit Awards forMortal Kombat and thesecond season ofThe Boys in 2021.[13]
In 2022, RSP won two AEAF Bronze Awards, forJungle Cruise andCowboy Bebop.[13] In the same year, VFX supervisor Julian Hutchens was co-winner of theAACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation for the team's work onBaz Luhrmann’sElvis.[14]
TheARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres ofAustralian music. They commenced in 1987.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARIA Music Awards of 2003 | Rising Sun Pictures forRogue Traders' "One of My Kind" | Best Video | Nominated | [15] |
Source:[16]
Projects sponsored by Rising Sun Pictures include:[17]
