The Vertical Buzz

verticalbuzzdistro

The Vertical Buzz is the media platform covering the rapidly evolving world of vertical entertainment

  1. 2d ago

    Nicole Mattox | The Role That Changed Everything: The Vertical Buzz S3E11

    What does it take to become one of the recognizable faces of vertical entertainment in just a few years? 📱🎬 This week on The Vertical Buzz, Buzz sits down with actress Nicole Mattox, whose journey from a painfully shy kid in Texas, to UT Austin, cavern tour guide, and aspiring traditional actress eventually led her into one of the fastest-growing forms of entertainment in the world. Nicole had no idea what “vertical” even meant when she first auditioned for one. Then came Breaking the Ice, a chemistry read squeezed into the middle of a chaotic shoot, and suddenly everything started moving. Within months, Nicole's vertical career was taking off, her work with Seth Eden was connecting with audiences, and she was becoming one of the industry's most recognizable performers. But there's much more to Nicole's story than her vertical credits. She talks about growing up in Texas, studying film at UT Austin, spending years training in the Meisner technique, working as a cavern tour guide, and why all of those life experiences ultimately made her a better actor. We also get into one of the biggest questions facing the industry right now: AI vs. human actors. Nicole isn't against AI, but she believes there is something fundamentally different about watching a real person experience emotion on screen, especially in stories built around human connection. And Nicole explains why vertical acting itself requires a different technique, why she wants to balance vertical and traditional acting, and which genres she believes could be the next big opportunity for vertical storytelling. In this episode, you will learn: 🎬 How Nicole went from Texas to Los Angeles and ultimately found vertical entertainment 📱 How Breaking the Ice became a major turning point in her career 🎭 Why life experience can make an actor more authentic 🧠 How years of Meisner training shaped her acting 🕳️ How working as a cavern tour guide prepared her for acting 🤖 Nicole's perspective on AI-generated actors and human emotion 🎥 Why acting for vertical requires a different physical and emotional style 🌎 How Nicole became part of the early generation helping build vertical entertainment 🔥 Which genres she thinks could be the next big opportunity for vertical storytelling Chapters 00:00 Authentic Acting Truth 00:44 AI Actors Debate 01:22 Show Intro And Guest 04:51 Peacock Micro Drama Trip 06:46 Texas Roots And Childhood 08:05 Early Acting Spark 09:19 UT Austin And Career Pivot 12:54 Cavern Tour Guide Days 20:08 LA Move And Acting Training 25:05 Vertical Breakout And Buzz 33:43 Coffee With Sal 34:17 Thrown Into AD Work 35:17 Super Punchy Rise 35:54 Keeping Set Energy 37:45 Life Experience Acting 38:31 AI Versus Heart 42:42 Back To Traditional 44:10 Vertical Acting Style 45:56 Genres And Growth 54:52 Rapid Fire And Farewell Sponsor: AEIRO (Arrow Air Purifiers) AEIRO Air Purifiers help identify, reduce, and monitor airborne contaminants to create a cleaner indoor environment for homes and professional spaces. Featured in this episode: AEIRO AC150, powerful enough to clean rooms 300+ sq ft, quiet enough for production, with smart sensor controls and true HEPA plus carbon filtration. Website: AEIRO.co Guest: Nicole Mattox Nicole Mattox is a Los Angeles-based actress originally from Schertz, Texas and a graduate of UT Austin. She has become one of the recognizable performers in vertical entertainment, with credits including Breaking the Ice, The Hit Woman, Step by Step, Faded at First Sight, and Twisted Minds. She has also worked with Super Punchy Studios and recently starred in Peacock's first in-house micro-drama. Instagram: @nicolemattox_ Host: Buzz Leer Buzz Leer is an actor, host, and veteran of the vertical film space. Instagram: @buzz_leer A Glendale Podcast Studio Production Owned and operated by Erika and Jason Hanan Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio Social Media Director: Ana Karina Cano Instagram: @anakarinacano Theme Song Grace Leer and Bryan Dawley, The Vertical Buzz Theme Song Public Relations and Media Robb Leer, Leer Communications, Inc. Thank you Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family. Host, Buzz Leer #TheVerticalBuzz #NicoleMattox #VerticalEntertainment #VerticalDrama #MicroDrama #Acting #AI #Hollywood #GlendalePodcastStudio

