Mathew Barton started his journey at the Digital Corps two and a half years ago and has since been promoted to Master. His quick climb up the rankings is a testament to how hard-working and passionate Barton is about his craft.
Barton can easily be described as creative, driven, and passionate about filmmaking. When asked about how his journey with film began, he went into detail about how film helped him cope with a medical diagnosis.
“I was struggling with a medical diagnosis and was in and out of the hospital a lot. I was using movies and television to cope. At some point I felt like a lightbulb went off and I was like— Oh! This is a field I can go into and can give others the same feelings of joy!”
Since then, Barton has used filmmaking and scriptwriting to explore his humor and creative side. Eventually, Barton found the Digital Corps and realized he could share his passion for filmmaking with other members of the Video Team.
One of his favorite memories from the Digital Corps was with Dylan Gabbard, his long-time friend and Video Team member, and Elle Kreamer, one of the Video Team Leads.
“Elle, Dylan, and I went to record a video for President Mearns and then had to run across the street during a huge storm to immediately shoot a video for Soil Analysis in the greenhouse. Afterwards, we got Wendy’s for lunch. It was chaotic, but so much fun. I had such a good time bonding with them over the summer.”
Barton talked about how joining the Corps helped him find more confidence in himself and his skillset. He mentions when joining the Digital Corps that he was unsure of himself and thought he had very few skills to offer. Now, Barton is one of the highest-promoted students in the office and is a leader for everyone.
Aside from filmmaking, Barton loves playing videogames, reading, writing, watching movies and TV shows, and playing Dungeons and Dragons with his friends. When asked what happens when he’s in a creative rut, he often relies on the content he consumes.
“When I find myself in a creative rut, I “study” by watching a movie, TV show, or playing through a favorite mission in a video game. A lot of the time I’ll find something that I love or that sparks some sort of new idea that brings me back into a creative mindset.”
As passionate Barton is about creating, he also understands what it’s like to feel uninspired and be unsure of himself. However, Barton has created amazing videos for the Digital Corps and has one last piece of advice for other undergraduate students starting out in filmmaking.
“I’d tell [students starting out] that it’s okay to make mistakes and screw up. It’s okay to dislike your work and be critical of yourself. But never let your mistakes and criticisms stop you from learning and continuing to better your craft. Celebrate the small moments and the wins you have along the way.”
Barton will be missed at the Digital Corps, and we’re confident he will do amazing things in the future to come!
