'The Last OG' Actor Talks About The Growth of Short Films & Actor Networking Advice

Stage 32 April 3, 2019 4:29 Networking

Alan Maldonado on why lateral relationships beat chasing people above you, and what short films still offer actors.

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6 Things Actors Should Know About Networking Laterally and Short Films

Drawn from what is actually said on camera, so you can decide whether to spend the 4:29 watching it.

Build relationships sideways, not just upward

Alan Maldonado's biggest piece of advice is that most people chase relationships with those above them, when lateral connections matter more. Like-minded people striving for the same thing give you more help and understanding because you are building the dream together.

Lateral networks create the momentum that gets you noticed

A network of peers at your level generates its own momentum, and that momentum is what brings you to the attention of people operating on other levels. You will still meet those higher-up people along the way, but the peer network is what earns their notice.

Know how to fall down and get back up

Maldonado landed Young and the Restless as his first big break, then was hit by a drunk driver and had to rebuild everything from scratch. He credits that setback with teaching him to pick himself up no matter what obstacle appears, and he now stars opposite Tracy Morgan on The Last O.G.

Short films are where the work goes after the festival run

Maldonado's short film app, described as a Netflix for short films, exists because films finish their festival run and are then left with no distribution. The platform resurrects work as old as ten years that audiences never got to see, giving filmmakers a second shot at exposure.

There is less politics on the short film side

Maldonado says he can help far more people through short films because there is less business machinery and fewer politics involved. The focus returns to telling a great story and getting powerful performances rather than chasing a bottom line.

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Full transcript (725 words)
[Music] I'm Alan Maldonado currently starring opposite Tracy Morgan the new hit show we gonna already claim it the lasso gee I'm from Rialto California like 60 miles east of Los Angeles you know had the crazy idea to be an actor at the age of 17 you know left Rialto and ventured off in Los Angeles and you know did the whole struggling actor thing and eventually wound up on Young and the Restless and I was like my first big break that got cut short because of I think David mentioned on stage I had it I got hit by a drunk driver you know took me out of the game I had to rebuild everything and as a result of that I know how to fall down and get back up meaning that no matter what comes up against me in different obstacles that I've had and in my career I've always been able to pick myself up from him finally getting to this point where now you know everything is you know going go very well with shows and movies a very exciting life you think it's going I think the keister said these are a said it the best you know people try to you know build relationships moving going up you know but a lot of times you know going lateral it's great meaning that the people that like-minded individuals that are striving you know for success you would tend to get more help and understanding from these individuals that help build your dream because you're building it together and on the way you're gonna meet individuals that are you know doing things on a different level than you but you know getting relationships laterally is you know I think one of the most important things that you can do because you build the network of individuals that can help you create you create your own momentum for these other individuals of other levels to get it you know come to their attention so that's my biggest advice everybody digital is you know the first short film app it's and then we lost in October and we even quickly dubbed the short film version of Netflix which is exciting you know because hopefully we can get that build that Netflix type of brand but that's the goal that's the goal is to be able to bring a concentrated focus on short films I felt such honor that's been overlooked and unappreciated throughout the years being that every dollar is short for media is stemmed from short films all of these one minute clips that you see and that those are short films you know and back in the day when the features you know had short films before they were like 1 minute 2 minutes so being able to tell a story in this short amount of time is it's it's an art it's an art to be able to tell a riveting story in five minutes where you know if you have an hour and 45 minutes that's thin that I think that's a bit easier I think that's a bit easier so with the short run an app it's a it's a platform to gain exposure for these individuals a lot of films people have ended the short film festival run and no longer have any distribution and we tend to we want to resurrect those films so we have films that are like 10 years old that are incredible that the masses haven't been able to see and we're given that opportunity back to our filmmakers when short-films out what I do love is that I'm able to help so many so many more people with short films being that there's a lot less politics in it there's a lot less you know the business side of things you tend to get back to the love you get to tend to get back to the to the roots of it all like wow this is why you make film this is it's a tell a great story and get powerful performances rather than going for a bottom line and that's what I truly love about short films hey what's up it's Alan everywhere maldonado I'm a writer I'm a director I'm a producer I'm a craft service guy I am stays 32 you