Alpha Vision Media is a full service video production company specializing in creating content within the motorsports community. If you follow NASCAR, you have most likely seen Owner Shawn Brennan’s work across your Instagram feed or on YouTube. Brennan was born into a NASCAR-lovin’ family. He shared, “We weren’t really a football family, just NASCAR every Sunday for as long as I can remember.” Some of his earliest memories are of his parents throwing a Daytona 500 party, so he came by his love for NASCAR honestly. It didn’t hurt that he grew up in New Jersey, just 10 minutes away from Wall Stadium. Brennan said once he saw modifieds racing in person, he was “really hooked.”
How Brennan got into this niche career did not come about as one might expect. Brennan described himself growing up as a hobbyist with cameras, always filming friends snowboarding, skateboarding and surfing. In college, he even bought a drone and began purchasing more equipment to make videos for fun. At that time, his dad suggested Brennan establish Alpha Vision Media (AVM) into a LLC should local businesses or realtors have a need for aerial videography/photography. Even though 2015 is when AVM was established, Brennan was not focusing on that as much as he was preparing to have a career in the government sector, earning a MA degree in emergency management from ASU in 2016 and even working for FEMA for two years before taking on a local emergency management position in New Jersey. He was successful and everything was on track for what he had planned, however, in 2021, after creating a video of Ryan Flores winning the Indoor Auto Racing in Atlantic City and posting it on Instagram, he got a call from Flores who told him, “You should move down here and do this for a living. You’re really good.” That was the start of a solid friendship and a huge shift in career and life plan for Brennan – but a really good one.
After the encouragement he received from Flores in 2021, Brennan began taking this career option very seriously. He paid for a three-day trip down to Daytona to film for Tyler Truex in the Tour Modified Division at New Smyrna Speedway and, while he was down there, he got another call from Flores. This time, Flores invited him to come film Joey Logano racing the dirt modified Flores built at Volusia. Brennan didn’t hesitate to jump at the chance. He spent the whole day filming, then stayed up all night editing the video. Logano and his team posted the video, giving Alpha Vision Media credits in the caption, and that was the first time Brennan realized, “I can actually do this!” This was his big break.
Brennan currently works with seven drivers as well as their sponsors, so he keeps very busy and the days are exciting. He shared, “Everyday is something new, whether I’m shooting for a sponsor or a driver, it’s always a different creative approach I need to take to execute each project at the highest level.” Where does he see AVM five seasons from now? He hopes to grow a bit more and have more editors and shooters, however, he is keeping a level head. He says, “I’ve always preached quality over quantity.”
Brennan’s natural talent, work ethic and love of motorsports have made it all possible for AVM to be as successful as it is, but he’s also received a lot of support and positive influence from a fellow creative in the NASCAR space, Off Axis Paint Owner Greg Stumpff. Brennan shared that Stumpff has helped him a ton to acclimate to the world of NASCAR. He shared, “He was the first person to give me a chance and make videos for his business.” They get along great and have the same outlook on business, so it’s been a support both ways. Brennan also gets a ton of support and encouragement from his wife, Alyssa, with whom he shares their two-year-old son, Chase. His work definitely keeps him busy since it is not your typical nine to five. It feels more like a 24/7 job since he is the one business owner and the one solely responsible for all the ins and outs. Despite the heavy responsibilities, Brennan does his best to put his phone down to make time for his family. He shared, “Chase’s favorite thing to do right now is play at the park across the street from our house, so we spend a lot of time there and it feels good to get out of work mode.”
If you have interest in pursuing media work in NASCAR, Brennan’s advice is to “think differently and go all in.” He has a realistic, but also an optimistic viewpoint on it further sharing, “Some people attempt to pursue this line of work and sometimes miss deadlines or don’t follow through on the direction they were given. You have to be willing to sacrifice some things to be successful. If you want it badly enough, you can do it.” That is exactly what Brennan has done with Alpha Vision Media.
Full throttle,
Clair
