Countryside students produce top promotional videos

Posted 23 February 2015

Final year students at Harper Adams University have produced a series of promotional videos to help improve public engagement with the Shropshire countryside.

The students, enrolled on countryside-related courses, were asked to produce and present industry-standard videos for real-life clients – the Severn Gorge Countryside Trust and the Shropshire Wildlife Trust.

The brief, part of the Managing Countryside Projects Module, was to create 10 minutes’ worth of videos for each client, working in six groups, overseen by two project managers.

Following a presentation to a panel of judges, including the clients, the videos were then marked according to the quality of camera work, editing, scripting, sound and presenter.

Module leader, Emma Tappin, said: “The module offers students the opportunity to work with external clients and develop skills in writing and implementing project proposals.

“This year, the students have produced outstanding results, and I hope they will proudly show the films to future employers to demonstrate their creativity and professionalism.”

For the Severn Gorge Countryside Trust, the students produced videos to encourage people to use three of the trails at the Ironbridge Gorge.

Nathan Morris from the Severn Gorge Countryside Trust said: “The videos are great and will be used to promote the walking trails on our website.

“As always, the Harper Adams students have produced something that is useful to the Trust and these videos should help in attracting more people to enjoy the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.”

In contrast, the videos produced for the Shropshire Wildlife Trust aim to show the public what the trust can do for them; by promoting three schemes – the Green Gym, Love Your River Telford and business involvement in landscape and biodiversity projects.

John Hughes, Development Manager at Shropshire Wildlife Trust, said: “It's always fun shooting videos with the Harper Adams students and the quality just gets better every year. 
“For most it's a new skill, but the students rise to the challenge and produce something that exceeds our expectations. 

“The videos we asked them for are films we want and need, but don't have the resources to make ourselves.  Thank you to Harper Adams and your enthusiastic and talented students.”

Following the presentations and feedback, prizes were awarded, including the ‘Best Picture’. This was awarded to the Iron Trail video, produced for the Severn Gorge Countryside Trust.

BSc (Hons) Countryside and Environmental Management student, Victoria Stead from Stoke-on-Trent, said: “I found the whole process of making the film really enjoyable, from planning the pitch to the client, the actual filming of the video, through to editing the final product.

“It was very satisfying to be awarded the honour of the Best Picture and also to receive brilliant feedback from our client Severn Gorge Countryside Trust, who have said that they are so pleased with our film they will be adding it to their advertising portfolio to attract new visitors to the Iron Trail.”

To watch the videos for this module, click here.