  2. Oct 1

    Nate Thomas | From BattleBots to Vertical Microsports: The Vertical Buzz S3E10

    What happens when you build a sport specifically for the way people watch entertainment today? 📱🏆 This week on The Vertical Buzz, Buzz sits down with Nate Thomas, President and co-founder of World 1 Championship, to explore the creation of MicroSports and why the future of sports may be built vertically from the ground up. Nate is a veteran television producer who has created and produced more than 1,000 hours of programming, including BattleBots and Netflix's Hyperdrive, with previous stops at Merv Griffin Entertainment and Mark Cuban's HDNet. Now he's applying everything he's learned about television, live entertainment, competition, and storytelling to a completely new kind of sports property. From redefining what it means to be the fastest person in the world to creating a new test for the strongest, World 1 is designing competitions that can be understood, produced, and consumed in about 30 seconds. And there's a bigger idea behind it: MicroSports. Sports created for the phone, built vertically from the beginning, and designed to turn the highlight itself into the event. 📲 In this episode, you will learn: 🏆 How Nate went from driving Merv Griffin to producing BattleBots and working with Mark Cuban 🤖 Why BattleBots succeeded when it was reframed as a legitimate sport 📱 Why World 1 is building sports specifically for vertical video ⚡ How the World 1 Speed Chamber will determine the fastest person in the world 💪 How the Bench Squat Max could redefine the strongest person in the world 🎥 Why 30 seconds may be the sweet spot for MicroSports 🌎 How World 1 plans to discover athletes anywhere in the world 📺 Why traditional sports struggle to translate their biggest moments to vertical 💰 How building a sport vertically could create new opportunities for brands and sponsors Chapters 00:00 Episode Trailer 00:23 Vertical Sports Tease 01:30 Show Intro Microsports 03:41 Nate Bio Sponsor 05:03 Breaking Into TV 14:02 BattleBots Reinvented 17:59 World One Speed Chamber 30:43 Reinventing the Sprint 31:11 Strategy and Run Up 31:51 Portable Speed Chamber 33:29 Strongest Event Explained 36:10 Bench Squat Max Strategy 40:40 What Is a MicroSport 47:55 Vertical First Production 01:01:56 Campus Competition Day 01:02:25 Crowns Belts and Champions 01:02:56 Sponsor Break Airo AC150 01:03:21 Vertical Buzz Rapid Fire 01:09:48 Merv Griffin Shar Pei Heist 01:16:23 Test Event at LA Galaxy 01:20:29 Building Stars and Final Wrap Sponsor: AEIRO (Arrow Air Purifiers) AEIRO Air Purifiers help identify, reduce, and monitor airborne contaminants to create a cleaner indoor environment for homes and professional spaces. Featured in this episode: AEIRO AC150, powerful enough to clean rooms 300+ sq ft, quiet enough for production, with smart sensor controls and true HEPA plus carbon filtration. Website: AEIRO.co Guest: Nate Thomas Nate Thomas is President and co-founder of World 1 Championship and a veteran television producer with more than 1,000 hours of programming to his credit, including BattleBots and Netflix's Hyperdrive. He has also worked with Merv Griffin Entertainment and Mark Cuban's HDNet. World 1 Championship: world1championship.com Host: Buzz Leer Buzz Leer is an actor, host, and veteran of the vertical film space. Instagram: @buzz_leer A Glendale Podcast Studio Production Owned and operated by Erika and Jason Hanan Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio Social Media Director: Ana Karina Cano Instagram: @anakarinacano Theme Song Grace Leer and Bryan Dawley, The Vertical Buzz Theme Song Public Relations and Media Robb Leer, Leer Communications, Inc. Thank you Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family. Host, Buzz Leer #TheVerticalBuzz #NateThomas #World1Championship #MicroSports #VerticalEntertainment #BattleBots #Sports #VerticalVideo #WorldOne

  3. Sep 24

    Kevin Singer | How Vertical Video Is Changing Political Campaigns: The Vertical Buzz S3E9

