NEWS

On Wednesday, November 16, 2016, a presentation was given at APU to introduce recent promotional videos made by students. This was the third year that the government of Oita Prefecture worked together with students from APU to produce videos to communicate the attractiveness of Oita Prefecture to foreign countries using the unique perspective of international students. The prefectural government consigned the production of the videos to APU students.

This year's three-minute promotional videos were planned and produced by two student groups selected from among those on campus. Videos were produced addressing one of two different themes: Promoting study abroad in Oita, and promoting tourism in Oita. TOS TV Oita provided technical expertise and other support in the shooting and editing of the videos. By working together with these professionals, the students gained valuable experience with professional methods of shooting and editing video, gaining much useful advice. The two videos reflected the fresh sensibilities and uniqueness of APU's students.

APU students from more than five countries appeared in each video, both of which were produced in English. Viewers are able to choose from among Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, Chinese (both simplified and traditional), and English subtitles. Students also provided the translations into these languages.

Promoting Oita tourism（YouTube）

Promoting study abroad in Oita（YouTube）

Director HORI Toshiro of the Oita Prefectural Government International Policy Division attended the presentation and spoke about how impressed he was by the students' work. "When I first heard about their plans, I had some concerns about whether the students could make these videos and fit all the scenes into just three minutes. Not only did they prove they could rise to the challenge, the commercials they made were of a very high quality. We definitely want to use these commercials in a wide range of settings."

MATSUI Juriya (College of International Management, 2nd year, Japan) reflected on the work he did with his team. "The Oita Promotion Film Making Project is something that most university students never have a chance to experience. My team members and I developed close relationships with other people while learning about video production. We also had the opportunity to listen to professionals tell stories about their experiences. There were some unexpected happenings, but thanks to the backup we received from the people at TOS, we were able to create an excellent video. If another opportunity like this arises, we definitely want to participate. Thank you to every who helped us along the way."

SUH Jungwha (College of Asia Pacific Studies,3rd year, Korea) said "The Oita CM project was undoubtedly one of the most influential experiences in my life. The project was full of hardships: Brainstorming creative ideas for the video, planning and executing the shooting, working with Japanese professionals in spite of inefficient language skill, and maybe hot weather. However, overcoming all those obstacles and being able to see your ideas come to life is an unforgettable experience and a life changing moment. On behalf of Tour Club, I want to express our deepest gratitude to all the people and organizations that have supported us, and I hope this video project and all the great opportunities it presents continues on into the future."

The videos are now available on YouTube, so please watch and share them with your friends!

Oita Prefectural Government International Policy Division site:
http://www.pref.oita.jp/soshiki/10140/oitapromotionvideo.html