I’m Vanessa Diaz, but you can call me V. I’m an award-winning director based in Tampa, Florida with nearly 15 years of experience in the video industry. Over these many years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with big brands, travel the world, work with celebrities (yes, Eminem, I am available) and discover new technology. But above all, I’m in it to feel something. I’m interested in the human experience. I can’t help but feel what a character is feeling. I want to laugh. I want to cry. I want to feel it all! And, with my work, I hope to make you laugh and cry and feel it all.

How many years have you been a judge?

This is my first year!

What excited you about judging for the Telly Awards?

I’m excited to soak it all in! I want to learn, be inspired, gain a new perspective. I’m just excited to watch award winning work.

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

My first real job in the industry was as Marketing Coordinator at a local TV station (not news). I was in the creative department there, and because it was such a small department, I had the opportunity to do a little bit of everything – edit, produce, direct, handle marketing.

It taught me skills like editing and producing. But more importantly, it taught me to work with a team, to share an idea even if I think it isn’t good, to ask for help, to want more out of my career.

What project are you most proud to have worked on?

We do a lot of work with non-profits and those are the projects I’m most proud of. Small budgets, small crews, big impact. One that stands out in particular was with an organization called STARability in Naples.

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

Getting too close to a project. I have a hard time letting go and accepting change when I feel strongly about something.
I also find self promotion – such as filling out a Q&A about ones achievements – to be challenging.

What do you look for to determine excellence in video?

Technique, skill, unique visuals – we eat with our eyes, so the visuals are important.
But I’m most interested in the feeling I get when I watch something. Does it make me smile? Did I get a bit emotional? Did it surprise me? If a video, especially an ad, can evoke a strong feeling, it’s a strong video.

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

I’m a video director. I do mostly commercial, sports and corporate work. I develop and pitch creative, direct on set, work with editors through the post process.
My favorite part of the job is being on set and making something. The crew, talent, creatives, producers, all come together to do what they love and make something great.

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

We’re developing a documentary – a passion project!

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

Watching, listening, reading. Consuming good art usually helps spark something.
Having an experience – good, bad, whatever – can reset me and inspire something in me.

What inspired you to pursue your career path?

I think movies were my first real inspiration. As a kid watching movies, I remember being really interested in how things were shot. Or hating an actor because they played a bad guy in a movie and how that feeling felt so real to me. Making movies is a real job! That inspired me.

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?

We’re experiencing a lot of change within the industry right now. Some of it is good and some of it isn’t. I think for me, all I can do is continue to follow what excites me. Follow my taste and what makes me feel good and just do that.