Judy Barlow

Judy Barlow launched APT Worldwide ten years ago, and has put forth a tremendous personal and professional investment in building the business from the ground up. "With the support of our great team on the domestic side, APT Worldwide has taken its place as a major provider of non-fiction programming from the U.S.," she says.

Within that decade, the Boston-based outfit has amassed a catalogue that spans art and culture, biography, business and technology, current affairs, general documentaries, history, lifestyle, performance and science/health and nature. Recently, APT Worldwide picked up the representation rights to Rick Steves’ entire collection of travel series, Rick Steves’ Europe, including his new one-hour special Rick Steves’ Iran. "Rick wrote the seminal travel guide Europe Through the Back Door and has been the authority on European travel ever since," says Barlow. "Many of the shows are in HD and have never been in the international marketplace. We also have a stunning documentary called Between the Folds from Green Fuse Films, which is about the science and art of origami. This film is global in scope and really unique—to our knowledge, there has never been a full documentary made about origami. The origami works are mind-boggling pieces of art—you have to see them being made to believe they started out as just humble squares of paper."

In the nature genre, APT Worldwide’s hour-long documentary Wolves in Paradise looks at the attempts to control the wolf population in Yellowstone National Park. Another doc from the company is Class C, about girl’s basketball teams in rural areas.

Coming down the conduit, APT Worldwide has some new classical music programs and companion documentaries from the San Francisco Symphony. There are also some new cooking and wine series in production, likely to be available beginning this summer. "We have a strong pipeline of programs that come through our domestic service so we can refer to the back catalogue if buyers have specific needs," Barlow adds.

In the way of new media, APT is taking a more cautious approach, and is looking more to partner up in that area than diving in on its own. "We have not been jumping onto the Internet, but instead have been carefully surveying that landscape and keeping an eye on which companies are emerging as leaders in that space. In 12 to 18 months, we plan to be working closely with those companies that seem most viable over the long-term, instead of just putting content on the Internet for the sake of saying we’re active there."

As Barlow gears up for the busy times ahead, she reflects on what it is that keeps her excited about the business. "I love working with talented, creative producers and representing programs that are moving, courageous and tell fascinating stories. That moment of discovery when you come across a really stellar film that you can’t wait to tell everyone about—that’s the biggest thrill for me!"

And it’s not just about the work, but also the relationships that the business brings that Barlow loves about her job. "It’s always a treat to meet every year with buyers from around the world (becoming friends after so many MIPs and MIPCOMs), and of course meeting new buyers—so many people with a shared passion for great programs!"