Films produced by O'Brian's company, Independent Pictures, have won nineteen Genie Awards.

His production credits include Blood and Guts, The Grey Fox, Outrageous!, John and the Missus, Milk and Honey and My American Cousin.

He took a sabbatical from producing in the early 1990s to run the Canadian Film Centre for its first three years of operation.

On September 29, 2005, O'Brian was appointed chair of the board of TVOntario, the province of Ontario's public television network.

[1] O'Brian is married to former long serving federal Cabinet Minister Dr. Carolyn Bennett.