Stories

Named Business of the Year by the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Hinckley Productions creates videos for international brands and local small businesses alike 

Natalie Hinckley has always had a knack for visual storytelling, starting out as a freelance video producer as a side job at age 18 while she attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

By her early 20s, Hinckley knew she needed to build her own production company to take on the kind of larger projects she envisioned. She gambled her life savings to start Hinckley Productions, and the bet paid off: her company has been trusted by brands including Barnes & Noble, Duluth Trading Co. and the NHL Network to tell their stories.

She now operates her own production studio in Madison and has anywhere from eight to 12 people on staff at any time, including directors, cinematographers, copywriters and camera operators.

“My passion comes from getting to connect with lots and lots of different people in all different industries,” said Hinckley, who works as a producer, director and director of photography in addition to owning her own business.

“This field allows me to watch them pull back the veil and show you the realness of what drives them to get up every day, or how they find purpose and meaning in their own work,” she said. “That’s really special, and what has drawn me to this medium more than anything else.”

She started Hinckley Productions in 2007, which she said turned out to be “an unexpected stroke of good luck” as video on the internet soon took off.

Her company also offered robust live streaming capabilities long before COVID-19 made virtual meetings the default technology to bridge social distancing.

Hinckley Productions’ range of aptitudes has positioned it for a wealth of assignments beyond working with companies, including directing a live concert for the Reverend Horton Heat and filming the anniversary of the landmark civil rights bridge crossing in Selma, Alabama, with Coretta Scott King.

Hinckley has been a U.S. Bank customer since she started working with business banker Darcy Pinasco more than a decade ago. Beyond their banking relationship, Hinkley and Pinasco also worked together with the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce – taking a yearlong leadership development course and running into each other at local business functions.

“Watching Hinckley Productions grow and expand into the community over the years has been inspiring,” Pinasco said.

“Getting to know Natalie as a business owner, parent and a leader in the community as an out professional is really what has kept me empowered to live my authentic self as an out professional,” Pinasco said. “Natalie always shows up for the community and is genuinely there to get to know you as a person.”

Hinckley Productions is registered with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and its work within the community has received widespread recognition. In 2016, the company was recognized as business of the year by the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, while Hinckley was named a “40 Under 40 LGBTQ Leader” by the publication BEQ Pride in 2018.

Taking part in organizations like the Wisconsin LGBT and National LGBTQ chambers helps Hinckley remember that she’s part of a broader community and that network can be a valuable resource to tap for expertise. The chambers also help to showcase the positive impact the community has on the economy through the businesses they run and manage, she said.

“It’s really great to see people in different organizations who are out and visible and proud of who they are and are not just tolerated but really celebrated within their organizations,” she said. “That really helps build each other up. It doesn’t have to be a political thing. It can be a: ‘here we are, and it’s good’ thing.”