John Paget

It all started in a giant convertible Cadillac, rolling across America on Route 66 with a TV camera strapped to the hood.That was 1994, when I made my first documentary about the Mother Road. What began as a cross-country adventure became a lifelong fascination with the people and places that make America extraordinary. Along Route 66, I discovered small towns and family businesses fighting to survive after the interstate highways siphoned away the traffic that was their lifeblood. But I also found remarkable people who refused to let their communities disappear. The documentaries I made helped bring attention to a grassroots revival that would eventually transform the fortunes of towns all along the highway.

Thirty-two years later, I returned to Route 66 to discover what had changed, what had survived, and who would carry the story forward. The result is my new documentary, Route 66: The Main Street of America, and a nationwide Roadshow of more than 40 theatrical screenings and live audience conversations celebrating the highway's Centennial.

My creative journey also took some detours off Route 66—to Buffalo, New York—the ultimate underdog town. Working with Visit Buffalo Niagara and other partners, I produced dozens of films that chronicled and helped catalyze the remarkable comeback of a once-struggling Rust Belt city. Through it all, I've been driven by the same fascination: the extraordinary character of America's communities, especially unsung cities and underdog towns.

That's why, with my friend Chris Elisara, I founded First+Main Films:  a creative studio dedicated to telling stories that foster civic pride, build community, and spark imagination. Because I've come to believe that a story really can change a city.

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