DIRECTOR, CINEMATOGRAPHER, PHOTOGRAPHER
John Urbano grew up in Rensselaer, Indiana. He studied illustration and advertising at the Columbus College of Art and Design and, after graduating, took a position with Abercrombie & Fitch, where he served as senior art director for over twelve years. While at A&F, John conceptualized, directed and shot over 200 internet films for A&F and its subsidiaries. His photography and/or cinematography has also been used in the marketing for Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, Aerie, Brothers, Converse, Fresco Goods, Gilly Hicks, Hollister Co., Jolt, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Madewell, One Direction, Sony UK, Simon Cowell, Tween Brands, Vince, & XOXO.
John’s work has taken him to over 20 countries. While on assignment in Panama, a friend took John to Barraza, a poor community full of color and life. Unfortunately, life in these barrios is being dismantled, house by house, street by street, to make room for fifty-story skyscrapers for the new Panamanian wealthy. John felt that Barraza was only a few years from extinction, so he set out to capture the beauty, culture, history, people, and danger, everything that makes this small community in the heart of Panama City a place like no other, a place where the beauty of the fight comes to life every moment of every day. John’s documentary Beauty of the Fight has now been accepted into twenty-nine film festivals around the world screening in nine different countries. Beauty of the Fight has been awarded best documentary at the Athens International Film + Video Festival and Best Cinematography at the Docufest Atlanta.
On January 18th, 2010 John Urbano brought his documentary Beauty of the Fight back home to Panama. It was presented at the National theatre in Casco Viejo, raising over $17,000 for the Movimiento Nueva Generacion. The funds will be used in the building and finishing of a community center for the children of Barraza and El Chorrillo. The community center is a place where children can eat a meal for free, take dance lessons, study graphic design, use the library and Internet, and watch movies.