The Business of Storytelling

There are few things Rory Burns ‘21 loves more than to tell a story. It is something Burns has been passionate about since he learned to read and write and, as the youngest of five boys, he always had an audience. When he was in high school, Burns entered a short film competition and had the opportunity to see his work screened in New York City. The movie, a mockumentary about the New York State 10 Day Film Challenge, did not win. However, it was very well received, and solidified his desire to continue to perfect his craft. Burns went on to study communications at Le Moyne, learning more about the narrative in courses like Phil Novak’s “The Detective Figure in Fiction and Film” and working for both LCTV and WLMU. But he also learned in less formal ways, for example, from his boss at Sodexo, Josh Samuels, who would often begin conversations with, “Rory, did I ever tell you about the time …”

Three years after his graduation, Burns has translated his passion for storytelling into a vocation. The Le Moyne alumnus is the founder of Burnsy’s MultiMedia Services, based in Germantown, N.Y. Being an entrepreneur is all consuming, he acknowledges. Whenever Burns is not working in the business – filming, editing or meeting with prospective clients – he is working on the business – reflecting on the professional values that are most important to him and how he hopes the company will grow in the years to come. It is work ideally suited to someone who is imaginative, self-directed, patient and adaptable, all qualities Burns embodies. One of his earliest clients was his brother and sister-in-law, who called on him to film their wedding with less than 48 hours notice after the vendor they hired for the occasion canceled. Without missing a beat, Burns made the transition from groomsman to professional, capturing the day for them. (The video is now prominently featured on his professional website.)

What Burns appreciates most about his work is that sharing other people’s stories gives him the opportunity to connect with them, to learn from them, and to be inspired by them. His job evolves constantly, and takes multiple shapes and forms. No two days are the same. In addition to running his business, he also hosts an occasional online show centered on whatever topic is most interesting to him in that moment and working on a detective book that he hopes to publish one day. And he makes it a point to give back to his community. Through his online show and Burnsy’s MultiMedia, he has sponsored events to support Easter Seals, Toys for Tots and, most recently, Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Like so many story tellers, Burns loves a good protagonist, characters like James Bond, Rocky Balboa or Luke Skywalker who are likable and beats the odds – and who are determined. The latter in particular is something he seeks to model in his own life.