About
Peter Baynton grew up in Stamford, Lincolnshire. He studied architecture at Queens’ College, University of Cambridge, graduating in 2004.
The following year he took up the PG Diploma in Character Animation at Central St Martin’s College, London, and in 2006 he graduated with distinction.
Shortly afterwards he was selected by the UK Film Council and East Midlands Media to develop a short film script, and in December 2006 Over The Hill was given the green light to go into production. In 2007 it went round the world touring the film festivals, and picked up several awards, which are listed just to the right. In the summer of that year Peter was also selected as a UK Star of Tomorrow by Screen International magazine.
Peter was asked by the oscar winning animation studio Tandem Films to come on board as a director in the spring of 2008. His first project was to direct an awareness film aimed at warning young women of the dangers of sex trafficking. It is called Two Little Girls, and is currently being distributed in several languages throughout eastern Europe.
In autumn 2008 Peter teamed up with the Costa Coffee writer-in-residence Davey Spens and set about adapting Davey’s short story Save Our Bacon for the screen. Working with producers Tristan Goligher and Valentina Brazzini, Save our Bacon received funding from the UK Film Council, Channel 4 and EM Media and went into production early in 2009, with Warren Clarke and Simon Callow voicing the lead characters. Save Our Bacon was premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June this year, and is touring the world’s film festivals at the minute.
Peter continues to direct projects independently and with Tandem Films. He is a mentor for the Central St Martin’s course, and in Sept 2010 delivered an animation masterclass at the Haifa Film Festival, Israel.
Mentoring
Peter mentors students from the PG Dip in Character Animation at Central St Martins School of Art and Design. So far he has had the privilege of helping Chris Cray and Hannes Stummvoll develop their skills.
Awards
Peter’s short film Save Our Bacon has won:
Encounters Short Film Festival, UK 2010
FILMCLUB Children’s Animation Jury Award
Stoke Your Fires Festival of the Moving Image, 2011
Best Professional Animation
Animex International Festival for Animation and Computer Games, 2011
2D Animation Award
Peter’s short film Over The Hill won the following awards:
Edinburgh International Film Festival 2007
McLaren Award for Best New British Animation
Austin International Film Festival, USA 2007
Best Animated Short Film
Cinanima, Espinho, Portugal 2007
RTP2 award
Seagate Foyle Film Festival, Ireland 2007
Best Short Animation
Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival 2007
Short Film Audience Award
Newport Beach Film Festival, USA 2007
Audience Award for Short Animation
Rushes Soho Shorts Film Festival, UK 2007
Runner up, Best Animated Short
Raindance Film Festival, UK 2007
Runner up, Best UK Short Film
Peter’s short animation Lock It Away!, made for The Security Company International Ltd, has won:
The British Association of Communicators in Business Central Region Awards, 2010
Electronic Design Award
Press
Here are some of the things that have been written about Peter and his work.
Design Week, 28 Feb 2008
Toon In by Yolanda Zappaterra
Baynton’s delightfully dark animation, partly inspired by his grandmother, gives an old folks’ home a sinister Soylent Green-like underbelly, and has rightly won a huge number of awards.
Screen International, July 2007
Peter selected as a UK Star of Tomorrow. Article by Patricia Dobson.
Lovely animation, an atmospheric score, delicate characterisation and a crowd-pleasing punchline make it a sweet little nugget…
Design Week, 13 July 2006
State of Play by Yolanda Zappaterra
In Help The Aged, Peter Baynton hoped to create visual richness, accurately portraying the grubbiness of the New Kent Road flyover by using a combination of hand-drawing, Photoshop, Flash and AfterEffects, and has succeeded beautifully.
Eye For Film, 2010
Review of Save Our Bacon
Eye For Film, 2007
Review of Over The Hill
Animation Critic, Dec 2007
Review of Over The Hill
Contact
If you’re looking for animation services, freelance or otherwise, or if you’re interested in Peter’s film work, get in touch here.
Email: peterbaynton@gmail.com
Call: 07862237825