ABOUT THE FOUNDER - Sascha Estens
Dubbed 'the voice from the bush', Rabbit Hop Films is based in Sascha's home town of Moree, NSW, however with her willingness to chase a good story, Sascha now travels both nationally and internationally for work.
She is particularly proud of the fact that many of her pieces are helping reconnect the divide between the city and the country, and humanising the issues rural Australia faces.
In 2017 her business was voted one of the top 10 Regional Online Businesses in Australia by Google and the Regional Australia Online Institute. In 2018, 2019 and 2020 Sascha was honoured with the role of a Australia Day Ambassodor by the Australia Day Council.
Graduating from Sydney University, Australia in 2001 with a Bachelor Degree in Business, majoring in Agricultural Commerce, Sascha worked for a number of years in the grains and cotton industries.
A love of filmmaking saw her complete her film qualification in Sydney in 2007 before commencing her film career in film production roles at Fox Studios, Sydney and later as a freelance director, cinematographer and editor for various film companies.
In 2013 Sascha moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming USA – renowned for it's documentary filmmakers - where she honed her skills and learnt from the best. Sascha returned to Australia 5 years ago, within which time her filmmaking profile has risen significantly off the back of a number of nationally applauded pieces.
GEOFF - CINEMATOGRAPHER (Sydney)
With over 30 years of wielding a camera Geoff has filmed in nearly every country in the world. Discovery, National Geographic, the History Channel and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC just to name a few.
A normal day for him might include hanging on for dear life chasing Red Bull pilots in helicopters, catching the delicate moves of multi-million dollar race horses and shining light, smoke and flair on true murder stories.
Add in a neat tally of industry honours, finalist films at Sundance, Tribeca and New York film festivals we’ve landed a big one! Warp up this mans talents and you have a jam packed gourmet sausage! .
MERRI-MAY - FILMMAKER (Moree)
At school and university she raised eye brows with her unique approach to presentation. Following a Business Marketing Degree (CSU, Bathurst), her first creative incarnation was as singer/songwriter/cabaret star - performing at festivals and venues from Vancouver to Prague, London to Bourke and even snaring a 5-Star review at Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
But the call to the plains grew compelling and Merri-May returned to her birthplace: Moree.
With years of experience performing and acting, her progression into the filmmaking world seemed the logical next step. Among other great talents Merri-May has been producing films for the past four years and Sascha was thrilled when she finally decided to join the Rabbit Hop Team.
DICK ESTENS - OUR PILOT (Moree)
With nearly 6000 hours logged our pilot Dick Estens has been flying the skies for nearly 50 years. Google the most famous Australian pilots and Dick will come in at number three behind Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Elm. We don't exactly know why?
Having a Cessna 210 and a Cessna 182 in the kit bag means we can easily and cost efficiently get to any remote cattle stations and communities in the country within a day.
Dick also owns and operates cotton, grains and citrus farming enterprise and juice company. He possess an enormous amount of knowledge on the Agricultural industry and the issues he faces. He often will be found at our creative meetings where we work as a team to come up with film ideas.
MATT - FILMMAKER (Sydney)
A man that really know's his way around a camera to make any talent look fabulous! Matt's ability to get the best out of his subjects combined with his ability to capture just what is needed to make a scene work is phenomenal. Matt graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor Degree in Marketing and Media where he majored in film studies.
Matt has extensive experience working on many documentaries, Tropfest films, live events and multi-national promotional campaigns. Clients that he has worked with include Rolex, Qantas, Disney, Tourism Australia, Audi, Instagram, Getty Images, Paris Hilton and many more.
Matt comes to us with a huge amount of shooting, directing and editing experience and we just love having him on the Rabbit Hop team.
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GEORGINA - COMMUNICATIONS (Moree)
Georgina Poole has a background in journalism and a passion for promoting the culture, character and charm of rural Australia through storytelling.
Born and raised on a mixed cropping operation west of Moree, a Bachelor of Journalism and Marketing from Brisbane's University of Queensland afforded her the opportunity to write for various publications throughout Australia, and the globe.
Infact, it was a fateful visit home from London, at the Moree Rugby Club where she met her now husband, Tim, and returned back to the bush.
Georgina cut her teeth at Rural Press as the Queensland Country Life Town and Country Editor, where she gained enormous insights into a variety of rural industries, and its people. Since then her work has featured in publications including Graziher, Country Style Magazine, National Geographic, Australian Country, Border Living and New England Living Magazine. And when she's not chasing stories, she can usually be found chasing one of her three children.
