James Burns, 28, didn't go to film school. He spent time in solitary confinement at age six, and was later incarcerated at an adult facility in Colorado when he was still a minor, spending years in the criminal justice system. After his release, the feature film Jamesy Boy was made based on his early life story, starring Marry Louise Parker, James Woods, and Ving Rhymes. As a filmmaker, Burns' first short documentary, We Live This, took the Special Jury Mention at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. In his directorial feature debut, Revolving Doors, Burns explores a world he is all too familiar with, profiling three men in Baltimore at various stages of the criminal justice system. Burns has been a spokesperson for the ACLU, and profiled on programs like Huffington Post Live and Dr. Phil. He most recently began producing his first documentary series for VICE Media, entitled Crime Pays. He resides in Brooklyn, New York.

I’m a digital/social media/communications guy with roots in PR and the creative arts. I lead custom-tailored social media and communications workshops and training sessions for organizations large and small. And I work with clients to develop their content marketing and social PR strategies.

I also write a monthly column for Marketing Magazine and host the Inside PR podcast.

I developed and am the lead instructor in a Digital Strategy and Communications Management Certificate at University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies and teach several courses there.

I’m chair of PRSA Counselors Academy; a member of the South by Southwest Interactive Programming Committee; and past-president of CPRS Toronto.

And if you want to go back far enough, I’m a published novelist/story writer (The Promised Land, Everything in Winnipeg Begins in a Car); founder of three agencies, an ex journalist/standup comedy MC/ad copywriter; and former Winnipegger.