    What happens when political campaigns move from the television screen to the phone? 📱🎥 This week on The Vertical Buzz, Buzz sits down with Kevin Singer, political media strategist and founder of Singer Strategic, to explore how vertical video is changing the way candidates communicate with voters. Kevin brings a unique perspective to the conversation. He has spent more than a decade working in political communications and paid media, previously worked in public affairs media at Meta, and is also a professional actor. That combination makes for a fascinating look at the intersection of politics, performance, advertising, and authenticity. We break down what makes political vertical content work, why simply repurposing a television commercial usually misses the point, and why the first few seconds of a vertical ad can be critical. In this episode, you will learn: 📱 Why political campaigns have increasingly become phone-first 🎬 How vertical video differs from traditional TV and CTV advertising ⏱️ Why the first five seconds can make or break a political ad 🎭 Why authenticity is so difficult to fake in vertical video ⚾ What political campaigns can learn from a viral baseball ad 🤖 How campaigns are approaching AI-generated political content 💰 Why paid media remains critical, especially for local campaigns 📲 Why TikTok's restrictions on political advertising matter 🎙️ How politicians can use podcasts and influencers to reach voters 🧠 Why vertical content requires campaigns to balance speed, volume, and risk 🎥 What campaigns can learn from the vertical strategies of candidates like Zohran Mamdani and Abdul El-Sayed 🏛️ And Kevin's thoughts on how political communication could continue evolving Plus, Kevin and Buzz get into acting, Machiavelli, baseball food, theater critics, and the Vertical Top 10: Signs Your Political Campaign Has Gone Vertical. Chapters 00:00 Vertical Campaigning Shift 01:52 Show Intro and Big Questions 03:23 Meet Kevin Singer 06:22 Origins and Berkeley Years 08:57 Politics Meets Acting 13:25 Launching Singer Strategic 17:24 Why Vertical Video Wins 28:39 Tax Day Viral Timing 30:00 Backlash And Speed Risks 32:16 Stop The Scroll Authenticity 35:23 Vivek Baseball Ad Breakdown 40:46 AI Versus Human Content 43:07 Local Campaign Vertical Strategy 46:34 El Sayed And Endorsement Clips 01:00:13 Borrowed Credibility Explained 01:01:18 Podcast Clips as Political Ads 01:03:26 Rapid Fire Segment Begins 01:04:30 Why TikTok Bans Political Ads 01:13:59 Machiavelli and Authenticity 01:18:13 Vertical Top 10 Countdown 01:22:38 Final Wrap and Where to Find Him Sponsor: AEIRO (Arrow Air Purifiers) AEIRO Air Purifiers help identify, reduce, and monitor airborne contaminants to create a cleaner indoor environment for homes and professional spaces. Featured in this episode: AEIRO AC150, powerful enough to clean rooms 300+ sq ft, quiet enough for production, with smart sensor controls and true HEPA plus carbon filtration. Website: AEIRO.co Guest: Kevin Singer Kevin Singer is a political media strategist and founder of Singer Strategic, an Oakland-based firm specializing in media strategy, creative production, and advertising for political campaigns and nonprofit organizations. Website: singerstrategic.com Host: Buzz Leer Buzz Leer is an actor, host, and veteran of the vertical film space. Instagram: @buzz_leer A Glendale Podcast Studio Production Owned and operated by Erika and Jason Hanan Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio Social Media Coordinator: Ana Karina Cano Instagram: @anakarinacano Theme Song Grace Leer and Bryan Dawley The Vertical Buzz Theme Song Public Relations and Media Robb Leer Leer Communications, Inc. Thank You Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family. Host, Buzz Leer #TheVerticalBuzz #KevinSinger #PoliticalMedia #VerticalVideo #PoliticalAdvertising #DigitalMedia #SocialMedia #CampaignStrategy #SingerStrategic #VerticalEntertainment

  4. Sep 17

    Zak Shaikh | The Data Is In... Vertical Entertainment Is Exploding: The Vertical Buzz S3E8

