After completing his training as an actor and working several years on stage Thorsten decided mid-90ies to concentrate on film and has worked in front of and behind the camera ever since.
On completing his Masters degree in filmmaking at LFS, the London filmschool, he founded Hansafilm SA in Cape Town, South Africa and produced and directed two shortfilms which were shown at international festivals worldwide.

For several years now Thorsten is also training actors and was head of the drama department at the academy award winning school AFDA in South Africa.
In 2009 he moved back to his hometown Hamburg where he founded the Hansafilm Germany and the affiliated Hansafilm Academy.