Michael Taylor, who was former COO/VFX for Ascent Media and served in executive positions at Riot, Digital Domain and Rhythn and Hues, was just named Chief Executive Officer of RIsing Sun Pictures, a digital effects facility in Adelaide, Australia. Rising Sun Pictures is known for its VFX work in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Terminator: Salvation and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The company is currently working on The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and is a principal visual effects supplier for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (Parts I & II).

“The visual effects industry is experiencing a time of great challenges—but also great opportunities, and companies need strong leadership in order to capitalize on this and grow,” said Rising Sun Pictures chairman Tony Clark. “Michael Taylor brings that kind of leadership to RSP. He understands the movie business from the ground up and appreciates the dynamics of the global market. We are very excited to have him at the head of our team.”

The new appointment means a move for the Southern California-based Taylor to Australia. A British native, Taylor began his career with the BBC, and worked in Los Angeles from 1995 through last year, including two years as director of post production at Rhythm and Hues and five years as vice president/digital studio at Digital Domain. He led the visual effects house Riot as managing director for three years before accepting the post of COO/VFX, Creative Services Group, at Riot’s parent, Ascent Media.

Taylor is therefore well-positioned to understand the growing globalization of the VFX industry. “Companies in Australia, England and Canada have shown their ability to produce work that is of equal caliber as their Californian counterparts, and there are now opportunities in other territories to move beyond the business models of the past,” he observed. “The barriers to the top shelf work have been removed.” Taylor added the Rising Sun Pictures’ location in South Australia is geographically desirable to  marry an existing and highly experienced talent base with the developing talent pools of Asia.

According to Clark, Taylor’s immediate focus will be to broaden Rising Sun Pictures’ ties with the major studios in Hollywood and other leading film producers worldwide. He will also direct a multi-million dollar expansion of the company’s production capacity, an effort that is already underway.

“We are moving forward with our capacity to produce larger projects, while continuing to deliver work of great quality,” Taylor said. “In this environment, companies have to be adaptable, you have to be smarter about what you bring to the table and focus on what you do well. The industry today requires that we evolve to become more than a service provider, that we use our creative, operational and management expertise to do what others can not.”