John is a director / cinematographer, photographer and video editor. John has conceptualized, directed and/or photographed campaigns for 3M Company, Abercrombie and Fitch, Aeropostale, Altar'd State, American Eagle Outfitters, Aerie, Arhaus, Bali, Clinique, Converse, Deichmann, Dial, DSW Shoe Warehouse, Garnier, Gilly Hicks, Hanes, Henkel-Fa Feel Fantastic, Hollister Co., Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Kmart, Lands' End, Lane Bryant, Lucky Brand, Madewell, Maidenform, Nair, Sony UK, Spanx, Swisse Vitamins, Tween Brands, Vince, Vente Privee, and XOXO. 

 

John has directed projects for Carrie Underwood, Justin Timberlake, Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman, Nile Rodgers, One Direction, and Tim Timbaland. 

 

His video for One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful” won two MTV video music awards in 2012.“What Makes You Beautiful”  has been viewed OVER 1.4 billion times to date. Currently, he has photographed five album covers and directed two music videos for One Direction. 

 

His video for Keith Urban's “Cop Car” was a 2015 ACM nominee for video of the year. His video for Keith Urban's “Somewhere in my car” was a 2015 CMT nominee for male video of the year. His video for Keith Urban's “The Fighter” featuring Carrie Underwood in 2017 won a CMT award for "Collaborative video of the year." To date, John has shot, directed and edited four music videos for Keith. John also collaborated with Keith, Breland, and Nile Rodgers on a 5th music video titled "Out the Cage." 

 

John's short documentary about big wave surfer Maya Gabeira was picked up by the Honolulu Surf Film Festival and screened in 2017 in the women's shorts program. 

 

John Urbano 1 is the work of ten years of passionate all-film, black and white photography. The book houses a collection of fine art images, studies, stories, lessons, and love for the work, bringing together a number of women whose diverse passions are represented in natural settings around the world. 

 

John’s documentary Beauty of the Fight has 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 safe place where children can eat a meal for free, take dance lessons, study graphic design, use the library and Internet, and watch movies. 

 

John's third photography book is titled “Sicilia.” For six years, John documented the country where his grandparents called home before they crossed the ocean on the Holland American Line in 1960. 

 

In 2016, John completed a short film about two-time world champion boxer Ismael Laguna titled El Tigre. John met Ismael ten years ago and was personally asked by the champion to tell his story. The film has screened at the San Diego Latino Film Festival, Athens International Film + Video Festival, Ashland Independent Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival, LA Shorts Fest, Gig Harbor Film Festival, Brussels Belgium's Festival Peliculatina, and Wandering Reel Traveling Film Festival. El Tigre has won Honorable Mention for Best Short Film at Ashland Independent Film Festival. This is the only short narrative to win a prize this year other than the winner of Best Short. El Tigre was picked up for distribution by the Shorts International Limited company as part of a seven year deal. El Tigre received Oscar qualification making it one of 150 films reviewed by the Academy in 2017.

 

In 2022 John shot a short documentary titled ABBY. The film was inspired by a story that Abby's father told filmmaker John Urbano. A few years ago, Abby had just graduated from high school. The type of high school diploma she received would not allow her to apply to or attend college. Due to Abby's cerebral palsy there was not a single company willing to give her a job. John asked Abby's family to tell Abby's story through video. Because Cerebral Palsy prohibits Abby from speaking, she writes her thoughts, her dreams, and her troubles, from her unique perspective. Her family of seven weaves in and out of this documentary, giving voice to the voiceless. Her family’s love and support is so deeply moving that it's hard to capture on film. The most beautiful part of the film for John as a filmmaker is the discovery of Abby's profound love of all animals. She currently trains all of the family dogs, connecting with them, and successfully modifying their behavior, without speaking a single word. Her dream is to work with animals. Abby won the "Girl Empowerment Award" at the 39th Annual Chicago International Children's Film Festival. Abby has also been accepted into The Children's film festival in Seattle, The Dam Short Film Festival in Nevada, The Louisville Children's Film Festival, The Atlanta Docufest, and The Columbus International Film and Animation Festival.

John is currently working on a portrait book in the Dominican Republic and a movie script.