Documentary Filmmaker & Urban Storytelling Advocate; Director of "Route 66: An American Odyssey"; Co-Founder of First+Main Films

Buffalo, NY, USA
Live Event: $5,000 - $10,000 Virtual Event: $5,000 - $10,000 More Fee Info

John Paget Biography

John Paget is a documentary filmmaker known for his work highlighting American communities and urban revitalization through film. Paget began his filmmaking career by documenting Route 66, traveling the historic highway multiple times from Chicago to Los Angeles. He directed, shot, and edited the documentaries "Route 66: An American Odyssey" and "Route 66: Return to the Road with Martin Milner," which are recognized among Route 66 historians and advocates. During the production of these films, Paget collaborated with notable figures such as singer Bobby Troup, TV actor Martin Milner, Seligman barber Angel Delgadillo, and author Michael Wallis.

Paget's Route 66 documentaries explore the stories of small towns and main streets facing challenges from freeways, franchise expansion, and suburban development. His films have contributed to renewed interest in Route 66 and inspired community revitalization efforts. Beyond Route 66, Paget has produced and directed nationally broadcast feature documentaries on topics including Elvis impersonators and Alcatraz Prison. His work as a director of photography includes projects for international nonprofits, TV networks, and Fortune 500 companies, focusing on civic storytelling and urban development.

Paget later focused on Buffalo, New York, where he created a series of films documenting the city's transformation. His short films, including "This Place Matters" and "Buffalo: America's Best Designed City," have been recognized for their role in capturing and supporting Buffalo's revitalization. Paget received the Alex Osborn Award for Creativity from the American Advertising Federation of Buffalo for his contributions.

With collaborator Chris Elisara, Paget co-founded First+Main Films, a creative studio dedicated to producing films that promote civic pride and community engagement. To further the impact of place-based storytelling, First+Main Films established the Better Cities Film Festival, which curates and presents films about urban planning, community development, and placemaking. The festival has received hundreds of submissions and hosted events in cities worldwide, including Milan and Shenzhen.

Paget has also delivered a TED Talk titled "How to keep your hometown from becoming a ghost town," reflecting on his experiences as a filmmaker focused on civic stories. His documentary "Route 66: The Main Street of America" offers a portrait of the towns and individuals along the historic highway, contributing to ongoing conversations about American main streets, urban renewal, and community resilience.

BOOK John Paget

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 07/20/2026.

John Paget Speaking Topics

  • Topics &Themes Include

    • The vital importance and unexpected IMPACT of the civic story.
    • The threat of denarration: How our cities and communities are losing their story.
    • How a community can rediscover and tell its story.

John Paget Videos

John Paget | TED

John Paget | TED

How to Keep Your Hometown from Becoming a Ghost Town

  • How do I book John Paget to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like John Paget for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for John Paget, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for John Paget or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for John Paget

    Speaking fees for John Paget, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book John Paget are under $10,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire John Paget, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does John Paget speak about?

    John Paget is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Art & Design, Creativity, Culture, Social Activism, Storytelling, TED, Television & Film
  • Where does John Paget travel from?

    John Paget generally travels from Buffalo, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is John Paget’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like John Paget for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book John Paget for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host John Paget or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

John Paget is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Topics &Themes Include. The estimated speaking fee range to book John Paget for your event is available upon request. John Paget generally travels from Buffalo, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jason Bevan, Derek Dienner, Ruth E. Carter, Matthew Luhn and Paul Topolos. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling John Paget for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.
Please Select Event Budget
Please enter your message
Please Enter Your Name
Please Enter Your Email
  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP