Film and television actor, writer and producer Allen Maldonado (pictured below) was on the panel titled “Distribute Me!” and spoke about Everybody Digital, his new app for filmmakers to stream their short films and short-form media to reach a wider audience beyond the film festival circuit.
Maldonado has appeared in the films Dope and Straight Outta Compton and ABC’s black-ish and will be seen opposite Tracy Morgan in TBS’ upcoming sitcom The Last OG. He also serves as a writer on Starz’ Survivor’s Remorse and has written, produced and directed several short films, a particular passion of his.
“Everybody Digital was created out of heartbreak,” he told the audience. “Any filmmaker out there knows that when you make a short film you basically take a wad of money and throw it in a fire.
"You just light that thing up,” he said jokingly, as many of the young filmmakers and actors in the audience nodded in agreement.
“I’ve had success in film festivals, I’ve won several awards with them but after that 12-15 month span, I could go nowhere else with [my short films],” he continued. “There was no home for [them]. I found that many other filmmakers were dealing with that same issue and heartbreak.”