Rush commercial?

SigmaNuHX766 · #1 06-25-2007, 10:09 PM

Yeah... so I got bored today in my summer-session psychology statistical analysis class, but I had my laptop with me.

Since it's a 4 hour class, I had enough time to pull together some media, edit, and assemble a 60 second Rush advertisement, render it, upload it, and get it burned to DVD. Here is a compressed version of it on Google Video:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...33059335&hl=en
If you guys could give me feedback on what's good/bad/ugly about it, I'd appreciate it! Ideally, I'd like to start looping the finished product on a 10 foot projection screen during the summer orientation student activity fairs that begin next week, so time is of the essence!

Also, I'm putting together a 2-3 minute short about famous alumni, so if anyone can post links to media (photos, audio, video) of the following alumni, I'd appreciate it!
-Harrison Ford
-Boyd Tinsley
-Al Groh
-Bob Barker (VIDEO CLIPS PREFFERED!!!)
-General Paul Tibbets
-Senator Lott
-Governor/Senator Graham
-NASA Astronauts Ron Evans and Vance Brand

Thanks in advance for your help!
LHT
-Jason HX 766

SigmaNuHX766 · #2 06-25-2007, 10:13 PM

Additionally, my email address is JasonAllen127 (at) GMail.com

Please email me any suggestions for improvement, good things that stood out to you as "eyecatchers", and any other tidbits that may be helpful!

Unfortunately, I do not have video from past events, as I have only recently gotten a video camera... so adding video footage is not possible, though it is a common suggestion.

banditone · #3 06-26-2007, 12:10 AM

I was thinking you needed a little Paul Rudd, but couldn't find a good clip of him at youtube from either Knocked Up or Anchorman. DAmnit.

ZK761 · #4 06-26-2007, 12:26 AM

I like it a lot bro...I've been messing around wanting to create a rush video for our chapter...I made a dvd scrapbook but I would like to make a whole rush video...I've been messing around with Adobe Premiere...Windows Movie Maker and some other programs...what did you use?

LHT
ZK 761

ZK761 · #5 06-26-2007, 12:55 AM

Here is the intro I made for when I created our dvd. It's nothing special, just something I threw real quick that I liked how it turned out.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...26207718322265

Kevin · #6 06-26-2007, 01:45 AM

Very nice for an intro. Does the internet play a big part in recruitment these days? Is a good video something that is a prerequisite for rush each year?

If y'all do VBR, that'd be my only piece of advice... incorporate a values-based approach in that intro. That's the kind of hook that'll land the best candidates.

I figure an intro is something you want to hook someone with so that they'll watch the rest of what you have to offer. Consider that -- cool pictures and symbols may be meaningful to you and me, but does a potential candidate care?

Very good though. Please don't take this the wrong way, I figured in posting, you were looking for whatever constructive criticism anyone might have.

Good luck with rush this year.

ZK761 · #7 06-26-2007, 02:01 AM

Hey I like that advise. That wasn't really like a rush or recruitment video it was just the intro I made for the brotherhood dvd. Yeah I totally agree with you on the VBR. I want to make one that incorparates VBR and make it something meaningful. My brother is coming to Fresno St. this upcoming semester and is most likely going to rush, so I've asked him that if he didn't know anything about fraternities but was interested in joining one, if he were to see a video, what kind of stuff would interest him or catch his attention. We all know what captures our attention and the meaning behind things but I'd like to see it as much from someone elses perspective.

SigmaNuHX766 · #8 06-26-2007, 02:12 AM

Great suggestions all around so far!

Also, good job on the DVD intro, ZK761! Great minds do think alike... i.e. the first 10 seconds of both of our vids are the same. lol

Ok, now to answer questions:
My short term goal is to get an attention grabbing 60 second clip finalized that can be looped indefinitely during a student activity fair. This is a setting where you want to get peoples' attention, then talk to them since there would be 6-9 brothers present in letters or business attire with additional information pamphlets, and rush info sign-up/contact sheets. The main focus here is flashy, eye grabbing content... not necessarily something that can stand on its own.

Old Dominion University has two weekly orientation sessions that have a 2hour long activity fair on Monday and Thursday afternoons. ALL incoming freshman go to this orientation seminar during one of 16 sessions, and are exposed to most GLOs on campus. It's a HUGE part of our campus' recruitment cycle.

Video/multimedia recruiting is something that other fraternities have not yet done on our campus, and I want to be innovative and keep our chapter the largest on campus while remaining selective of initiates. It's not so much a web-based recruiting tool (especially on Youtube/GoogleVid with horrible compression), but something flashy to put in the background to get prospective rushees to walk over to our table. It's only uploaded to GVid so that you all can see the prototype/draft. If there were a web based finished product, I would use Macromedia Flash to cut down on bandwidth usage from our site, www.SigmaNuODU.com.

