Nino Del Padre is a 30-year digital storytelling vet and a longtime Telly Judge and 14-time Winner turned streetwear disruptor. After building for giants like NASA and LEGO, Nino recently made history by winning one of the first-ever Telly Award for Generative AI with his short film, Somnium. Currently, he is trading timelines for textiles as the founder of 7 SINS, a high-concept clothing line that turns human flaws into fashion statements. He judges with an eye for technical craft and a deep respect for those brave enough to rewrite the rules.

How many years have you been a judge?

10+ years

What excited you about judging for the Telly Awards?

Honestly, it’s about having a front-row seat to the evolution of the medium. When I started judging over a decade ago, it was all about traditional production value. Now, I get to see how creators are hacking new tech—like AI and immersive media—to tell stories we couldn’t even imagine back then. It keeps me locked in on where the industry is heading before it actually gets there.

What was your first job in the industry? What did it teach you?

I literally started in a closet in my Springfield, MA apartment, grinding out wedding videos and corporate gigs. To understand the big leagues, I worked as an extra on massive sets like Amistad and Before and After. Starting from the bottom taught me that ‘glamour’ is just the finished product; the reality is grit, long hours, and being meticulous. Whether you’re in a closet or on a Spielberg set, the hustle is the same.

What project are you most proud to have worked on?

It has to be Somnium, my AI-generated short film. I’ve been fortunate to win 14 Telly Awards over my career, but this one stands alone. Winning for Somnium wasn’t just another statuette for the shelf; it was validation for taking a massive risk. There was no roadmap for Generative AI yet, so to pioneer that category and be recognized as ‘Best of Class’ by my peers was a definitive career highlight.

What’s the most challenging part about your job and/or the industry?

Relevance. The industry doesn’t just change; it mutates. I’ve had to evolve from ‘Del Padre Video’ to ‘Digital’ to now running a tech-infused streetwear brand. The hardest part is killing your old self to make room for the new one. You can’t get comfortable with what worked yesterday—especially now with AI flipping the board. You have to be willing to learn from scratch over and over again

What do you look for to determine excellence in video?

Now that tools have democratized ‘polish,’ technical perfection is just the baseline. I look for the ‘ghost in the machine’—the undeniable human perspective behind the pixels. I want to see creators who take risks and use technology (whether it’s AI or a cinema camera) to amplify a story, not just to show off a tool. Excellence is when the medium disappears and I’m left thinking about the message long after the video ends

What are your current roles and responsibilities and what do you love most about your job?

I recently pivoted from running a digital agency to launching 7 SINS, a narrative-driven streetwear brand. My day-to-day has shifted from directing pixels to designing tangible experiences—scannable garments, AR integrations, and underground drops. What I love most is the “world-building” aspect; we aren’t just selling tees, we’re building a cult following that values rebellion and authenticity.

What initiatives or projects are you working on now that excite you?

I’m fully focused on bridging the gap between “IRL” fashion and digital storytelling. We’re embedding tech into the 7 SINS line that allows people to unlock exclusive digital content just by scanning a patch on a jacket. It’s gamifying fashion. I’m also continuing to push the limits of Generative AI in video, exploring how far we can take synthetic media while keeping the human soul intact.

Do you have any specific practices you lean on to spark creativity?

I obsess over the details—the shots, the sounds, the texture. But to really spark something new, I step away from the screen. I look at streetwear, architecture, and underground culture. My 7 SINS brand came from wanting to turn human flaws into fashion, not just watching other videos. Cross-pollinating ideas from different industries is the only way to make something that feels fresh rather than derivative.

What inspired you to pursue your career path?

It was the golden era of 90s music videos. I was obsessed with the work of directors like David Fincher, Samuel Bayer, and specifically Mark Romanek. When I saw Romanek’s video for Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Closer,’ it completely rewired my brain. It wasn’t just a video; it was art worthy of the MoMA. That visual intensity is what I’ve chased for 30 years—trying to evoke that same raw emotional response in my own work

In your experience, what is a significant change you are seeing happen in the video, television, and/or film industry, and what insight can you share about how to navigate it?

The obvious answer is Generative AI, but the real change is the democratization of high-end visuals. The barrier to entry has shattered. My advice? Don’t fear the tools; become the director of them. The “human in the loop” is more important than ever because taste and curation are the only things that can’t be automated. Lean into your unique perspective—that’s the one thing the algorithm can’t copy.