    What happens when you stop guessing about the future of entertainment and start looking at the data? 📊📱 This week on The Vertical Buzz, we sit down with Zak Shaikh, U.S. General Manager of Ampere Analysis, one of the entertainment industry's leading data, research, and analytics firms. Zak takes us inside the numbers behind the explosive growth of vertical entertainment and microdramas, revealing what audiences are actually watching, where they're watching it, and why major Hollywood streamers are suddenly paying very close attention.   We dig into some eye-opening data, including: 📱 Smartphone viewing and the shift away from traditional TV 🌎 Why Asia and other mobile-first markets are leading the microdrama explosion 📈 The scale of apps like DramaBox and ReelShort 🎬 Why Hollywood is developing a vertical strategy 💰 How paywalls and microtransactions are changing entertainment economics 🎭 Why microdramas are expanding beyond romance, revenge, and betrayal 🤖 Where AI fits into the future of vertical entertainment 🧠 And the critical question: can data and optimization ever replace authentic human storytelling? Zak also explains exactly how Ampere gathers its data, from global surveys and publicly available information to consent-based viewing data. This is The Vertical Buzz from a completely different angle, using real data to understand where entertainment is headed next. 📊 In this episode, you will learn: • How Ampere Analysis collects and analyzes entertainment data • Why smartphone viewing has become such an important part of the global entertainment landscape • What the data says about the explosive growth of microdramas • Why mobile-first markets have embraced vertical storytelling • How DramaBox and ReelShort have changed the competitive landscape • What Hollywood's major streaming companies are doing in response • How paywalls and microtransactions work in vertical entertainment • Which genres are expanding beyond the traditional microdrama formula • How AI is being used to market and promote content • Why authentic storytelling still matters even in a highly data-driven industry Chapters 00:00 Phone Beats TV 01:33 Vertical Buzz Intro 03:18 Meet Zak Shaikh 05:16 Zak’s USC Journey 09:25 What Ampere Does 13:06 How Ampere Gets Data 18:54 Microdramas Hit the Radar 30:57 Global Downloads Breakdown 32:05 Why Mobile-First Markets Win 34:17 Microdrama Apps Catch Streamers 36:35 Hollywood Takes Notice 40:17 Paywalls Pricing and Retention 43:15 Gamification and Rewards Loops 52:55 AI Marketing vs Authenticity 59:09 Authenticity Over AI 59:35 Rapid Fire Begins 01:00:33 Arsenal Dreams And Choices 01:01:45 Personal Picks And Recommendations 01:04:37 Microdrama Apps Playbook 01:07:00 Brands And Freemium Future 01:12:17 Anthologies Market Catchup And Farewell Sponsor: AEIRO (Arrow Air Purifiers) AEIRO Air Purifiers help identify, reduce, and monitor airborne contaminants to create a cleaner indoor environment for homes and professional spaces. Featured in this episode: AEIRO AC150, powerful enough to clean rooms 300+ sq ft, quiet enough for production, with smart sensor controls and true HEPA plus carbon filtration. Website: AEIRO.co Guest: Zak Shaikh Zak Shaikh is the U.S. General Manager of Ampere Analysis, a global data, research, and analytics company focused on the entertainment and media industries. Website: ampereanalysis.com Host: Buzz Leer Buzz Leer is an actor, host, and veteran of the vertical film space. Instagram: @buzz_leer A Glendale Podcast Studio Production Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio Social Media Coordinator Ana Karina Cano Instagram: @anakarinacano Theme Song Grace Leer and Bryan Dawley The Vertical Buzz Theme Song Public Relations and Media Robb Leer Leer Communications, Inc. A special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family... and especially the fans! -Host, Buzz Leer #TheVerticalBuzz #ZakShaikh #AmpereAnalysis #VerticalEntertainment #Microdrama #VerticalVideo #Streaming #EntertainmentIndustry #Hollywood #DataAnalytics

  5. Sep 10

    Larry Namer | The E! Founder Who Saw Vertical Coming 8 Years Ago: The Vertical Buzz S3E7

    What if the future of vertical entertainment looks a lot like the past of cable television? 📱📺 Larry Namer has seen this movie before. As the co-founder of E! Entertainment Television, Larry helped build one of the world's most recognizable entertainment networks from the ground up. But his story goes far beyond E!. From starting out underground splicing cable in New York, to moving to Los Angeles, creating E!, expanding media operations into Russia and China, and experimenting with digital media before the technology was ready, Larry has spent more than five decades identifying where entertainment is headed next. And when it comes to vertical entertainment, Larry isn't looking at it from the outside. He has been producing vertical content in China for years. After discovering that 73% of the audience for one of his shows was watching on cellphones, he asked a simple question: Why are we still shooting horizontally? 📱 In this fascinating conversation, Larry explains why he believes vertical will become the dominant way people consume video, why simplicity is one of the format's biggest strengths, and why Hollywood may be misunderstanding what vertical audiences actually want. He also breaks down the economics behind China's vertical model, including how a $150,000 movie could potentially generate a $35 "ticket price" through episodic paywalls. 💰 We also get into Larry's incredible history: founding E! after more than 100 rejections, the early days of Talk Soup, putting cameras in Howard Stern's radio studio, international media ventures, his wild stories from Russia, and his work helping develop China's media industry. 🌎 Plus, Larry talks about the future of vertical genres, why horror and sci-fi could be next, AI's impact on entertainment, consumer robotics, and the lessons he's learned from more than 50 years in media. And yes, there's Rapid Fire. ⚡ In this episode, you will learn: 📱 Why Larry believes vertical could dominate video consumption by 2030 🇨🇳 What China understood about vertical entertainment years before the U.S. 💰 How the Chinese vertical paywall model works 📺 How Larry and his partners built E! Entertainment 🚪 Why Larry believes creators no longer need traditional gatekeepers 🎭 Why vertical entertainment is essentially "soap operas on steroids" 🔮 Which genres Larry thinks could be next 🤖 What Larry is watching in AI and consumer robotics 🌎 Why entertainment is no longer geographically tied to Hollywood Chapters 00:00 Vertical Video Future 00:36 Asia Vertical Model 01:40 Show Intro Larry Namer 04:55 Brooklyn Roots 05:43 Cable TV Break In 10:30 LA Move Movie Trailers 13:28 Founding E Network 17:01 Pirate Programming Hits 19:32 Global Expansion Russia 25:57 China Media Reform Verticals 36:30 Televisioncom Gamble 37:22 Dotcom Crash Fallout 38:11 Going Global 2000s 39:17 Creators Without Gatekeepers 40:29 Why Vertical Wins 42:45 Paywalls And Pricing 44:51 Soap Operas Reborn 46:32 New Genres And Audiences 48:58 Rapid Fire And Robotics 54:23 Book Food And The Future Sponsor: AEIRO (Arrow Air Purifiers) AEIRO Air Purifiers help identify, reduce, and monitor airborne contaminants to create a cleaner indoor environment for homes and professional spaces. Featured in this episode: AEIRO AC150, powerful enough to clean rooms 300+ sq ft, quiet enough for production, with smart sensor controls and true HEPA plus carbon filtration. Website: AEIRO.co Guest: Larry Namer Larry Namer is a pioneering entertainment executive, global media entrepreneur, and co-founder of E! Entertainment Television. With a career spanning more than five decades, Larry has worked across cable television, international media, digital entertainment, emerging technologies, and vertical storytelling. Instagram: @larrynamer Host: Buzz Leer Buzz Leer is an actor, host, and veteran of the vertical film space. Instagram: @buzz_leer A Glendale Podcast Studio Production Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio Social Media Coordinator: Ana Karina Cano Instagram: @anakarinacano Theme Song Grace Leer and Bryan Dawley, The Vertical Buzz Theme Song Public Relations and Media Robb Leer, Leer Communications, Inc. Thank you Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family. Host, Buzz Leer

