Lorimar Television / Warner Bros

Within a year, he landed a job at Lorimar Television, which soon after was acquired by Warner Bros.^[5] During his 7 years at Warner,^[6] after watching thousands of Warner Bros. films, Burke grew to become the studio's authority on its vast film library.

Rysher Entertainment

When the opportunity arose, he followed his dream and pursued a career in filmmaking. He was a founding member of Rysher Entertainment^[6]—a fledgling film and television company which soon after scored a notable success with the hit syndicated TV show, Saved By The Bell.^[7] The enormous profits that show provided were immediately plowed into a small film slate, primarily for HBO.

Rysher was then bought by Cox Communications and provided with the resources to make a full slate of theatrical films. Over the next 5 years Burke supervised the development, production and release of over 30 films. Some of the most notable were, Primal Fear, Private Parts, Kiss the Girls, The Saint, Kingpin, Big Night, and Hard Eight.^[7] The experience was invigorating but impersonal. Burke wanted to get closer to the films and make a stylistic imprint.

Ad Hominem

While at Rysher, Burke read a script written by two friends entitled Election. It was the best script he had ever read and was driven to getting it made. When making Election he formed a bond with writer Jim Taylor and director Alexander Payne. Sharing the same film aesthetic, the decided to form a production company, Ad Hominem.^[8] Ad Hominem, funded by Fox Searchlight, was dedicated to making human films.

At Ad Hominem the trio made several films including The Savages, and Oscar nominated The Descendants, starring George Clooney.^[9] Burke spent 7 months in Honolulu while making The Descendants and fell in love with Hawaii's history, culture and people.

Focus Features

While preparing the film Downsizing, Burke was unexpectedly approached with an offer to become the President of Production for specialized film groundbreaker and Universal Studios-based Focus Features.^[6] At Focus he was tasked with making between 4-8 quality films a year.^[10] During that time, he developed a film that came to known as Green Book.^[11] He felt so strongly about the film that he asked to be let out of his deal to produce the film. Focus graciously agreed in exchange that he sign a “first look deal” with the studio. However, the film was instead released by Universal Pictures and not by Focus Features like it was originally intended.

Green Book went on the be a hit worldwide and was named best picture of the year by the academy, Golden Globes, Producers Guild and many critics organizations.^[12]