Val Dowd serves as the Manager of Sales at Submarine Entertainment, where she has played an active role in the production of The Jewel Thief on Hulu. She has also contributed to the sales of several notable projects, including Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat, Porcelain War, Daughters, SugarCane, FLY, Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Sinead O’Connor: Nothing Compares, Moonage Daydream, Hate to Love: Nickelback, Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry, and Joan Baez: I Am a Noise. Additionally, Submarine Entertainment has facilitated the sales of six of the last twelve Academy Award-winning documentaries, such as American Factory, Citizenfour, 20 Feet From Stardom, Man on Wire, The Cove, and Searching for Sugar Man.

How many years have you been a judge?

This is my first year!

What excited you about judging for the Telly Awards?

What excites me most about judging for the Telly Awards is getting to see how creators are pushing storytelling forward for today’s audiences. I love encountering fresh perspectives that spark new ideas and conversations. Most of all I am excited to help recognize and support the voices that are raising the creative bar for our industry.

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

My first role in the industry was as an Engagement Manager at Oscilloscope Laboratories, where I learned the importance of truly understanding and connecting with audiences. That experience taught me how social media can do more than promote a film, it can build lasting communities around it. Seeing how authentic engagement shapes a film’s reach and impact helped me appreciate the power of storytelling not just on screen, but in the conversations that follow.

What project are you most proud to have worked on?

A project in my career that I am most proud to have worked on so far was when I did outreach for Matthew Heinemans documentary The First Wave with Roco Films. I was tasked with contacting libraries across the country to set up educational screenings. Given that it was during the early days of the pandemic there was still a lot of uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and the travesty that it brought.

Initially the outreach to get libraries to screen the film was slow, many in fact rejected having a screening, but our mission was to not just make audiences aware but also involved. How can our viewers do more than just watch the film? That was a big question when beginning the outreach. Yes, we want them to be moved emotionally but how do we get them from a passive viewer to an active participant?

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

One of the most challenging aspects of working in film sales is navigating the market. In recent years, it’s been particularly difficult, and it can be disheartening to see so many remarkable films go unsold. Yet these challenges have pushed our company to be more innovative, seeking creative solutions and exploring non-traditional buyers for many of our titles. This year, for example, we’ve collaborated with several distribution companies with whom we hadn’t worked extensively before, and these partnerships have not only boosted sales but also provided fresh insights into audience preferences.

What do you look for to determine excellence in video?

For me, excellence in video comes from storytelling that invites curiosity long after it ends. We tell stories to express an experience, and we listen to stories to make sense of that experience. When a film continues to spark reflection, conversation, or emotion beyond its runtime… that’s when I know it’s truly exceptional.

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

As a Film Sales Manager, I track upcoming titles across major festival lineups, coordinate screenings for buyers, and develop marketing and sales campaigns for festivals such as Sundance, Cannes, and TIFF. I also manage our company’s festival schedule and oversee film submissions to ensure each project reaches its audience effectively. What excites me most is connecting with filmmakers at industry events and discovering new stories in the making. Being part of introducing those films to the world feels like helping shape the future of cinema.

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

I can’t share details just yet, but I’m thrilled to be in production on several documentaries. Being involved from concept through creation has been incredibly energizing, and it’s exciting to help bring meaningful stories to life that have the potential to engage and inspire audiences.

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

I try not to force creativity, but instead create the conditions for it to emerge naturally. I believe in “not pushing the river, but letting it flow” giving ideas time to develop, staying curious, and letting inspiration find its way through observation, conversation, and experimentation

What inspired you to pursue your career path?

From a young age, I was captivated by the power of film to transport, challenge, and provoke curiosity. Growing up in the Blockbuster era, I spent hours rewatching movies, not just for entertainment, but to unravel the questions and emotions they left behind. I’ve always been drawn to the conversations and discoveries that emerge from watching a film, and that passion naturally guided me toward a career where I could support and share stories that spark reflection, connection, and innovation

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?

A significant change I see in the film industry is filmmakers taking greater control over how their work reaches audiences. In the past, self-releasing a film was often viewed negatively. Today, however, many filmmakers are embracing self-release as a viable and empowering option, especially when traditional sales timelines don’t align. We’ve seen notable successes, such as Secret Mall Apartment, where self-release not only brought the film directly to audiences but also supported theaters that have been struggling since COVID. This shift reflects a creative resilience in the industry and a drive to explore new ways for films to connect with viewers