This article was written by Q2 Japan’s Bobby, an ex-ALT from Nagoya who now works as a photographer and videographer in Okayama prefecture.
“Hey what’s up everyone, it’s Bobby from Q2 Japan, comin’ at ya with a video about…”
And that’s pretty much how all of my videos begin–a plain and simple introduction to a topic I
found interesting, in Japan. Whether it be a swordsmith, a candy shop, or a festival full of
thousands of naked men…I try my best as a photographer to shoot, edit, and broadcast the
most interesting videos possible (while of course trying to maintain a level of dignity).
Now I’d be willing to bet all of my camera equipment (and thus the tools of my trade) on the
prospect that every single one of you readers looked up a Youtube video in preparation for your
JET application or assignment. Don’t feel guilty–everyone’s done it! It’s just a testament to how
powerful a search engine Youtube has become. And thanks to the immense popularity and
infrastructure of Youtube, nobodies like me, now have the chance to share stories with virtually
anyone with internet access across the globe.
I will forewarn you that if you’re looking for a charming and relatable narrator to help guide you
through the latest trends in Japanese society–I am not your man. I simply meet everyday
people in my area and record tiny snippets of their lives. I am a firm believer that every single
person has an interesting story to tell. But the way in which they tell it can be muddled or
misinterpreted, due to the difficulty of storytelling. And this is where the medium of video can
help distill these thoughts and memories into a coherent narrative for all to consume.
I am a firm believer that
every single person
has an interesting story to tell.
And so I use my photography skills to create the most cinematic and moving videos I can. I want
the audience to feel like they’re there at the Sake brewery, or the sweets shop, or the Korean
festival. There is no CGI or doctored images in my videos–I just try to capture what I see with
the equipment and skills I have on hand. And hopefully, you will enjoy it.
My hopes for the channel are that it will grow in both popularity and quality. I want to tackle
larger projects with complex characters and stories. I want to collaborate with other creative
minds and build networks of online entertainment. And above all, I want to be connected with an
audience I never thought I’d be able to reach. And this is why I write about my channel, so that I
can get closer to these lofty goals, bit by bit.
So if you’re still reading this, please visit my channel and see for yourself what I tried to describe
up above. And let me know in the comments if you read this all the way through 😉 Peace.
If you’re interested in checking out Bobby’ channel you can find it through the videos linked in this article, or here .