Mike Hill (R) with Liddywoo, who became friends whilst filming Take Heart.

Liddywoo passed away from RHD aged 21. This image is shared with the permission and blessing of his family.

 

What is your name?

Mike Hill

Where are you currently living? and what do you love about it?

Richmond, beside the Birrarung (Yarra River) in Narrm (Melbourne), on Wurundjeri country.  I love the tight knit community here that is often described being like a country town (which resonates from my own childhood experiences in regional Tasmania).

How would you describe Moonshine?

Moonshine Agency is an impact film production company.  We make beautiful, high-impact films of all durations designed to make a positive social impact.

How did you get into it?

I made films for fun with my older brothers from around the age of 10.  Photography, filmmaking and watching movies were all hobbies I always loved.  While I was studying journalism at university, I got the opportunity to make my first ‘real film’ and never looked back.

What do you love about your work?

I love seeing the films I’ve worked on moving people.  This starts with an emotional response and when that turns into positive action I know I’ve done my job well.

Tell us a bit more on the Take Heart documentaries you’ve made and what impact have they had on you?

The Take Heart films about Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) elimination in Australia have completely changed my life.  I’ve had the immense honour of working closely with over a dozen remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.  I’ve developed a new appreciation for First Nations culture, built incredible friendships and also become a passionate advocate for the social and systemic changes needed to improve outcomes for all Australians living at a higher risk of this preventable disease.

What have some of your career highlights been?

Collaborating with The Snow Foundation for a decade has been one of the highlights of my career.  It is rare to find such meaningful, lasting collaborative partnerships in professional life and I feel so lucky when I have the opportunity to grow together with like-minded people striving for a better tomorrow.