Ben is animated during shooting of WARD 13

Director, producer, scriptwriter, animator

Peter Cornwell has worked in the Australian and international film and television industries as freelance animator, sound recordist, director, producer and scriptwriter for many years.

Peter proudly displays his Anima Mundi statuette

His career began at the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC TV) in Sydney, where he worked as a sound recordist on most of the national broadcaster's regular TV series of programs. His skill caught the eye of the producers of the ABC TV's renowned children's series Play School (also creators of internationally acclaimed children's program Bananas in Pajamas). They supported Peter's short clay animation This Little Piggy, which has screened on Australian television nearly 40 times. The book of this animation has sold in excess of 30,000 copies.

	Peter with Sigrid Thornton at the Lexus IF Awards 2003, Sydney, Australia. Photo: Sam Young

Subsequently, he shot several short animations, animated various TV commercials, and worked on the highly successful New Zealand children's TV series Oscar and Friends. In his spare time, Peter began shooting WARD 13, and to help fund the project he returned to his job at the ABC.

Peter set up the Trephine Productions studio specifically to complete WARD 13, while continuing to work at the ABC. After covering the Sydney Paralympics as part of the host broadcaster, he left the ABC in January 2001 to finish WARD 13 and pursue his career in film.

Following the success of WARD 13 he has spent most of his time in Los Angeles. He is now directing the supernatural-horror feature "The Haunting in Conneticut" for Gold Circle Films and Lionsgate starring Oscar nominee Virginia Madsen and Elias Koteas. Martin Donovan and Kyle Gallner also star. Principal photography has concluded, and post production is in progress in Los Angeles. The film will be released in 2008, and distributed by Lionsgate.