Tony Barbon was born in Pensacola, Florida and later moved to Tampa to attend the University of South Florida, initially majoring in three-dimensional design before switching to film production. During his time at USF, he studied cinematography with Charles Lyman and Will Hindle, and later organized the "In Alabama" film symposium, featuring renowned filmmakers Stan Brakhage, Scott Bartlett, Bruce Baillie, and Will Hindle. He earned a B.A. in Fine Arts and a full tuition waiver to complete his M.F.A. in Cinematography.
After graduate school, Barbon moved to Atlanta, Georgia and worked briefly at the non-profit Independent Media Artists of Georgia before being hired as a cinematographer for Georgia Public Television. He shot programs on various topics, including primary health care, alternative energy strategies, and the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation.
Two years later, Barbon relocated to New York City and worked as an engineer for WPIX television, shooting news programs and later reassigned to shoot all stories on location for the co-produced program "The Wall Street Journal Report." He traveled across the country, gaining experience in quick and unsupported shoots.
A reporter for "The Wall Street Journal Report," Charles Feldman, persuaded Barbon to join the new Paramount Television magazine program "Taking Advantage," which was later cancelled. He then became a director of photography for Paramount's New York bureau of "Entertainment Tonight," leveraging his fast production style to shoot star interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage.
Barbon's work included runway and fashion shows for top designers, documentaries for MTV, promotions and programs for HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime, and Sesame Street programs. He also shot two Reading Rainbow shows, worked on multi-camera productions, and shot (uncredited) video for two feature films.
After ten years in New York, Barbon returned to Atlanta and was hired as a Producer/Director to create the studio production unit for Turner Classic Movies. He executive-produced, directed, and supervised scriptwriting for all appearances by host Robert Osborne, and produced interstitial programming and directed multi-camera interview shows and special guest hosts. He was promoted to Vice President five years later and left TCM after ten years, having produced over 30,000 host appearances.
Barbon relocated to Portland, Oregon with his family and started a company called Folklore Media, offering graphic design, videography, and editing services to local agencies, businesses, and non-profit organizations.
