TESTIMONIALS

“If you find yourself needing guidance, encouragement, and/or honest feedback on potential projects, Allen is the perfect guy to keep you, your dreams, and your project on-track.”

“Whatever your goals as a writer or performer, exposure to Allen will absolutely sharpen your abilities and help you do what we’re all trying to do: CREATE.”

“Allen possesses a deep love for humanity that seeps into his work on all fronts, both as an actor and storyteller, and also as a coach.”

“Whether he's writing, directing, or producing, Allen knows how to practically wrangle every aspect of production, while also nurturing the creativity of the project and the cast and crew as a whole.”

“Working with Allen is a joyous affair. He puts his whole heart into his projects and creates teams and environments of shared dedication, effort, and so much laughter, while never straying from his clear artistic vision.”

“Being directed by Allen opened me up to push my acting to levels I hadn’t achieved before.”

“It was a pleasure having Allen C. Gardner as a guest in my class Business Work Skills and Best Practices at the University of South Florida. Gardner is truly a dynamic, enthusiastic, and engaging speaker who really related to my students by sharing his experiences as an actor/writer/filmmaker. We really enjoyed how he focused on pursuing dreams through planning, networking, hard work, and patience. This is such an important message for college age students who are beginning to focus on their future and how to achieve their goals effectively. In addition, Gardner shared insightful and important life skills advice that my students embraced. I was so pleased he conveyed the importance of being accountable for your actions in your career and the necessity to be able to give through your work – to connect with others and have what you do affect them. In the discussion reaction to having Gardner as a guest, the students shared they were elated to hear his message about working hard and always moving forward no matter what. Gardner excels at sharing his own personal experience and anecdotes to help influence and motivate his audience with enthusiasm, compassion, and conviction! Can’t wait to have him guest in my class again and share all this with my other students!”

- Chris Maltezos, Academic Advisor and Instructor – Great Performances on Film and Business Work Skills and Best Practices

“I have been a fan of Allen C. Gardner’s work since Being Awesome. I have programmed his films in my film festival and had the great pleasure of meeting and interviewing him. When I wanted some objective advice on a couple of feature films I was planning, Allen was my first phone call to set up a one hour consultation appointment. It was excellent! Allen was professional, answered all of my questions candidly and - most importantly - was optimistic and encouraging without any of the fake flattering you normally see in the industry. If you find yourself needing guidance, encouragement, and/or honest feedback on potential projects, Allen is the perfect guy to keep you, your dreams, and your project on-track. I highly recommend him.”

- Mark Schwab, Diamond in the Rough Films LLC / Writer/Director (“Brotherly Lies", “Crisis Hotline”, “Thin Places”)

“To call Allen C. Gardner a triple threat does not do him justice. Yes he can act, write, and direct with style and amazing focus, but he also has the ability to inspire his collaborators and bring out their own unique talents. It’s called leadership, and he does it not by haranguing or cajoling, but by inviting you along for the ride. He knows when to press, and when to give you space. Whatever your goals as a writer or performer, exposure to Allen will absolutely sharpen your abilities and help you do what we’re all trying to do: CREATE.”

- John Speredakos, Actor (“Wendigo”, “Inside Man”, “The Mind’s Eye”)

“I cannot say enough good things about Allen C. Gardner. He possesses a deep love for humanity that seeps into his work on all fronts, both as an actor and storyteller, and also as a coach. I had the pleasure of being directed and coached by Allen on a number of productions, which he also wrote, and it was there that I first began to find my confidence as an actor. Allen allowed me to play and explore the way that only someone who understands acting and writing from all sides can. He is a truly kind and compassionate person who loves all parts of the human condition, and anyone would greatly benefit from his perspective on either their writing or acting. I could not recommend working with him more!”

- Rachel Miles, Actor (“Daylight Fades”, “Save Yourself”, “Lost and Found”)

“He writes compelling characters with great depth, and he leaves room for actors to breathe life into their performances. Being directed by Allen opened me up to push my acting to levels I hadn’t achieved before.”

- Drew Smith, Actor (“Being Awesome”, “Bad, Bad Men”, “Feral”)

“Allen was the director (plus writer, producer, star, and editor) of the first film project I ever shot. I came in as a bundle of nerves with particularly low confidence about my ability to translate my talents on screen and uncomfortable having a camera in my face. It is a testament to Allen's abilities as an artist and leader for how effortlessly he put me at ease - nurturing my confidence and coaxing out a performance from me I didn't know I was capable of. Working with Allen is a joyous affair. He puts his whole heart into his projects and creates teams and environments of shared dedication, effort, and so much laughter, while never straying from his clear artistic vision. Simply put, working with Allen had a profoundly positive impact on my acting and artistry -  I would work with him again in a minute.”

- Kelly Whitaker, Actor and Life Coach

"Allen has one of the greatest tools in his acting bag: listening. This skill translates over to his directing, which really allows him to create a lasting effect on the actors he works with.”

- Drew Paslay, Actor (“Her Side of the Bed”, “Instructions for Living”, “Bluff”)

“When completing both of my feature screenplays, I sent them to Allen Gardner for feedback due to his experience and expertise as a writer. His notes were helpful and constructive and paved the way for me to reshape my screenplays into more cohesive and emotionally rich narratives.”

- Lee Chase IV, Writer/Director (“The Top of the Hill”) and Film Critic/Blogger (“Hell and Beyond”)

"As an actor who's worked under Allen's direction on numerous occasions, I've always felt at ease, and trusting, of his guidance.  He creates an environment for honest performance and creative choices, and really understands what each individual actor needs in order to glean the best energy for the role.  He listens.  He gets tone, and helps achieve clarity of objective in relation to story, without letting things get stale."

- Matt Mercer, Actor (“Contracted”, “Dementia: Part II”, “Beyond the Gates”)

"Allen gave great notes that helped me jump into my next draft. I'm really happy with how the characters, their motivations, and needs came to life after his feedback."

- Jake Hulse, Writer/Director (“Heroes Don’t Come Home”, “Soot”, “Ravens & Swallows”)

“Allen’s drive and determination are inspiring, but his perseverance and his ability to make things happen during a film production are truly amazing. Witnessing his positive attitude, tenaciousness, and flexibility as a producer and director drove everyone on set to match his professionalism, but more importantly, his vision of the final product.”

- Drew Smith, Producer (“Being Awesome”, “Bridge Builders”, “The Book of Noah”)

"Allen's taken numerous films and plays from idea to completion more times than most people I know.  Whether he's writing, directing, or producing (and in many cases he's done all three on the same project), he knows how to practically wrangle every aspect of production, while also nurturing the creativity of the project and the cast and crew as a whole.  His focus on theme is admirable because he's always finding the heartbeat of his stories, which keeps them alive before, during, and after production.  I also don't understand where he finds his energy and focus; I'm jealous of it."

- Matt Mercer, Director (“Feeding Time”, “You or a Loved One”, “Play Violet for Me”)

“Allen’s first-hand experience with writing and directing has given him a very holistic look on the writing process. His work through different genres allows him to offer anywhere from big picture guidance for your scripts to details in the dialogue."

- Drew Paslay, Writer/Director (“In”, “Breakups”, “Twine Sleep”)