John Paget

John Paget is a documentary filmmaker and founder of the creative studio First+Main Films.

He started in film by directing a series of feature documentaries about Route 66 that helped spark an ongoing revitalization along the historic highway's small towns and main streets.

Originally from Olympia, Washington, Paget migrated to the Rust Belt with a move to Buffalo, New York in 2005. 

He’s produced dozens of civic story films that have helped restore pride and change the trajectory of Buffalo and other unsung cities and towns across America.

First+Main Films focuses on telling stories for ciites and towns to foster civic pride, build community and spark imagination. 

To amplify the impact of storytelling for places everywhere, First+Main Films launched the  Better Cities Film Festival, which curates and presents the world's most inpiring stories about making cities, towns and neighborhoods better places for everyone.