Digital Ehon Award Interview Series, Vol. 3

“I Look Forward to Pioneering Forms of Expression That Go Beyond the Tablet”

Tomoyuki Sugiyama, President of Digital Hollywood University.Since Digital Hollywood University opened in 1994, it has produced 50,000 creators active in various fields such as film, animation, CG, web design, and graphic design. He carries a DSLR camera in his bag and keeps a guitar in his president’s office. We asked him how he views the new creative realm of Digital Ehon—both as an artist and as an educator.

　Having served as a judge for two Digital Ehon Awards, he reflects that there were two distinct approaches. One group consists of people attempting to create something completely new that has never been done before. The other group consists of people who firmly adhere to the traditional framework of “picture books” while adding the benefits of digital technology. “It’s not a matter of one being better or worse than the other; each has its own characteristics.I think these two approaches will continue to coexist for some time,” he says. The important thing, he notes, is not to define what a Digital Ehon must be. “Digital Ehon is a new medium. Right now is a time for experimentation. It’s crucial that a wide variety of people take on this challenge and that a diverse range of works emerge.”

　The key mindset needed to create Digital Ehon—as a new medium—is the realization that “digital can connect to anything.” “Until now, when given a book, we’ve thought about what we can do within the confines of that book. But the defining feature of digital is that it can connect to anything. I don’t want people to just look at a tablet screen and think only about what can be done within it.I want you to pioneer forms of expression that go beyond that.” It’s fine to connect the tablet to a TV. It’s fine to connect it to a friend’s smartphone. It’s fine to connect it to a paper picture book. It’s even fine to connect it to the real-world location where you are right now. Once you understand that anything can be connected, you need the ability to produce a cohesive work by deciding which elements to use and how to combine them.He says he teaches students how to take a bird’s-eye view to make connections and how to combine different elements. “The era of digital where you were evaluated simply for being able to create CG or build websites—as was the case in the past—is over. Those are the fundamentals that must be learned as a matter of course; what’s now required is the ability to connect them horizontally and create new worlds on that foundation.”

　The creative process itself will also undergo significant changes in the future. By leveraging the “connectivity” of digital technology, we can collaborate with people all over the world and reach audiences globally. As long as you have a great idea, someone will figure out a way to make it happen. “I hope students will write proposals without worrying about whether something is technically feasible or not.Dream projects—ideas like, ‘It would be great if something like this existed for children.’”
Children themselves might be the ones coming up with these ideas. In fact, this year we received submissions from elementary and middle school students. “I think that before long, tools will emerge that allow even kindergarteners to create their own picture books.” Children can transition from being the ones who have stories read to them to becoming the creators of picture books themselves.

　From now on, it’s important to view things with the sense that you’re facing the other 9 billion people in the world. I want children to truly realize that they can connect with people around the world through their own ideas.
This means we’ve reached a point where we need to rethink the very nature of education. The internet brings together all the knowledge in the world. Such an environment did not exist in the educational systems of the past.The authority on education used to be the library, a repository of accumulated knowledge. And gaining admission to a university meant gaining the right to access that library. But now, anyone can easily access knowledge. The environment has changed. To survive, humans must adapt to their environment. The role of adults is to consider how to raise children in this changed environment.

　What kind of education is provided at DigiHari, and what is daily life like for the students?
“I’ve never seen a student holding a textbook,” President Sugiyama says with a laugh. He means he’s never seen a student with a textbook open. Everyone has a laptop and is typing something. Some students have never used a computer before. That doesn’t mean they’ve never encountered digital technology.They’ve grown up with cell phones and smartphones. While more students are taking photos of the board, that’s a waste of time. Instructors send class materials to students digitally. A Facebook page is created for each class, where questions fly back and forth even outside of class hours.The current topic of discussion at faculty meetings is whether “since we’re using so many different social media services in class, we should standardize on just one.” However, they reportedly reached a tentative conclusion that “given the current climate, it’s fine to use a variety of services.”On the university’s website, “Digican,” students can find information on make-up classes and course materials. While accessing Digican on their computers, students are also sending information to their friends via cell phone.
　Classes are designed to encourage active student participation. For example, instructors might assign homework such as, “Please read through ten PowerPoint slides in advance.”Classes serve as a forum for group discussions and presentations. Students tackle assignments with enthusiasm. Most students say they enjoy coming to university.

　On President Sugiyama’s Facebook page, he is “friends” with more than half of the students.When he sees a post by a freshman, he’ll comment, “You’re only 18—don’t go to izakayas, and don’t drink alcohol.” Of course, if he finds an interesting piece of work, he’ll offer criticism as well. In the past, students rarely had the opportunity to have their work reviewed by the president. At the same time, there were cases where the president never discovered a student’s shining talent until graduation. Now, feedback can be shared instantly.He uploads photos of students taken with the DSLR camera he always carries with him. Then, parents leave comments like, “Thank you for capturing my child so cutely.” The president is keeping an eye on the students’ daily lives. Needless to say, this boosts the trust parents have in him.

　The admissions criteria are also unique.There’s only one thing we look for in interviews: “Can Digital Hollywood help this student realize their dreams? If we determine that we can, they’re accepted.” When people give something their all, their potential is incredible. Precisely because I’ve seen so many students like this, I don’t judge them based on what they’ve done up through high school. When students get “serious,” digital technology has dramatically accelerated the speed at which they learn.
One challenge we face every year is conveying to new students that “you are free.” “Many of them have lived their lives up until now simply following what their teachers and parents told them,” he explains. It seems there are still many students who, up through high school, were educated in environments with little tolerance for diversity, where they were taught that there is only one correct answer.

　Digital Hollywood’s educational philosophy is to “nurture students who shape their own lives based on their own judgment.” What’s needed to make decisions about one’s life is information. Students gather a wealth of information, process it, and make choices. Sometimes, it’s only after encountering various possibilities that they discover their own path.
In the pre-digital world, there were few options. Now, an infinite number of paths lie before these students.