Full Sail Stories

In Full Sail’s sports-focused degree programs, students learn to interact with the sports industry beyond just fandom. They gain practical experience—whether presenting on camera, producing behind the scenes, or creating multimedia content—that helps them understand how to deliver unique and memorable experiences for fans.

That’s why in the Sports Digital Production course, students in the Sportscasting and Sports Marketing & Media degree programs are introduced to the foundational elements of still photography and video production for the purpose of content creation.

“Really, the goal of the class is to get the primer set for learning how to shoot, learning how to compose shots, and how to make something flow,” shares the course’s instructor, Justin Mack.

Justin’s 30 years in sports video production have seen him work with some of the biggest names in the industry, including the Golf Channel and Disney’s runDisney races. He’s also contributed to sports broadcasts for major networks like ABC, CBS, BBC, and ESPN—and even shot a Super Bowl commercial.

Justin was recently on site with media credentials for the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, at the historic Lambeau Field, and his professional worlds collided when he ran into a former student on the press floor.

“He was a Sportscasting grad from maybe four or five years ago. And he was there with a station in Duluth, Minnesota,” Justin recalls. “When we were in the green room doing the media tour, he’s like, ‘Hey, could you shoot some stuff for us?’ And I'm like, ‘That'd be awesome. This is full circle.’”

At the NFL Draft, Justin captured content including the live draft, pre-show events, and a special youth clinic for local teams and Special Olympics athletes.

“It's one of those gigs where it's like I'm working, but I'm just having a blast at the same time. And that's just generally what sports is for me.”

Justin combines that joy with his deep well of experience to guide students through hands-on projects designed to build essential production skills.

“Most students can’t even turn on a camera until they come in for their first class…we actually start jumping in the first day, shooting. By the time they're done, they should have the ability to understand and piece together a basic-level project,” shares Justin.

Over the four weeks, students learn to utilize the camera and software provided in their LaunchBox to create their own original short pieces - one in a documentary style and another in a commercial format.

“One of the things I often show are the 30 for 30 shorts in class, as not only are they neat, but in eight minutes, you can get a great story. It doesn't have to be very deep, it doesn't have to be very long.

“You can tell something that is impactful and is worthy of a story in a short time, and show them, ‘Hey, this is something you guys could achieve. Probably not today, but in the near future, you could start to assemble this kind of thing and show and pull apart what it takes to do that.’”

For longtime sports devotee Justin, there is something special about sharing his extensive experience with students looking to build a sports-centric career.

“There's an emotional connection with sports,” says Justin. “If you're a fan of something, you've got a personally vested interest in it, and it's not the same as other content. Now, I love movies, I love TV, I love all that stuff too, but there's just a different connection with sports. And when I can help be that message, it's like, ‘Oh, this is cool because I would like that.’”