Peter Larsen | Media Design School at Strayer

Peter Larson - Media Design School at Strayer

I am a learning facilitator in pre-production based in New Zealand, where I have previously taught on the Graduate Diploma of Creative Technologies (GDCT). In this role, I guide students through the creative and technical foundations of planning for film, animation, and digital media projects.

Alongside my work in New Zealand, I also represent Media Design School at Strayer at the Jilin Animation Institute in China. There, I facilitate courses in film theory, video production, pre-production, and industry principles and practices. My focus is on supporting students to connect theory with practice, develop their critical and creative thinking, and gain the confidence to structure and deliver their own original projects.

I trained in writing and directing for stage and screen, and have written numerous plays that have been produced throughout New Zealand. Alongside my own creative work, I have collaborated with a wide range of storytellers — from novelists and playwrights to Oscar-nominated screenwriters — helping them to develop and refine their stories.

My career has been diverse, spanning roles as a film archivist, museum curator, and entertainment journalist. I have also worked extensively with at-risk youth and with gender-diverse and marginalised communities, which has deeply shaped my approach to collaboration and inclusivity.

In recent years, I have expanded my practice into the field of artificial intelligence, working as an AI workflow strategist for numerous New Zealand charities. In this role, I help organisations adopt and adapt AI tools to reduce administrative burdens, streamline creative and operational workflows, and focus more fully on their core missions