VFX Graduates at Rising Sun Pictures Follow Different Paths to Success
data-src=https://creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/avatars/263018/5fa08c562aaf4-bpthumb.jpg data-srcset=https://creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/avatars/263018/5fa08c561c0e7-bpfull.jpg 2x class=lazyload avatar avatar-80 photo height=80 width=80 />
Brie Clayton April 20, 2021
0 Comments
The training programs at Rising Sun Pictures (RSP), operated in partnership with the University of South Australia (UniSA) provide prospective visual effects artists with the essential skills they need to work in industry. The Bachelor of Media Arts and Graduate Certificate programs both have an admirable record for success with its graduates regularly finding employment at visual effects studios throughout Australia and beyond-including at RSP itself.
Sash Elliott, Maddison Green, Ryan Woodcock, Olivia Mitchell and Monica Quan are excellent examples of the value of training at RSP. Each of the six Adelaide natives participated in one of RSP's training programs accredited through UniSA last year and were subsequently hired by the studio in junior roles.
Each of these young artists has a different story, but they share commonalities in their commitment to hard work, eagerness to become accomplished professionals and determination to achieve big things.
Here are their stories:
Sash Elliott completed the visual effects (VFX) specialisation of the Media Arts degree last October and was offered a position with the studio just a few weeks later. Initially hired as a front-line services wrangler, managing data and providing artist support, she moved to the layout department after two months and is currently a junior track and match-move artist. I love layout, she insists. It was challenging at first, but as long as you know the under-pinning principles, you can apply it to the software.
Sash's passion for visual effects ignited when she enrolled in an introductory computer animation course as a Media Arts student at UniSA. It blew me away, she recalls. I immediately saw it as a career opportunity. When I learned that I could specialise in visual effects and take third-year courses at Rising Sun Pictures, I signed up straight away.
The training was demanding, but Sash applied herself diligently and undertook tasks beyond what her instructors required. I did my assignments to the best of my ability, but I also pushed myself further and took on side projects to show my passion and interests, she recalls. At the end of the semester we gave presentations and I shared some of my extra work. It helped me stand out.
Securing her first job so quickly, Sash looks forward to a promising future. I'm focused on improving my skills in layout, she says. I hope to progress to senior artist, but that will take experience. I'm eager to see what happens.
Maddison Green came onboard RSP as a frontline services wrangler in February. Having been cautioned, following her graduation last October, that it could take six months or longer for a position to open, she was pleasantly surprised. The learning curve is steep, she says of her new role, but it's going very well and so much fun. The camaraderie is great. Everyone here loves movies, so it's easy to chat and have good conversations. Everyone's keen to help each other out.
Maddison trained onsite at RSP as a third-year Media Arts student at UniSA. She received intensive instruction in compositing, tracking and other skills, but what she found most rewarding was the opportunity to interact with working professionals. Talking with senior artists and learning how they progressed in their careers was super valuable, she recalls. The teaching assistants, who also trained at RSP, reinforced the principles covered in class. They understood what we were going through and knew how to slow it down and explain things.
Anxious to flex her creative muscles, Maddison is interested in becoming a compositor. However, her experience thus far has taught her that the most important quality for a young artist is adaptability. You need to take advantage of every opportunity, she insists. If you have a chance to talk with senior artists, go talk with them. If you're in class, you need to stay focused and engaged. You need to be a good artist, but you also need to network and cultivate connections.
Ryan Woodcock set his sights on a visual effects career in high school. His interest was piqued by a showcase presentation from the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE). He completed AIE's two-year advanced diploma program, then went onto UniSA and undertook RSP's Graduate Certificate program. By year eleven, I knew I wanted to work in visual effects, but it was only when I got to study at RSP that I learnt how to get my foot in the door, he says. The program is amazing and offers a doorway to industry through its recruiters and connections to other studios.
Ryan is totally absorbed in his work as a junior paint and roto artist in RSP's layout department but he maintains a strong interest in compositing, which was a focus of his training. Compositors apply the final touch before the image goes to the screen, he observes. They put it together and make it look gorgeous. They deliver the shots that people see. I find that so appealing.
Hard work and persistence are obviously essential to success in visual effects but being lucky doesn't hurt. Ryan says that he landed his job, in part, by being in the right place at the right time. I phoned an RSP recruiter just to stay in contact and it happened that the studio's head of 2D had just informed her of an opening, he recalls. She said she'd get back to me on Thursday, but the next day I received an email with a job offer. One week later, I was starting. There's nothing like
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Zero in on one that says yes (and no)
Andy Marken May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image courtesy of Deposit Photos
For content creators the most difficu...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
29/05/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
29/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality
Kate Luvis May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...
29/05/2026
Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...
29/05/2026
May 29 2026, 09:00 (PDT) Dolby and rednote Bring More Immersive Storytelling to...
29/05/2026
Something fundamental has shifted in how people consume media. Audiences aren't abandoning television or radio content; they're just expanding how, wher...
29/05/2026
Youtube exclusive special drops today
Watch now
UKTV today announces another e...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
The Official Trailer of Physical 100 Italy, on Netflix From Se...
29/05/2026
Genelec announces V2.1 for Aural ID binaural headphone monitoring application posted: 29/05/2026
Aural ID 2.1 enhances binaural monitoring for stereo and ...
29/05/2026
At just 20 years old, Sean Melia from Summerhill Co. Meath has been revealed as the winner of Super Garden 2026. Sean is the youngest ever contestant and winner...
VFX Graduates at Rising Sun Pictures Follow Different Paths to Success 
