Avantages
Great Culture! Visibility from Executive Team Variety of Projects (the Sales department is Top Notch) Great Pipeline Great Management (overall)
Inconvénients
Before sharing the cons, it’s important to note that RSP is one of the best studios in terms of culture, people, and quality of work. I don’t regret working here for a moment. I highlight these points not as deterrents but in the hope that those with the ability to effect change will take them to heart for the future and those keen to work at RSP set themselves up with realistic expectations. Cliques: The company has many talented and supportive individuals, but workplace cliques and favoritism do thrive here. If you’re not part of these social circles, you may experience exclusion or shade that carries over to future projects with other teams, and in some cases, be unfairly scapegoated. Contracts: RSP actively recruits international talent and offers relocation opportunities. However, at the two-year mark—when they would be legally required to offer permanent employment—they often choose not to renew contracts. This policy is not clearly communicated during hiring, leaving employees blindsided after two years of dedicated work and the physical, emotional, and financial sacrifice of moving to another country. For international hires, discussions about staff retention are common in recruitment conversations, but in practice, these rarely lead to permanent positions. If your contract is not renewed, you’ll typically receive 6 to 8 weeks’ notice—if you’re lucky—with the reason framed in vague, non-answer corporate language. While RSP does rehire many former employees, the reality is that if you uproot your life to move to Adelaide, you may find yourself at a career standstill, as only RSP and MPC operate in the city. In places like Los Angeles, London, or Sydney, you can throw a rock and hit dozens of studios. In Adelaide, you’ll have to relocate again. Managing expectations is key. Salaries: Compensation is significantly lower than global VFX standards. If you have financial obligations in your home country—such as student loans, phone bills, or other recurring expenses—be mindful of the exchange rate. As of early 2025, the Australian dollar sat at 0.59 to the US dollar, which can make international financial commitments even more challenging. Cost of Living: Recruitment pitches Adelaide as having a reasonable cost of living, which was true pre-pandemic. However, post-pandemic, housing costs have skyrocketed. Renting a “cheap” one-bedroom apartment can consume, for many employees, up to half of their monthly income. Utilities are expensive, partly due to Australia’s lack of insulation in homes and poorly manufactured windows. As a result, electricity and gas bills remain high year-round. Grocery prices have more than doubled in the past two years, and internet costs are nearly twice what I paid in my home country. Also, keep in mind you’ll also have to purchase your own private health insurance out of pocket, with limited benefits, and larger upfront co-pays. Time Off in Lieu (TOIL): TOIL is heavily used at RSP and appears to be common across Australia. Rather than receiving overtime pay, employees who work extended hours during the week, accumulate a "leave" balance that can later be used as paid time off at their regular pay rate. This wouldn’t be as frustrating if the studio didn’t frame TOIL in monthly meetings as a key part of their staff retention strategy—while simultaneously failing to renew contracts after the two-year mark. Promotions: There’s a disconnect between recruitment conversations and the reality of promotions. While the recruiters—who are wonderful—spend significant time outlining job expectations and understanding your goals, those goals often don’t materialize when new vacancies open. There were countless times when a position I was qualified for—and was assured would be part of my future career path—was filled without notice by an external hire. Keep in mind that recruiters don’t make internal hiring decisions. If and when positions become available, the context of your experience and previous conversations with them may not be relayed to the internal supervisor conducting interviews. This is also where unspoken clique behavior plays a role. Internal vacancies are often filled by immediate superiors, and favoritism can outweigh qualifications. All things considered, I would still recommend working for the company to anyone who asks, but it’s important to keep your expectations in check.