Get to Know Northfield! is the new EDA-commissioned video “highlighting the distinctive characteristics and qualities that make Northfield an attractive place to live, work, attend school, start a business, or simply visit and play.” The video was produced by by Blue Moon Productions and cost $30,000. The partnering organizations and their contributions:
Carleton College – $3,500
St. Olaf College – $3,500
Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce/CVB – $5,000
Northfield Economic Development Authority – $15,000
Northfield Hospital and Clinics – $6,000
Rebound Enterprises – $2,500
More:
- March 24 Nfld News: Video project celebrates Northfield
- “Why We’re Here” Twin Cities video
- The Northfield Video TourBook
- My June, 2010 blog post, Why make a $38,000 video to promote Northfield now when we already have one that’s good enough?
- Page 11-14 of the May 27, 2010 EDA packet
What’s your beef, Griff? This is really nice!
Again, just like the Minneapolis one, there is no snow. But, overall the quality of the filming and audio is great and the stories are excellent tales of what makes people want to be here.
I started watching it and if I hadn’t wanted to know why it was $30,000 I wouldn’t have finished watching as it’s almost 15 minutes long. After watching, I still don’t know why it cost that much. Some of the stories are nice, the video quality was great, but it was really broken up with all of the text and I thought it was strange that they’d put the title of the story up after the story was told. Overall it makes it look like Northfield is an attractive town in which to live…and not much fun. It could easily be shortened at least 5 minutes and that might get people to watch it.
Too long, yes, distracting music at times, yes, a little too much personal info, yes, overall, depends on the audience…i guess…$30K, not so bad due to the length and all the various locations, people interviewed and arrangements and edits that needed to be made.
I just spoke to a lady in Plainfield and she said she thought Northfield was great town, very community oriented and really nice. Unsolicited endorsement, Priceless.
Good luck, Northfield!
David, I didn’t grumble at all in this blog post. Just the facts.
I actually liked the video, and though I can think of many things I’d have added/changed, it would be next to impossible to create a video like this by committee/public consensus.
I thought it was interesting that it is supposedly geared for people in their 30s and 40s but all ages were shown (even I, for one second, in NHS “Cemetery Stories”). As a Welcome Service representative, I call on many retirees who have made Northfield their new home, too.
Jennifer, it’s interesting that you said “… and not much fun.”
What would you have included that would have conveyed more fun?
Griff:
I think a few things that would have made it more “fun” or appealing would be to show people biking or running or walking on any of the many trails, or at the Arb at Carleton, or on the cross country trails at St. Olaf. Show the outdoor theater performances in Central Park. Show the community nights (summer program when arts and entertainment move from neighborhood to neighborhood). Show the Winter Walk. Show the summer Ice Cream Social. Show sledding on the many hills. Show people attending the sporting activities (at all of the schools..HS and College-level). Show families picnicing in any of the many parks. Show people out at some of the area night spots playing bingo, poker, singing karaoke, listening to bands. Show that people of all ages in Northfield are active and involved in the community. Much better than seeing the doctor grab the file from her support staff person and walk down the hall (four times they showed that scene…or better than watching that taupe car turn the corner at the Rare Pair three times). I’m sure you get what I mean. They did a decent job, but not at all what I expected and not at all like the Twin Cities video.
Thanks!
Loved the colorful video, but where are the cows?:)
Good point, Helen. But I am wondering “Where was Griff?” When PBS had a TV crew interviewing Hayes in Bridge Square, there was Griff photographing them! Didn’t catch sight of him in this one.
Great suggestions, Jennifer.
I thought it was odd that they didn’t include anything about kids’ sport activities, eg, soccer, given that this is aimed at young families.
The video is not getting much traction. 919 views in 10 days thus far.
My coffee buddies suggested having a community video contest, with citizens and students invited to submit slice-of-life videos of less than 5 minutes. Judging could be done by both a jury and the community at-large. Small prize money could be awarded but it would mainly be the recognition.
I understand there is still a lot of film ‘in the can’. And the final edit changed from ‘contemplative’ to ‘dynamic’ – is this a characteristic of the 30 to-40-somethings target market?.
I would love to see an ‘arts’ story added (hard to compete with Paul Niemisto, tho.!). I did note at least 16 images from Riverwalk Market Fair’s inaugural season; and I understand that the ‘imagination’ theme came from the film crew’s extensive interview with Market Fair founder, Gail Jones Hansen.
It was a personal pleasure interacting with the film crew. I, being perhaps too contemplative, or perhaps better suited for radio, ended up on the cutting room floor; but I did get a couple of walk on (or away) bit parts.
Thanks to Blue Moon Productions for getting to know us and for shopping local while in town!
The video has now been viewed 1,252 times in the two months since it was released. That’s about $23 per view thus far, tho that might not be the best ROI metric.
Is the EDA and its partners on this project happy with this so far?
Speaking of the CVB, this full-length $30,000 video has been been viewed a measly 1,740 times in 9 months. The individual segments: 75-300 times.
And the City of Northfield still opts to show the old, crappy freebie video tourbook on the lower left sidebar of its home page. Why the CVB and EDA don’t insist that that be changed is beyond me.
Can anyone from the EDA, or relevant City Staff, comment on why this video, produced by Blue Moon for the EDA, is not able to be viewed on the City’s website?
It seems so obvious a place to access it; what could the reason for it notbeing there possibly be?
Kiffi, the new video IS available on the City’s Website. It’s just that A) it’s not the one featured on their home page; and B) it’s not easy to find.
Here’s the URL:
http://ci.northfield.mn.us/assets/e/EDA/northfield_videos.html
Thanks, griff… I knew it had to be there somewhere… I just didn’t feel like slogging thru that website to check.
I’m still wondering why the investment doesn’t qualify it for the ‘front page’ ?