Meet JD Allen

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful JD Allen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with JD below.

JD, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
As a kid I thought my purpose was and would always be football. I fell in love with the game by watching Dan Marino, Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders as a youth. I was so obsessed with the game that I knew I would make it to the NFL one day even tho I wasn’t the ideal size and weight as other NFL players on paper. My heart and passion would lead me to BYU on a full scholarship in 2002, a contract with the Cincinnati Be gals in 04 and arena football years later. After my football career was over I learned that my purpose wasn’t just football, but inspiring people with my visual storytelling and captivating stories.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I stumbled upon filmmaking after watching a production company in Los Angeles shoot a music video in 2008. I looked a friend of mine and said’ “I bet we can do this!” He nodded his head and 4 months later we shot our own music video. We then shot another video and was quickly learning how to get certain shots and moods for scenes. Fast forward 8 years later I started InglewoodFilms which is based in Salt Lake City. I’ve been making films ever since, winning awards and finding new family along the way. We make everything from short films, features, documentaries, stand up etc. Are latest feature film “Algea: God Of Pain” was picked up by Black Mandala Films in New Zeland and is now starting its international press run.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities that was most impactful on my journey was the will to never give up. The obsession to want to learn to not just be good, but to want to be great. And the way I used every negative as motivation fuled my hunger to accomplish my goals. So the advice I would give people who are early in their Journey to develop their skill is to always keep fighting for what you love no matter how hard the challenge. Don’t be scared to fail but give it your all.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me is trust me. With that, it made me want to make the right decisions and just want more than what I was given in life.

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