CAVE CREEK – Area photographer and filmmaker, Jim David, was awarded five honors, including the Silver Telly, the top distinction, by the 37th Annual Telly Awards for a pair of films created for the local nonprofit Desert Foothills Land Trust.
The Telly Awards recognize outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials, as well as the best video and film productions and online commercials. This year’s competition garnered more than 13,000 entries from all 50 states and numerous countries. Fewer than ten percent of entries are chosen as winners of the Silver Telly.
Created for online audiences, Discover a Jewel received a Silver Telly for cinematography/videography and a Silver People’s Telly, voted by the online community. It also won a Bronze Telly in the category of nature/wildlife. Protecting the Landscape You Love garnered Bronze Tellys in the categories of videography/cinematography and charitable/nonprofit.
Knowing how many skilled craftsmen submit work to be evaluated for Telly Awards, it is a sincere honor to be recognized with their top award,” said Jim David. “This project was also very fulfilling since I was able to film it in my own backyard—areas that are special to me where I hike regularly with my own family.”
Featuring soaring views of the Sonoran Desert and people enjoying its bounty, accompanied by a professional narration, the videos highlight the properties in the North Valley that the land trust has been able to preserve for this and future generations. The films can be viewed at www.vimeo.com/jimdavidphoto.
The videos represent the first film project by the husband and wife team of Jim and Susan David. Jim David is a Valley-based commercial photographer and videographer whose work has appeared in Phoenix magazine and represents a variety of commercial brands. Susan David is a public relations and marketing expert who has produced award-winning videos and has a professional background in land conservation.
These awards recognize a wonderful project that the Land Trust is using to promote continued conservation of the desert landscape,” said Jeffrey Marshall, a Land Trust board member and chair of its communications committee. “This was a complex project that involved the enthusiastic support of volunteers, and the images are stunning and give viewers a great sense of what our properties offer.”
Hiking, exploring and even panning for gold define these places as much as the majestic stands of saguaro cactus and the flowing creek, which is so rare in the desert,” said David. “It’s important that people learn about places like these and seize the opportunity to protect them before it’s too late.”
The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,” said Linda Day, Executive Director of the Telly Awards. “Jim David Photography’s accomplishment illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production.”
Telly winners this year include networks such as ESPN, NBC, HBO, Fox and Viacom, as well as Microsoft, Time Warner and Comcast.
