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BITS & PIECES www.postmagazine.com 4 POST MAY/JUNE 2021 FUSEFX ACQUIRES RISING SUN PICTURES, EXPANDS NYC PRESENCE LOS ANGELES — FuseFX (https://fusefx.com), the full-service visual effects company with studios in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Vancouver, Montréal, Toronto and Bogotá, has acquired Rising Sun Pictures (RSP), the Adelaide, Australia-based high-end visual effects studio. Rising Sun Pictures (https://rsp. com.au) was founded in 1995 by Tony Clark, Gail Fuller and Wayne Lewis. The studio offers a full suite of visual effects services and has a long heritage of creating world-class visual effects for many of Hollywood's blockbuster movies and streaming content. Rising Sun Pictures' co-founder Tony Clark will continue to lead the studio (photo, left) and operate under the Rising Sun Pictures brand. Together, the combined companies have nearly 800 artists at eight loca- tions across the globe. "Tony, Gail, Wayne and the entire team at Rising Sun Pictures have created one of the most well-established and respect- ed independent studios in the world," says David Altenau, founder and CEO of FuseFX. "Their commitment to delivering the highest quality art and service to their clients has helped make them an icon in the visual effects industry. Their previous work and position in the industry make them a fantastic partner for FuseFX." In related news, FuseFX recently expanded its New York presence with a new space that has the capacity to nearly double its current staff of 60. Located in the Financial District, with views of the East River and Brooklyn Bridge, the new Manhattan space (photo, right) features three screening rooms, 11 private offices, an IT bullpen, two conference rooms and many workstations. The new office is part of FuseFX's continued global expansion strategy. After opening its initial New York office in 2014, the New York team has increasingly expanded. The new space will allow that growth to flourish in an upgraded environment. "Our new office space in the Financial District represents the culmination of industry-leading work and steady, consistent growth over the last seven years with some of the premier artists in our industry driving us forward," explains head of studio, Greg Anderson. "With anticipated continued growth of the film and television market in New York, this office will allow us to grow with it." BUTTER MUSIC AND SOUND OPENS PRAGUE-BASED EUROPEAN HQ LOS ANGELES — Butter Music and Sound (https://www.gimmebutter.com), the international music and sound collective, has opened a European headquarters in Prague. The new headquarters is headed by executive producer Steve Walsh and executive creative director Viliam Béreš. Butter launched a Berlin studio in 2017, helping to lay groundwork in the hip European music market. Walsh will use his diverse experience in both the European and US markets to translate Butter's stateside musical prowess to appeal to European sensibilities. After working in Nashville for many years as a producer/writer, Walsh relo- cated to Prague, where he joined forces with Béreš, a Czech-born composer and producer. Their partnership quickly blossomed and the pair created the original music score for the Caritas film, One Human Family. They followed up with original music for the dry Samdex/Samsonite campaign featuring a trio of disgruntled baggage handlers, and for Post Bellum, a Czech-based non-profit dedicated to documenting witnesses' memories and personal experiences of historical events from throughout the 20th century. Most recently, their music for Ikea and the Red Cross has helped to bring attention to the issues of do- mestic abuse and mental health during the COVID pandemic. "Butter is thrilled to announce the addition of Butter EU, located in Prague, which is truly a full-circle moment for our company," says Andrew Sherman, owner/CCO of Butter Music and Sound. "Steve was our first additional com- poser hired in 1999, six months after we opened our doors. Since then the company has grown tenfold, and it makes perfect sense that he would be back to lead the EU team from halfway around the world. The talent and resources in Prague are really second to none, and we are thrilled to continue this adven- ture with them in our arsenal." "Butter is a one-of-a-kind company with amazing people, and coming full circle to where I got my start feels like coming home," adds Walsh. "In an industry where first-class music is the price of entry, Butter's success is built on deep and meaningful client relationships, which we are excited to expand and develop with our European partners." Walsh began his career in New York as Butter's (then Fluid's) first staff com- poser. After departing to produce and compose music independently full-time, he joined Bang Music + Audio Post as executive producer before returning to the Butter network with Butter Music and Sound in February 2020. Butter EU ECD Béreš is known for his bespoke music scores and cutting-edge electronic tracks. He also plays in the Czech-indie band Lanugo. L-R: Viliam Béreš and Steve Walsh