Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Allen Plone. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Allen, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

As opposed to the way I learned my craft, there are smarter, more intelligent ways. That said, here’s my creative path story. I was a very early reader and thrived on reading anything I could, including novels, newspapers, magazines… I loved the written word. Coming from a relatively poor house, where the emphasis was on trying to make enough money to eat, the idea of becoming a writer didn’t exist. I loved movies, as well. I went every Saturday to see the double feature at the Castro Theater in Philly. But, again, the idea that one can have a profession making, directing or writing for film was nonexistent. Out of nowhere, I will never know how the idea manifested, an uncle gave me an 8mm Revere movie camera for my 13th. birthday. I started making little films, still without the idea that it could be a profession. An equal love of theater, again without the idea that one could have a profession writing or directing for theater was non-existent. I spent two years as a Chemistry major at Temple University. I moved to San Francisco to attend San Francisco State, where my passion for reading, and my writing skills, especially for poetry, was recognized. One professor suggested that instead of writing a final paper, I make a movie. That was the beginning. I started creating experimental films, which were quite the rage in the 60’s, I apprenticed myself to a person who was winning awards for his short films. He taught me about timing, and most importantly, taught me how to edit. I also apprenticed myself to the professors who were directing theater. My first directing was Zoo Story, by Edward Albee. I learned my craft by watching, listening to what my actors needed and judging results by audience reaction. I took several classes from men and women who were experimenting with different theater forms; Grotowski, Robert Wilson, Mabou Mines were the most important in my development. I fell in love with the Absurd and most especially, Samuel Beckett. His play, Endgame, changed my life. After watching it, I dedicated myself to becoming a theater director. Again, a life changing event occurred when on of my poetry films, about aging and loneliness won awards. I was contacted by the U.S. Government, who were in the process of creating a series of films about Senior Citizen advocacy. They hired me to do three films. It was my first writing assignment and my first paying, professional filmmaking and directing. Those films, in turn, won awards and my career was launched. The most essential skill was my willingness to learn, to try and perhaps fail, to not be discouraged easily. I believe, now, that the path I chose would have been easier had I mentor who would have guided me past making simple, silly mistakes that happen when one is self-taught. Therefore, the biggest obstacle to me was my own suspicion of authority, I didn’t like anyone telling me what to do, As with my writing, I just did it.

Allen, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I wound up in the film industry by chance. I just made films, met people, did what I do best, conceptualization and writing. My path led me first to writing and directing commercials and industrial films. Those led me to making early Jazz music videos, somewhat before there was a market for them. After ten years of doing commercials, and becoming the media advisor to a long series of Democratic candidates in California, writing, producing and directing their television and radio spots, I decided to move to Los Angeles, to see what I could do there. I met some of the right people and learned, on my own by reading many scripts, to write screenplays. I was offered the directing gig for one of them. That followed with 6 produced screenplays and four feature film directorials. I believe my strength, as a director, is my ability to work with actors as well as having a good photographic eye. What I did to improve my talents, was to work in every capacity on a film set, from food service, to gaffer, to lighting design and, most importantly, as an editor. My work, the best of it, is well-designed, well-light and intelligent. I never talk down to my audience, I try to listen to my crew and my actors and treat everyone on my sets as if their the most important person, because they are.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

What else did my film career give me? Let me introduce you to my business partner. When I met her, she was Carol Elliott, She became my producer and the president of our company, first Vis/Art Films, then Snow Lion Entertainment. I met Carol while I was teaching, and earning my Ph. D. at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She quickly became my go-to person, even before I made films and writing my career. She moved to San Francisco after she graduated, but by then we were more that business partners. A year after she left, I felt I had enough clients to leave teaching and become a full time filmmaker. I moved to San Francisco and, with Carol, started Vis/Art Films, which became the second largest film production company in the area, doing commercials and industrial films. Carol was the president and producer. In 1978, we married. We are still together. Carol became an successful production accountant and I moved from commercials to features.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Yes, there are resources I wish I knew about. If I had known the path of my life, I would have studied writing, had a writing mentor, and gone to writing retreats. I wish I had worked at finding a mentorship with a writer/director whose work I admired. Instead, I learned most of what I know by trial and error, not the best way forward.

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