John Barnes is a filmmaker, songwriter, and actor from Arlington, VA. He has been interested in filmmaking ever since he could edit videos using the iMovie trailer templates on his family's desktop computer.  As a sixth-grader, he presented a presentation and petition at a school board meeting to support funding for a middle school film class, which he was able to take the following year. In recent years, John has completed two fellowships with PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL). He wrote, produced, shot, and edited the explainer video "How Students Are Fighting Zoom Fatigue", which aired live on PBS NewsHour and was published on its digital platforms.  He also co-edited and starred in the piece “Alone Together,” a piece for SRL about teens during the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, John is working on a web series pilot for PBS NewsHour on teen mental health issues, with the first episode focusing on music and mood. For his work at PBS, John was named a 20-under-20 storyteller and received the Best Health Video Award from SRL. John has also written and directed films across many genres, including the dramedy COME TO THE BEACH, the documentary A Passover Story, and the comedy The Case of the Unacademic Integrity. His films have also won many awards, including a Merit Award from the National YoungArts Foundation, a Silver Medal from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and a Best Documentary Nomination at the All American High School Film Festival.