During pre-production, the director, producer and DP encountered an attempted suicide on the actual bridge where scenes for Run it Off were shot. Whilst reccying for these shots, the team had to grab a young woman who was scrambling up the side of the bridge and walk her back down to safety whilst an ambulance and family members arrived.
The film was partly inspired by the story of Jimmy Thoronka, the Sierra Leone athlete who disappeared after competing in Glasgow's Commonwealth Games and was later found sleeping rough in London. He applied to stay in the UK, due to fears over the Ebola virus and was offered a scholarship by a London university. The Home Office rejected his appeal. His story forms some of the background for the character of Ajamu in Run it Off.
Run it Off was inspired by films such as Intouchables, Once and Begin Again.
The film was made with the support of Creative England, via the BFI NET.WORK. Run if Off was one of 16 films selected to be part of the UK 2016 BFI iShorts scheme.
Run it Off was one of the titles selected for development on the 2016 Creative England iShorts scheme, an entry level short film initiative delivered as part of the BFI NET.WORK. The producer/director team of Will Shutt and Liam O'Hara had made it through to the penultimate round of this scheme in 2015 with a different project, but did not make it on to the final slate of productions.