In terms of longer productions (beyond this week's endeavor), I'm envisioning spending some of the rush T-shirt money from our chapter's budget on CD-R's to mass produce an informational video that can be included in the welcome packages that freshmen receive (roughly 5,600, 40% of which are male, so 2240 guys). For that project, there would be significant chapter involvement from interviews to "a day in the life of..." segments, and once I get my new MiniDV handicam, video of chapter events! Also, less use of copyrighted photos and music... haha

I'm using Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0.3 and an old version of Photoshop for picture adjustment.

banditone · #9 06-26-2007, 10:15 AM

Great idea. Beat the other fraternities to the punch.

I liked the numbers part; if I'm rushing I want to know that stuff. You had the active chapter and alumni info.

How about your grade standings (if they are high)

Intramural standings (same as above).

LIst of student orgs your members are a part of. Each of the above can be a simple/single slide.

Also, GIRLS! We did a rush video one year, and had a little portion of it filmed at each sorority with some members telling what they thought of Sigma Nu. It was greatness, and kinda funny.

SigmaNuHX766 · #10 07-09-2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Also, GIRLS! We did a rush video one year, and had a little portion of it filmed at each sorority with some members telling what they thought of Sigma Nu. It was greatness, and kinda funny.

I like this idea! I'll get some Alpha Phis, Pi Beta Phis, and Delta Zetas on this ASAP!

I'll keep you all updated with my other projects... I just started producing my school's recruiting video for Fall 2007, so the Admissions Office is keeping me busy.

SNUIGC · #11 07-09-2007, 02:08 PM

I actually stumbled upon this video on google videos before I even saw the post here... but, I really liked it. It flowed well, you had numbers of people, alumni, had pictures of y'all in there doing stuff, it was an all around good video.

SigmaNuHX766 · #12 07-10-2007, 11:35 AM

Ok, taking into account the main suggestion (avoiding the fraternity's symbols that are significant to brothers, but not to prospective members; focus more on chapter activities), I've made a new video that focuses more on our numbers, diversity, non-hazing policy, and alumni network.

Here is a rough cut (a few things to be fixed still... typo with capitalization on one title slide, additional photos to come):

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...36052329717853

Additionally, some of our bros from other chapters have done very creative videos in the past:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knWoETqu01s
From Rho Chapter, less than a week ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zCFi...related&search=
From Eta Rho Chapter, last semester... Here's what one of the guys had to say about the effectiveness of the video recruiting:

Quote:

I think the video helped a lot. An alumni put it together for us at no cost and we sent it through facebook to practically every guy going rushing. Since no other fraternities at WKU used anything like this it helped to set us apart.

Good luck with recruitment!

Andrew Vandiver
Eta Rho 795, Alpha 538

SNUIGC · #13 07-10-2007, 03:01 PM

Well, your video isn't working for it... I can see the image coming in and out some, but, it won't go past the first second. As for the others, those were pretty cool. So, how hard is it to make a video for all of this?

SigmaNuHX766 · #14 07-10-2007, 04:25 PM

I tweaked the video... try it now. Google takes videos down for review temporarily when you change the file info for 'em.

Making the video isn't hard per-se... it's just a little on the time consuming side, and at times frustrating because all of our stock photos and video are from parties and we can't use anything with alcohol in recruiting.

You can do simple photo slideshows set to music using Windows Movie Maker, or even some basic video editing if you have a DV camera or a digital cam that can take *.mpg movies or *.avi movies. If you want more info on how-to, feel free to email me/message me on here, bro!

SigmaNuHX766 · #15 07-19-2007, 02:17 AM

OK! Here's the latest with the vids that I've been throwing together...

We field tested the 90 Second short with EXCELLENT results. All we did was loop it in the background during one of the Student Organization Fairs for freshmen, and we had a small crowd talking to our brothers. In under one hour, we had 25 guys who are DEFINITELY interested in rushing.

This past Monday, we also started wearing our new Rush shirts (pics to come... they're badass), and again field tested a video featuring a compilation of alumni. I also brought an actual sword and a wooden shield that I airbrushed on Sunday. That brought a bit more attention. Again we had a small crowd wanting to know more.

Does anyone know of any programs that I can use on a PC to extract a clip from a DVD? I want to include more video than photos in the alumni compilation, including segments of Anchorman and 40 Year Old Virgin for Paul Rudd (Nu Chapter).

I'm starting to polish up a finished product for a 90 second short, an alumni compilation, and also a 45 second Rush video to be emailed out to Rushees via facebook and our website. Progress is being made, gentlemen!