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,[1] where they held their first meeting.[2]
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.[3] This collaboration continues as of 2022, with graduates in high demand and several subsequently employed at RSP.[4]
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.[5]
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.[6] In mid-2021, it opened a small production studio in Southbank precinct of Brisbane, Queensland.[4]
In April 2021, Los Angeles-based FuseFX acquired Rising Sun Pictures.[1][7] No operational changes were planned at the company, which would continue to maintain its brand, but the acquisition would allow it to expand further.[8]
As of June 2022[update] Tony Clark,[10] leads the studio under the Rising Sun Pictures brand. Meredith Meyer-Nichols is head of production and executive producer.[11] In 2021 there were around 270 staff employed in Adelaide.[8]
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.
