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John Jurko II
Jurko in 2020
Born (1982-04-24) April 24, 1982 (age 42)
Yankee Lake, Ohio, U.S.
Alma materBowling Green State University (BA)
Occupation(s)Filmmaker, podcaster
Websitewww.johnjurko.com

John Jurko II (born April 24, 1982) is an American filmmaker and podcaster, best known as the producer and director of the documentary Rhino Man, which focuses on South African rangers protecting rhinos.[1]

Early life and education

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John Ambrose Jurko II was born on April 24, 1982, in Yankee Lake, Ohio. He received a B.A. in both Film Production and Philosophy from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.[2]

Career

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Filmmaking

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After college, Jurko began work on a documentary about his family’s role in the development of Yankee Lake, Ohio. The film was intended to explore the history of his great-grandfather, John Jurko (Ioan Jurka), a Romanian immigrant who ran a bootlegging operation during Prohibition and established a resort and ballroom that hosted big jazz bands.[3][4] The documentary also planned to feature his grandfather, Paul Jurko, who founded the village of Yankee Lake and served as its first mayor at the age of 21.[5]

Before completing the documentary, Jurko moved to Los Angeles in 2012, where he worked in the camera department of various independent films, including Bone Tomahawk,[6] Stevie D,[7] and Some Kind of Hate.[8]

In 2018, Jurko joined the Atlanta-based production company Friendly Human as their production director. It was there that he met Matt Lindenberg, the Founder and Executive Director of the Global Conservation Corps.[9] The two organizations were collaborating on the documentary Rhino Man, and Jurko eventually took on the role of lead producer and director.[10]

On July 26th, 2022, as Rhino Man neared completion, Anton Mzimba, the lead ranger featured in the documentary and a friend of Jurko's, was murdered at his home in South Africa.[11] This event led to Jurko’s introduction to United for Wildlife, an organization founded by Prince William of Wales, which combats illegal wildlife trade. Jurko, along with Lindenberg and others, was invited to the 2022 United for Wildlife Global Summit in London, where he met Prince William and spoke about Mzimba's death and the Rhino Man project.[12]

The developing collaboration led to a world premiere at a private screening hosted by United for Wildlife, attended by Prince William of Wales and Duchess Sophie of Edinburgh.[13] The event took place on June 13th, 2023 at the Cinema in the Battersea Power Station, London.[14] Jurko introduced the film to an audience of 150 officials from finance, transportation, law enforcement, and NGOs involved in combating illegal wildlife trade.[15]

Podcasting

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From 2014 to 2016, Jurko hosted Odyssey & Muse, a long-form interview podcast focusing on creativity and adventure.[16]

In 2022, as a way to promote Rhino Man, Jurko began producing and hosting The Rhino Man Podcast,[17] which focuses on rhino conservation, the poaching crisis, the importance of rangers, and community engagement.[18] His interviewees have included figures such as David Fein, former U.S. Attorney and Chair of the United for Wildlife Financial Taskforce,[19] Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director of the Wildlife Justice Commission,[20] and Chris Galliers, President of the International Ranger Federation.[21]

Jurko has also appeared on podcasts such as National Park After Dark,[22] Pull the Thread: The Wild Life,[23] and Voices of Nature.[24]

Personal life

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In 2014, Jurko embarked on a two-month unsupported solo cycling trip from Vancouver, Canada to Ensenada, Mexico covering over 2,000 miles along the West Coast.[25]

Jurko currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia.[26]

References

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  1. ^ "Rhino Man's Tribute to a Friend and the Future". www.popmatters.com. 2024-08-05. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  2. ^ "Yankee Lake native is man behind 'Rhino Man'". vindy.com. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  3. ^ "Filmmaker seeks funding for final cut | News On The Green". Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  4. ^ "Yankee Lake History". store.yankeelakehistory.com. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  5. ^ "Wild history behind why Yankee Lake became its own village". www.wfmj.com. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  6. ^ "Bone Tomahawk credits". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  7. ^ Stevie D (2016) - IMDb. Retrieved 2024-08-27 – via www.imdb.com.
  8. ^ Some Kind of Hate (2015) - IMDb. Retrieved 2024-08-27 – via www.imdb.com.
  9. ^ Walker, Justin (2020-06-17). "Conversation with Founder Matt Lindenberg". Global Conservation Corps. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  10. ^ "Behind the scenes on RHINO MAN with Director John Jurko II". United for Wildlife. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  11. ^ Nuwer, Rachel (2022-08-16). "Killing of Ranger Protecting Rhinos Raises Fears for Conservation Efforts". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  12. ^ "Prince William Remembers 'Much-Missed' Queen Elizabeth in First Speech as Prince of Wales". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  13. ^ Vanderhoof, Erin (2023-06-14). "Prince William Honors a Slain Wildlife Ranger During a Rare Engagement With His Aunt Sophie". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  14. ^ Cohen, Sophie (2023-06-13). "The Prince of Wales celebrates wildlife rangers at special screening of documentary film RHINO MAN". Royal Foundation. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  15. ^ "The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Edinburgh attend screening of documentary film RHINO MAN". Official web site of the British Royal Family. 14 June 2023.
  16. ^ "About". Odyssey & Muse. 2015-01-11. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  17. ^ "Rhino Man's Tribute to a Friend and the Future". www.popmatters.com. 2024-08-05. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  18. ^ globalconservationcorps (2021-11-29). "The Rhino Man Podcast". Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  19. ^ globalconservationcorps (2023-02-06). "Ep 37: David Fein – United for Wildlife, working to end IWT, and The Earthshot Prize. - RHINO MAN". Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  20. ^ globalconservationcorps (2022-11-11). "Ep 27: Olivia Swaak-Goldman – Wildlife Justice Commission's Rhino Horn Threat Assessment. - RHINO MAN". Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  21. ^ globalconservationcorps (2023-07-30). "Ep 51: Chris Galliers – The future of rangers and the International Ranger Federation. - RHINO MAN". Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  22. ^ "People of the Parks - Rhino Man with John Jurko II". National Park After Dark. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  23. ^ Luminary (2024-06-04). Episode 4: Incorruptible | Pull The Thread, Season 1: The Wild Life. Retrieved 2024-08-27 – via YouTube.
  24. ^ Wortman, Rebekah. ""Voices of Nature" Podcast | Episode 11: John Jurko". Global Conservation Corps. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  25. ^ Wortman, Rebekah. ""Voices of Nature" Podcast | Episode 22: RHINO MAN Behind the Scenes". Global Conservation Corps. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  26. ^ Gibbons, Shianna (Aug 18, 2024). "Valley native filmmaker to show documentary in Boardman theater". WKBN 27 First News.
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