The Norman Transcript
By Michelle Sutherlin
An 18-minute video full of nationally recognized faces of people
who live in Norman is already being used to recruit others from
across the country to move here.
Don Wood, executive director of the Norman Economic Development Coalition, said the coalition produced the video to reach a target market of companies trying to recruit key employees to move to Norman.
“The first hurdle you sometimes have is, ‘Norman, Oklahoma? Where is that?’” Wood said. “Hopefully this video will break what they’ve thought about what living in Norman is all about.”
The video was made by local Bramlett Multimedia, which is owned by three partners — Krystyn Bramlett, Leslie Wiggins and Colby Bramlett — all from Norman.
Wiggins, the project coordinator, said the video was conceptualized, organized, shot and edited during a six -to -seven- month period.
The video features interviews not only with people well-known locally, but people who also are on the national radar. There are interviews with Clarke and Robin Stroud — Clarke is the vice president of Student Affairs at the University of Oklahoma; Barry Switzer, former OU and Dallas Cowboys football coach; world renowned gymnasts Bart Conner and Nadia Comaneci; Mike Wimmer, nationally renowned painter and illustrator; local Realtors Richard and Devrie Peoples; teacher Sharon Schornick Pyeatt; Ken Parker, RiskMetrics co-head of managed services; Brennan Keene, Norman High class of 2006; Max Weitzenhoffer, an OU regent and prominent Broadway producer; OU President David Boren; and Julia Crocker, Norman High School class of 2007.
Wood said the people in the video were chosen for a reason.
“These are people who could live anywhere in the world and they live here and talk about why,” he said.
The interviews are mixed with shots from places around Norman that show the beauty and uniqueness of the community, Wiggins said.
“We looked at Norman as a whole and wanted to capture things that just say, ‘Norman,’” Wiggins said. “It was hard to narrow it down.”
Wiggins said, as people who were all raised in Norman, she and her partners were excited about making a video to show off their own community.
“The whole experience made me even more proud of living here in Norman,” Wiggins said. “We were really thrilled that we were entrusted to make it.”
The video is available on DVD, VHS and is on the NEDC Web site, at www.nedcok.com. The copies are free unless a large quantity is needed, Wood said. For copies, call the NEDC at 573-1900.
Wood said he hopes lots of people will check out the video
on the Web site.
“So many things are on the Web now, so this is a great avenue
for it,” he said.
Wood said the NEDC is already getting requests from OU for
recruiting some nationally recognized professors.
The other creative way this video can be distributed, Wood said, is companies can go through Bramlett Multimedia to customize an initial portion of the video. For example, if a Realtor wanted to send it to his or her clients, the beginning of the video can be customized with the Realtors information.
The “Life in Norman” video was paid for by the Sooner Centurions, and no city or university funds were used, Wood said.
He said the next video project the NEDC will produce will be targeted at recruiting high-tech companies and jobs. He said plans are to make the video this spring.
As for the “Life in Norman” video, it has just been released so the results have yet to be seen. But Wood and Wiggins have high hopes.
“I hope it sends the message that Norman is a great place to live and work and raise a family,” Wiggins said.
