Paris Thomson (2008) has been awarded the 2024 Emily Hensley Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the film production and content creation industry as the Founder and Creative Director of her business SIRAP, a leading film production studio.
Over the past 12 years, Paris has driven her business SIRAP to deliver high-quality video content for clients such as Lexus, Mecca Cosmetica, Bank of Queensland Group, Visit Victoria and Melbourne Girls Grammar (watch our 2024 Sport Uniform Launch Video here). Since founding her business at the age of 21, Paris’ leadership has been marked by her innovative use of technology and AI to keep her studio at the forefront of the industry. Her dedication to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment has been a cornerstone of her success.
Paris’ accolades include being named B&T’s ‘Best of the Best Film Director’ and her studio’s recognition by the Australian Marketing Institute for ‘Creativity in Brand, Product or Service Marketing’ for their Click for Vic campaign. She has been featured in The Australian Financial Review, Forbes, and various podcasts. Her work has not only impacted clients but also the broader creative community through the promotion of local talent, nurturing young female creatives, and collaborative projects.
Beyond her professional achievements, Paris is committed to social causes, producing impactful films on a pro bono basis for organisations like Giant Steps Melbourne, to raise awareness to support children and young adults with autism. Giant Steps is a private school with limited Government funding, leaving most of their funding to be raised by the parents of the children at the school. A friend’s son attends the school, and Paris relished the opportunity to engage in philanthropic work with them, supporting them through visual storytelling and fundraising. Similarly, her pro bono collaboration with Flying Fox, which provides social opportunities for young people with disabilities, has resulted in powerful films that amplify their voices and drive fundraising efforts.
Paris is also a passionate philanthropist and supporter of the arts, having grown up immersed in the artistic community. She is part of the Australian Ballet Young Ambassador group, which supports the Australian Ballet. She has also worked with both the NGV and Heide Museum of Modern Art. She is co-chair of the newly formed Contemporary Foundation Board at the Arts Centre Melbourne. This board supports the Foundation Board in its fundraising efforts and aims to engage a younger demographic (18 to 40 years) with the arts and the Arts Centre. Their goal is to instil an appreciation for the arts and continue the legacy of the Arts Centre Melbourne.
“I’m the Co-Chair and we’re super excited about hitting the ground running from a fundraising point of view. We’ve been spending a lot of time doing more strategic work around our vision and our goals and it has been fantastic to wear another hat and bring in my own business operations expertise, network and skill set to be able to make a tangible difference.”
This year, the Board have focused on fundraising for a triennial program called Asia TOPA, which will come to life from February to March 2025.
Starting out
When Paris left school, she had no idea what she wanted to do, and the uncertainty was daunting.
“I had a sense I wanted to be in the media world but didn’t really know where. Upon leaving school and going to university, I really didn’t know where the path would take me, but I adopted this mindset of just having a go. I realised that by throwing myself into every opportunity, I would work out what I didn’t like and by process of elimination.”
Paris enrolled in RMIT’s Professional Communication program, a hybrid degree encompassing journalism, media, and public relations. She worked in various capacities as a production assistant at Network 10, a rowing coach, wrote gig and band reviews for Beat magazine, and produced a radio show on RRR. By immersing herself in various roles, she began to gravitate towards video production through her university subjects.
Witnessing the evolution of advertising through cinematic storytelling with overseas businesses excited her, and she foresaw its development in Australia. The launch of Instagram reinforced her vision that video content was the future, and she wanted to be part of the content revolution. She began cold-calling directors she wanted to work with, and from there, her business began to grow and flourish.
Paris’ time at MGGS
MGGS gave Paris the confidence to believe in herself, a sentiment that was reiterated through different elements of her participation at school.
“Ironically, I didn’t do any Media subjects at school. I did Visual Communication Design and loved Business Management and got a taste for the layers of business through that, although it’s very different in the outside world.
What the School gave me was confidence. I already had a nurturing family, but being able to step out of those school gates and acknowledge that you have been able to have these experiences that not a lot of other people have had the opportunity to experience, be it the certain subjects we had access to, or being able to make incredible friends through a really inclusive school community, is something you can often take for granted.”
She was part of a competitive yet supportive year level, which she feels was unique, as she and her peers constantly challenged each other to improve. Paris acknowledges her ethos of self-belief, which continues to contribute to her success. Memorably, she recalls a piece of advice from Christine Briggs during an assembly, which has stayed with her, emphasising the importance of building relationships;
“She said ‘You know girls, it’s not about what you say but about how you say it’, and I think that’s really stuck with me. It’s the way in which you go about your job and life and the character with which you do so is something that has been instilled in me from the School and the philosophy around it.”
Paris believes rowing was one of the best and most formative experiences she had at school. The dedication, teamwork, and culture of rowing taught her fundamental and invaluable lessons which are still relevant for her today and ones she encourages in her business. One of her coaches regularly imparted a piece of wisdom which she still holds close;
“Process equals results. Don’t think about winning when you are in that boat…Focus on every single stroke you are doing.”
She has carried this mindset into her professional life, understanding that while the big picture is important, it’s crucial not to lose sight of the day-to-day details.
Future Steps
Paris and her husband Nick have a ten-month-old son, Orlando, making 2024 particularly eventful. Moving forward, she aims to continue finding the sweet spots and balancing the demands of managing her time and energy to sustain her ongoing involvement in the arts and her philanthropic work while continuing to grow her business. She is looking at potential expansion of satellite SIRAP studios, both domestically and internationally. In her downtime, she loves running, meditating, and experiencing other cultures through travel, which help her maintain this balance.
We are looking forward to welcoming Paris Thomson to speak at our International Women’s Day Assembly held at Merton Hall and the International Women’s Day Luncheon at the Lyceum Club in Melbourne in March.