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Krannert Goes Video
Once again, Krannert foresees a new trend. The school's first undergraduate videotape will be ready in September. Used for recruiting high school stu¬ dents, its producer is communications specialist Ruthanne Schlarbaum, who explains how Krannert is breaking new ground.
"The tape is quite distinctive from printed mate¬ rial where a lot of detail can be communicated. With videotape you have a visual medium, music, spoken word, and the object is to create a feeling. It operates on a special level."
The process began six months ago as an out¬ growth of updating and improving all undergradu¬ ate recruiting material (brochures, slide shows, and catalogs). Acting Dean Dennis Weidenaar and Charles Lawrence, director of undergraduate pro¬ grams, asked Schlarbaum to create a recruiting videotape. Previously they had used a slide show where an accompanying staff member narrated the presentation. Schlarbaum gladly met the challenge, having gained experience developing last year's master's student recruiting tape with David Kingery, associate director of professional master's programs. That was Krannert's first recruiting tape, now quite successful in over 50 schools. Kingery says he knows of only one other management school using video¬ tape for this purpose.
The new 20-minute tape requires a "soft sell." Schlarbaum tells why. "The audience is different this time with high school juniors, seniors, even some parents. We want to explain what manage¬ ment is, the types of jobs students will qualify for, their entry level skills—ideas for them to think about."
So the tape has a dual purpose: teaching students about management and showing Krannert's strong points, but stressing education. High school guid¬ ance counselors will present it as an information source, and it will be available at Krannert for visit¬ ing students and parents. Only secondarily will they be shown Krannert's caring, committed faculty and unique management program.
The opening minutes convey "closure symbo¬ lism," i.e., high school's closing days, suggested through on-location scenes of students cleaning lockers plus cafeteria, hallway, and classroom shots. Schlarbaum comments that "this makes the students feel comfortable and brings them slowly into the college environment. That's why we're using rock music as background for certain sections. This is crucial because music is a big part of the kids' world."
The tape describes the four management pro¬ gram areas (industrial management, management, accounting, and economics) and then answers per¬ haps a student's primary question: what will I do with this degree? Job descriptions and inherent quantitative, analytical, and communicative skills segue into Krannert's advantages.
Schlarbaum says student "testimonials," promi¬ nent in the master's tape, again are important. The 6-8 testimonials are most effective. They speak the viewer's language, are more youthfully enthusiastic, and above all, show college students not afraid to share emotions (several admit being "scared" when first attending Purdue).
It's an undertaking, complex but fascinating, de¬ spite time constraints. The tape must be finished by late September (heavy recruiting time is late October and November). All shooting will be com¬ pleted by mid-June, final script by mid-July, and editing in August. Produced with the Center for Instructional Services, the tape is directed by Chuck Mills. He coordinates technical aspects (camera, lighting, crew) and does the actual editing. Schlar¬ baum organizes the entire project and works closely with him, helping select much of the video during the time-consuming editing process.
There are no budgetary limitations, but the assignment necessitates good judgment: no trips to Chicago, lugging crew and equipment to film a 30- second consulting firm segment, for example. "I have to be careful how I use the crew because that's money," Schlarbaum states. "We will film at a local
Schlarbaum and director Mills at faculty interview.
Purdue University
SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
West Lafayette, IN 47907