John Paget is a creative entrepreneur and urbanist. An acclaimed documentary filmmaker, Paget has captured the stories of some of the lesser-known urban areas in the United States — contributing, for instance, to the revitalization of tourism in regions along the iconic Route 66. Originally from Olympia, Washington, Paget relocated to Buffalo in 2005, where he began producing a series of films that have inspired revitalization initiatives in cities throughout the Rust Belt.

He founded the production company First+Main Films with the goal of strengthening and inspiring communities through storytelling and documentary filmmaking. Paget is also the co-founder and creative director of the Better Cities Film Festival.