“Connecting Paradise,” A documentary program exploring the challenges and opportunities of San Diego’s growth, has been honored with a national Silver Telly Award in the Non-Broadcast – Documentary: Short Form (Under 40 Minutes) category. 

Brian Mooney, FAICP, senior vice president at Rick Engineering and immediate-past president of Urban Land Institute (ULI) San Diego-Tijuana, conceived of, wrote and directed the documentary. It was produced by TW2 Marketing for ULI. The video garnered praise for its educational and inspirational content, resonating with audiences since its debut in November. 

“Connecting Paradise” has become a valuable educational and motivational tool. The documentary has already achieved notable success, with screenings at a statewide industry conference, two prominent local industry association events and screenings at local universities.  

It has also been included in a San Diego History Center exhibit at Balboa Park, which kicked off with a screening, and has been shown in private screenings at various companies. “Connecting Paradise” has reached several hundred influential individuals in land planning, architecture, building, transportation planning and government. 

The Telly Award is the documentary’s second award. Earlier this month, “Connecting Paradise” received an award from the San Diego Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA). The award qualifies the video for consideration at the state APA awards program. 

“Receiving a Silver Telly Award for ‘Connecting Paradise,’ especially on the heels of an APA award is a tremendous honor for all of us,” said Mooney. “We are grateful to our team and partners for making this important project possible. This recognition strengthens our commitment to promoting responsible growth and preserving quality of life in San Diego.” 

SANDAG, the San Diego Association of Governments, played a vital role in supporting Connecting Paradise and providing b-roll footage. Its backing, along with other funding sources, helped bring the project to life. Additionally, the San Diego History Center provided access to its staff and archives, enriching the film’s narrative. 

“Our communications firm has a long history working with companies and organizations involved with land use,” said TW2 Videographer Sarah Austin. “We’re proud to produce a documentary that serves as a catalyst for raising awareness and fostering informed discussions on accommodating growth in San Diego.” 

The full list of the 44th Annual Telly Awards winners can be found at www.tellyawards.com/winners.  

About TW2 Marketing  

Founded in 1992, TW2 is a woman-owned, award-winning marketing and media/public relations firm that is laser focused on getting results for its clients. Based in San Diego and with a satellite office in Los Angeles, we represent a wide range of clients and offer services in the areas of marketing, media and public relations, content, video and more. www.tw2marketing.com   

About ULI              

The Urban Land Institute develops leaders in the responsible use of land and promotes creation of sustainable, thriving communities worldwide. ULI has 33,000 members internationally and 575 in the San Diego region. The ULI San Diego/Tijuana District Council facilitates local discussion of public policy issues and best practices related to real estate development, city building and land use. Visit http://sandiego.uli.org and follow us at @ULISanDiego. 

About The Telly Awards  

The Telly Awards is the premier award honoring video and television across all screens. Established in 1979, The Telly Awards receives over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents. Entrants are judged by The Telly Awards Judging Council—an industry body of over 200 leading experts including advertising agencies, production companies, and major television networks, reflective of the multiscreen industry The Telly Awards celebrates. Partners of The Telly Awards include Green The Bid, SeriesFest, Video Consortium, Ghetto Film School, We Are Parable, Future of Film, NAB, Stash, NYWIFT, Production Hub with support from The Commercial Director’s Diversity Program.