Barry Duffield was born in 1962, Billingham, UK. He immigrated to Australia with his family in 1969 and they settled in the Bauxite mining town of Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory.
His first foray into film was when he "borrowed" his father's super-8mm-camera and created the all singing, all dancing, stop-motion Salt'N'Pepper shaker show. There was a guest appearance by a partially consumed milkshake in a frosty glass, which still remains uncredited to this day.
He was taught to run the projection booth of the Gove cinema after being caught stealing movie posters from the foyer and given a choice, police or honest work.
His passion for all things film grew and he eventually went to South Seas Film and Television School in Auckland, New Zealand, where he lives with his wife, Susan, and cat, Mak.