Career
After leaving the Mercers" School in the City of London at the age of 15, Paynter entered the film industry as a camera trainee with the Government Film Department. With John Landis
Paynter worked with director John Landis on five films: An American Werewolf in London, Trading Places, Thriller, Into the Night and Spies Like United States Paynter helped to create a "popular" comic book-style for American Werewolf, Thriller and Into the Night.
He also made a cameo in three Landis" productions: Into the Night (as Security Guard), Spies like Us (as Doctor Gill) and Burke and Hare.