For over a year, producers Joyce Belloise and Jack Kelly have been working on a new documentary that looks at what Florida living will be like in 2030. Funded by a grant from the Florida Humanities Council, the program explores the issues of growth management, suburban sprawl and sustainable communities. Since World War II, Florida has experienced an unprecedented rate of population growth. The state’s current population of 18 million is predicted to swell to 25 million by 2030. This population explosion is leading Floridians to redefine their notions of community. As Bruce Stephenson expressed during an interview, “We were on the General Motors track for the last 50 years. If you want to stay on the General Motors track for the next 50 years, you’re gonna go bankrupt.”

This documentary is intended to promote dialogue among Floridians on a topic many would argue has serious public policy implications.

Balancing overlapping production schedules, Joyce and Jack shared producing responsibilities. Last summer, while Jack was producing “The Stranahan House” documentary, Joyce tackled the field production, identifying subject experts and locales. She and videographer Jeremy Nicholson crisscrossed the state – from the Panhandle to Orlando to Miami. And when “Check, Please! South Florida” went back into production last fall, Jack took over the reins during the post-production part of the project