Simon Ward

Director, animator and do-it-yourself champion Simon Ward has made over 80 music videos since the new millennium, as a solo filmmaker or with a core group of friends. He also led the animation team and shared directing duties on the acclaimed Aroha Bridge, and has lent his VFX skills to films like Deathgasm and Hunt for the Wilderpeople. He juggles his time between the screen industry and the art world, where he largely collaborates with artist Jess Johnson on immersive experiences.

I’m really interested in animation as a form of screen experimentation and different ways to tell stories. It allows for completely different ways of doing things from the norm ... It really allows the weirdos to make a thing how they want to. Simon Ward, 5 November 2025