JTC 26: Content at 200 MPH

OXFORD, Miss. – As NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace crossed the finish line at the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis, Griffen Hinkle did not celebrate like a fan. Instead, he locked in like a professional, camera in hand, capturing every second of the victory.  

The University of Mississippi integrated marketing communications senior from Fairfield, Illinois, knew early on that sports content creation was a passion for him. 

As early as his sophomore year in high school, Hinkle was able to gain valuable sports photography and videography experience throughout high school and community college.  

After earning his associate degree in arts and science from Wabash Valley Community College, Hinkle knew he wanted to continue gaining experience in this field at an SEC university. After a visit to an Ole Miss football game, he knew this was the place for him.  

Wasting no time, Hinkle began to network during his visit, which led him to securing a position with Ole Miss Sports Productions team before his first day of class at the university.  

During his internship, Hinkle covered several different sports, including football, basketball, baseball and track. This position played a major role in his professional development.  

“Griffen has an excellent work ethic,” said Micah Ginn, associate athletics director for Ole Miss athletics sports productions and creative services. “He rarely is sitting still, always moving toward the finish line in whatever assignment he’s been given. 

“He’s been a huge boost to our productivity without a doubt!” 

Some of the highlights during his internship were witnessing Ole Miss sports teams complete upsets, traveling with teams and getting to see his content go on official athletics social media accounts.  

“Being placed in such a fast-paced environment helped me really sharpen my videography and editing skills, learn how to produce high-quality work on tight deadlines and better understand the strategy behind content creation,” Hinkle said.  

The growth and dedication didn’t go unnoticed by those around him. 

“He’s a consistent editor and shooter, always shooting with great intention to service the end product that he has in mind,” Ginn said. “He also understands so much about what makes good content in the basketball world, following trends and leaning into them.” 

This experience gained from the sidelines was complemented by knowledge he gained in the classroom. Courses in the School of Journalism and New Media were proving to help him professionally.  

“I was able to learn about topics, such as how to create a content calendar, keeping a consistent brand look and feel throughout content, and how to better set up for meetings, which I see how they have helped me in the job I have now,” he said. 

He came to Ole Miss expecting professional growth; what he found exceeded those expectations.  

“Before I got to Ole Miss, I wasn’t even sure if it was possible for me to break into the sports productions world, but the knowledge and experience I was able to obtain while a student made my goals more realistic and achievable,” Hinkle said. 

This realization motivated him to seek out summer internships. As he was searching for sports content creation opportunities, a suggestion came from his dad: NASCAR. Although it was not even on Hinkle’s radar, he began applying for positions in the racing industry. 

With a high-quality portfolio of content, Hinkle received a summer internship offer from 23XI Racing, a NASCAR team owned by professional athletes Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.  

“Landing an internship with 23XI was a big door opener for me,” he said. 

Although unexpected, this experience provided him a new perspective that morphed into a new passion and pushed him even more.  

“The first time setting foot into a professional NASCAR environment felt almost corporate-like, but it didn’t take long before I got comfortable with everyone, even going to meetings with higher-ups was something pretty interesting I got to experience,” Hinkle said. 

Each week during the summer internship, a new exciting opportunity presented itself. 

“One week, I got the opportunity to shoot content for a collaboration the Superman movie was doing with 23XI Racing,” Hinkle said. “The video I shot was selected as content to be used as a collaborative post with the official Superman Instagram account.” 

That summer, he shot content at both the Brickyard 400 and the Cola 600; however, he didn’t let these mountaintop moments affect his professionalism. 

“During these highlight moments, whether it was the Daytona 500 or covering Bubba Wallace winning the Brickyard 400, I just kind of ‘locked-in’ and used the opportunity as an adrenaline rush,” he said. “Seeing the high-quality content I shot in these big moments was super rewarding.” 

Covering these big moments behind the lens did not just build his resume. They changed his outlook on his future.  

Recently, Hinkle was recruited by Prosport Management, where he accepted a full-time role as a videographer and content creator for NASCAR driver William Byron, beginning May 18.  

“He’s just a bright kid, highly motivated and very talented,” Ginn said. “Griffen is going to achieve whatever he sets out for, I am quite confident in that!” 

These races are not just highlights anymore. They are the opening lap of what’s ahead. 

Top: Griffen Hinkle, an Ole Miss senior from Fairfield, Illinois, developed his skills in videography and editing through campus athletics and a competitive NASCAR internship. Covering major races and viral moments, he turned classroom knowledge and sideline experience into a full-time career opportunity. Photo by Hunt Mercier/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services

See more photos from Griffen Hinkle's Journey to Commencement