Matt Colbourne is all business challenging hitters with his lively fastball when he takes to the mound at Jubilee Field.
He’s a gamer who keeps his emotions in check when’s he’s trying to get hitters out.
However, the rosy-cheeked 21-year-old is an animated character who brings his sense of humour to life through the lens of a video camera when he’s not firing strikes.
Colbourne has a passion for creating funny videos. He has his own YouTube channel and Facebook page under MattColbo where he posts his work for family and friends to check out.
As a young kid, Colbourne said he had a flare for making funny videos with his buddy Sam Brake. They just loved the idea of making a skit together and putting it online for other people to see, but it was only the two guys and a few friends who actually got to see their creations.
It was just a lot of fun doing something different that made people happy and neither of them knew anything about videography or film, or what looked good and what didn’t.
Colbourne got away from having fun with the camera when he became immersed in sports.
A couple of years ago when he began life as a university student, Colbourne’s interest returned when he started watching videos on YouTube. Initially, he would take whatever video he could find and edit it to make it look make it funny and then he put his creative juices to work by creating his own work.
“It’s not for everyone, but it’s sort of things that myself and my friends find funny so I roll with it,” Colbourne said.
Colbourne’s pleasant personality shines through in his work. He really looks like he’s having a blast when he’s behind and in front of the camera.
Jubilee Field is a place dear to his heart and it’s no secret that the local baseball association has been trying to come up with funding to do a complete make-over of the clubhouse and amenities at the city’s only baseball diamond.
Colbourne was asked to create a video for the Corner Brook Baseball Association for entry into the 2018 KraftHeinz Project Play — a nation-wide contest designed to build a better future by building better places to play in communities across Canada.
The grand prize winner will receive $250,000 towards a recreational facility upgrade and the three remaining finalists will each receive $25,000. A panel of judges from the sponsors of the contest will chose the top four entries and they will be announced Oct. 13 on TSN and then a final vote for the winner will take place with the general public having their say in who receives the grand prize.
Colbourne didn’t hesitate to do his part to help with the baseball association entry. He was asked to produce a funny video to send along with the application that required answering a question about what the association would do with the money if they won.
He decided to go with an idea he had in his head when he was asked to create one and he was pleased with the final product.
“It was a new thing for me to make something that was serious, but I liked the way it turned out even though it was on a bit of a time crunch, but it was a lot of fun to make,” he said.
Colbourne knows how hard people work to provide quality programs and facilities for baseball players in the city. He believes Jubilee Field is a gem and will be even better if the facility receives the care and attention it desperately needs.
“To put my videography to use and maybe get some money for the field is really special and it’s exciting, especially considering I have a big hand in the field and I grew up there,” he said.
