Rohan Thomas

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra — Director, Cinematographer Paris shoot featuring composer John Psathas and singer Oum El Ghaït Benessahraoui.

Project Completed – “Beyond Words” Paris Interview Shoot

Rohan Thomas – Director of Photography, Cinematographer & Sound Recordist
Client/Commission: Shona Jaunas, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO)
Location: Paris, France

Produced and directed a focused interview with composer John Psathas and vocalist‑lyricist Oum El Ghaït Benessahraioui.

Rohan Thomas operated the camera, selected lenses, set lighting, and recorded pristine dialogue and ambient sound, acting simultaneously as cinematographer and sound recordist.
Captured the moment John discussed his new piece “Ahlan wa Sahlan” (his contribution to the Beyond Words concert) while Oum presented the lyrical lines she had written for the work.
Managed on‑set logistics, shot‑list execution, and ensured seamless coordination between visual and audio elements to reflect the collaborative spirit of the project.

Delivered a RAW rushes via MASV highlighting the artistic exchange and reinforces the concert’s mission of unity, peace, and remembrance for the victims of the 15 March 2019 Christchurch tragedy.

The footage became a cornerstone of the promotional rollout for the third performance of Beyond Words, showcasing the cross‑cultural partnership and honoring the lives lost in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

In November 2022, Princess Chelsea and her band The Dream Warriors recorded a live session at Abbey Road studios while touring her album Everything Is GoingTo Be Alright. Today we present “Time” from this session.

The full one-hour visual special will be released on February 27 and leans heavily on her latest album Everything Is Going To Be Alright, which went on to win the Taite Music Prize (New Zealand’s equivalent of the Mercury Prize) for outstanding artistic achievement and was recently voted #2 Best New Zealand Album of the 2020s by Rolling Stone.

The Dream Warriors: Jasmine Balmer, Joshua Worthington-Church, Simeon Kavanagh-Vincent, David Harris, Joe Kaptein, Kate Tindall. Joined by Tara Viscardi (harp), Nathan Giorgetti (Cello)

Directed by Jonathan Bree and Marc Swadel
Produced by Marc Swadel
Art Direction: Pat Grimm and Reuben Sutherland
Camera: Marc Swadel, Rohan Thomas, Jonathan Bree, Reuben Sutherland,
Pat Grimm, Balazs Weidner, Julia May, Shaun Dyos
Edit: Jamie-Lee Smith and Chelsea Nikkel
Animation: Simon Ward and Ashley Brown
Grade: Jonathan Bree
Audio Mix: Lennie Charles
Audio Master: Dave Cooley
Abbey Road engineer: Gordon Davidson

Thanks to Mark Robertson at Abbey Road, John Paul-Muir

Rebibbia – Théâtre National Populaire, Lyon – Jan 2019; Théâtre de la Tempête, Paris January 2022, amongst other performances across France.

Mise-en-scène: Louise Vignaud, Compagnie La Résolue.
Rohan Thomas: Director of moving images, Editor, Cinematographer.

Rebibbia is a theatrical adaptation of Goliarda Sapienza’s novel L’Università di Rebibbia (1983).

Rohan Thomas’s contribution to the play in moving images (directed, filmed and edited) consists of video projections which tell the stories of five prisoners not present on stage through a series of filmed portraits. A sequence of metaphorical tableaux depict the lead character’s imagination and create narrative suspension as part of the dramatic unfolding of the plot.

The play, staged by Compagnie la Résolue and directed by Louise Vignaud, was first performed at the Théâtre National Populaire in Lyon, France between 14-30 November 2018 and subsequent performances throughout France.

Performances:
Théâtre National Populaire, Lyon: Résidence de création / Inception and 1st run November 2018
5 - 16 January 2022 - Théâtre de la Tempête, Paris
20 - 21 January 2022 - Domaine d’O, Montpellier
25 January 2022 - Théâtre du Vellein, Villefontaine