Once upon a time, a team of devoted creatives joined together to make films that solved problems for their clients. They called themselves Votary Films.
This team took great pride in creating beautiful art. Over time, however, they discovered that something essential was missing… story. Videos on their own weren’t enough.
Meaningful, authentic storytelling became the key ingredient. They began to challenge each other to grow and improve around the craft of storytelling. Something amazing began to happen; they moved from transactional relationships with their clients to deep and long-lasting partnerships.
Jed Burdick
Executive Producer
Mike Palumbo
Producer / Filmmaker
Cody Wambolt
Producer / Filmmaker
Jai Burdick
Financial Admin
Paul Keefe
Filmmaker
George Burdick
Employee Experience Manager
VOTARY
[ voh-tuh-ree ]
noun
A person who is devoted to a subject or pursuit.
At Votary Films, we are dedicated to moving people through meaningful stories.
To us, a meaningful story upholds the principles of Truth, Freedom and Human Flourishing.
We believe that truth is transcendent. It does not belong to anyone and it is not subject to our opinions of it. Paradoxical phrases like “my truth” and “your truth” serve only to obscure a deeper meaning and the kind of shared understanding that leads to progress. We may not always see or understand the truth, but that does not mean it is not there, or that we shouldn’t strive to discover it. To us, there is no higher calling than the humble pursuit of truth. Therefore we feel that we have an obligation to the truth in the stories we tell, even when, perhaps especially when, it is uncomfortable or inconvenient. As Jesus said in John 8:31, “The Truth will set you free.”
We are freedom maximalists. We believe that humans were created to be free and that all lives, born and unborn, are endowed with value by God. We believe in the American constitution and the vision of the founding fathers and will fight to protect it. We believe that while no human construct is perfect, a truly free and open market, operated by free individuals, is the best system we have in order to maximize human flourishing.
We believe that the human condition is nuanced and complex, that there is good and bad in each of us. Therefore, we do not blindly align with any one political ideology and do not believe in a perfect, utopian solution to mankind’s problems on this side of Heaven. However, we do believe that a truly flourishing society is one built upon morality, freedom, and personal responsibility.
As filmmakers, our highest calling, our “why”, is to leverage the change-making power of storytelling for the betterment of mankind. This means telling stories that shine a light on the good in each of us; on what is true, on what is real, on what is meaningful. And hopefully, by God’s grace, that light will grow.
OUR CORE VALUES:
USE CREATIVITY FOR GOOD
BE KIND & COURAGEOUS
ALWAYS BE IMPROVING
WHO WE SERVE
At Votary Films, we partner with people and organizations who want to make a positive impact through their work and understand the crucial role of storytelling in that pursuit.
Whether you are a business selling a product, a non-profit on a mission, or an artist sharing your gifts, you have a meaningful story to tell.
If you commit to telling that story truthfully you will build trust with your audience, and where you build trust, you will create meaningful connections.
Story is the most powerful force in the universe. We think in story, we dream in story, we teach in story and we learn in story. It is how we make sense of all of life.
An effective story has the power to influence how people think, feel and act. In other words, it has the power to make change, both positively and negatively.
As filmmakers, we are not simply providing a service void of moral impact, we are crafting the best way to convey a message. For this reason we must align with the partners and clients we serve. We believe that we have an obligation to shine a light on objective truth in the stories we tell, even when it is uncomfortable or inconvenient.
OUR WHY STORIES
The WHY Stories is a miniseries where we take a short, behind-the-scenes looks at why our team members became storytellers and what their filmmaking journeys have looked like so far. This is an opportunity to get in our clients’ shoes, in front of the camera, opening up about our own story.