Adelaide’s own Hollywood success story, Rising Sun Pictures (RSP), and the University of South Australia have forged a unique strategic partnership designed to keep the Australian visual effects industry growing strong.
Rising Sun Pictures’ MD and co-founder, Wayne Lewis, says the new association will provide undergraduate student placements and mentoring opportunities with the award-winning visual effects production company, as well as a co-delivered Graduate Certificate in Visual Effects.
Founded in 1995, RSP is a great South Australian success story – a “can-do” group of professionals who have gone on to build a company providing visual effects for blockbuster franchises such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, X-Men andThe Hunger Games.
“With its focus on quality, industry-based learning with real employment outcomes, a partnership with UniSA is a natural fit for us,” Lewis says. “The new Graduate Certificate in Visual Effects is an intensive 12-week program teaching students vital skills in visual effects (VFX) production and preparing them for careers in the entertainment industry.”
“Students of the program will gain insights into the VFX industry like no other and graduate with the extra skills to take them into careers here at RSP and at other effects facilities around the world.”
UniSA Vice Chancellor, Professor David Lloyd, says the new partnership is just the sort of engagement UniSA aims to be a part of – a partnership that champions local innovation and creativity and nurtures local talent.
“Businesses such as RSP prove that you don’t have to be in Hollywood, or even in Sydney, to make your mark internationally – Adelaide has all the ingredients required,” he says.
“This is just the first step in an ongoing relationship between UniSA and RSP and I’m excited for our students, who will get the chance to work alongside true industry leaders, developing a skills set that will be much in demand by film and digital production employers globally.”
Celebrating the new partnership with RSP, on 26 November, UniSA will host a visual effects industry night in the Hartley Playhouse at its Magill campus.
The evening will showcase three of Australia’s biggest visual effects companies – Rising Sun Pictures, Animal Logic and Iloura; as well as major international studio Framestore, and provide a rare opportunity for current and future students to learn about what it takes to break into the visual effects industry.