“run with the ball and die with your boots on.”
Growing up in a family passionate about Australian Rules football, we often heard the rallying cry, “Run with the ball and die with your boots on,” as a motivating force. This spirit of relentless pursuit became the cornerstone of our company’s philosophy and, fittingly, the title of our debut film.
In essence, it embodies the determination to push towards a goal with unwavering commitment.
And our goal as a film company is simple;
to develop and produce narratives with broad appeal that resonate deeply with audiences, reflecting our commitment to storytelling excellence and regional representation.
keeping it in the family.
Our father-daughter team blends Gavan’s extensive experience in politics and economics from his tenure in Federal Parliament with Sophie’s creative expertise in writing and directing.
As a proudly regional film company, they are dedicated to championing fresh voices and crafting stories that are both entertaining and meaningful.
meet the team.
sophie o’connor
WRITER | DIRECTOR | PRODUCER
Sophie O’Connor is an accomplished Australian writer and director whose work spans film, television commercials, and branded content. Her distinctive storytelling voice centres on emotionally rich, character-driven narratives, often featuring strong female leads and LGBTQ+ themes.
Her debut feature SUBMERGE (2013) screened at over 30 international festivals including Frameline38, First Time Fest (USA), and the BFI London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, and was the Closing Night film at Melbourne Queer Film Festival.
Her most recent short, CLAP (2020), starring Molly Broadstock and Gemma Chua-Tran (Mustangs FC), premiered at the Academy Award-accredited Flickerfest and won five awards at the 2021 Australian Women’s Film Festival, including Best Film and Best Director.
Sophie’s earlier work includes HANGRY (2015), which won Best World Short at the Soho International Film Festival (USA), and her debut short RUN WITH THE BALL & DIE WITH YOUR BOOTS ON, runner-up at MIFF’s Footy Shorts Competition (2008).
She has directed numerous national TVCs for Interflora Australia, collaborating regularly with an all-women creative team including DOP Sky Davies, Olivia Still (wardrobe/makeup), composer Lydia Davies, and producer Carla McConnell.
She continues to develop bold, emotionally resonant stories with a sharp sense of humour and a strong cinematic voice.
gavan o’connor
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Gavan O’Connor was born and raised in a small rural community in the Western District of Victoria.
He served in the Australian Parliament as the Federal Member for Corio (1993-2007). During his Parliamentary service, he became part of a bipartisan group of Parliamentarians supporting the Australian Film and TV industry.
On leaving Parliament, he became involved with the film industry at the local regional level and in 2013, with his partner, published an industry plan for the Geelong Region to stimulate and guide the development of boutique production capacity in Geelong.
He currently serves on the Board of the Geelong Waterfront Film Foundation, which was recently established to support local filmmakers and promote film making in the Geelong Region.
He has been the Executive Producer on all of East Hill Film Co. films, and specialises in financial strategy and management.