Allen C. Gardner has always loved storytelling and began writing, acting, and staging little plays at a very early age. His parents got their first video camera when Allen was seven years old, and he immediately seized the opportunity to start making his own "movies". He completed the first of his official screenplays, HEATWAVE, when he was fourteen years old. It was an action spectacle that would've been the most expensive movie ever made. It also would have not been very good. (Fortunately, it never was made, so that bullet was dodged!) In high school, Allen formed the still thriving Memphis-based production company Old School Pictures with several of his closest friends, and they began shooting sketches, shorts, and feature films right away.

Allen has acted in numerous commercials, shorts, sketches, independent films, web series, pilots, and plays (which include CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF and ALL MY SONS). In addition to making films (including the award-winning ACT ONE and DAYLIGHT FADES, both of which he wrote, produced, and acted in), Allen stages his own plays. The first was the now published GONNABES, which he acted in and wrote, produced, and directed with his good buddy Jeremy Palmer. The next was DUDES DO STUFF, which he acted in, wrote, produced, and directed. DUDES was the maiden voyage for Allen's other production company, the Los Angeles-based Open Dialogue Productions, which he formed with his close friend Gabe Arredondo. The duo then went on to produce (alongside Matthew Stiller, Drew Smith, and Lou Griffith) their first film together, the award-winning BEING AWESOME, which was also Allen's solo feature film directing debut (He'd previously co-directed the features 2000 MILES and LOST AND FOUND.). Immediately after completing post-production on BEING AWESOME, Allen and Gabe proudly staged the play WE GOT LUCKY, which Allen wrote, directed, produced, and acted in. Thrilled by the play's reception, Allen and Gabe, along with their original cast and an amazing crew, dove right into production on the film version of WE GOT LUCKY. They then teamed back up to make BAD, BAD MEN (which Allen wrote, produced, and acted in, and he also directed it with his longtime friend and Old School Pictures' partner Brad Ellis). Allen then wrote, directed, edited, and acted in the romantic comedy/drama SAVE YOURSELF, which he also produced with Gabe. All four of these Open Dialogue films are now available on multiple platforms. To learn more, visit www.opendialogueproductions.com.

Allen is thrilled to now start sharing his latest co-directorial effort with Brad, the horror/comedy COLD FEET (which they also produced with Gabe). Allen is now in post-production on Open Dialogue’s latest film, the comedy/drama BABY COME HOME, and is in various stages of pre-production on the following films: the country music-fueled drama BREAKER BREAKER, the dramatic serial killer thriller BURN IT DOWN, the horror/thriller SOLD, and the dating app-themed satirical drama DATA DATE SOUL MATE.