  6. Sep 3

    Kasey Esser | The Vertical Star Who Took Verticals to The Tonight Show: The Vertical Buzz S3E6

    Welcome to The Vertical Buzz, where vertical entertainment finds its voice. This week, host Buzz Leer sits down with Kasey Esser, one of the most recognizable actors and producers in the vertical entertainment space. Kasey's journey to Hollywood started in an unexpected place. After studying exercise science and building a career in fitness, he made the leap to Los Angeles and eventually discovered microdramas. What started with a werewolf-themed vertical in 2023 quickly snowballed into more than 55 microdramas, international fans, producing his own projects, and a starring role alongside Jimmy Fallon and John Stamos in The Tonight Show's first microdrama series. 🎬 Kasey talks about the incredible speed of vertical production, the moment he realized the format could become his future, and what it's like to suddenly have fans reaching out from around the world. He also takes Buzz behind the scenes of Who Billionaire? Me Billionaire?, including shooting 40 pages in a single day with Fallon and Stamos, and why mainstream Hollywood is finally starting to understand the power of vertical storytelling. 🤖 The conversation also tackles AI, including how Kasey sees the technology being used as a filmmaking tool without replacing human performers. And then things get... weird. 😂 Buzz and Kasey revisit some unforgettable moments from The Tonight Show microdrama, dive into rapid fire questions, and talk about what's next for Kasey's career.   In this episode, you will learn: • How Kasey went from exercise science and fitness to Hollywood • How he landed his first microdrama role • Why vertical storytelling became a career-changing opportunity • What it was like shooting a microdrama for The Tonight Show • How 40 pages were filmed in a single day • Why mainstream Hollywood is embracing vertical entertainment • What Kasey learned from working with Jimmy Fallon and John Stamos • How vertical fame can reach audiences around the world • Why AI should be viewed as a tool rather than a replacement • What's next for Kasey and the vertical entertainment industry   ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Choosing Entertainment Over Fitness 00:21 Absurd On-Set Knife Story 01:05 Vertical Fast-Track to Hollywood 01:24 Meet Casey Esser 03:59 Growing Up 90s Midwest 06:23 From Exercise Science to LA 08:56 First Microdrama Breakthrough 14:30 Going Freelance and Producing 18:12 Press Turns and Fans Worldwide 29:30 Tonight Show Microdrama Moment 38:17 Surprise Guest Drama 40:01 Doug Arrives Empty Handed 41:02 Awkward Introductions Roast 41:49 Caddy Talk Turns Dark 44:17 Billionaire Sketch Wrap 45:05 Vertical Fame Crossover 48:00 Rapid Fire Questions 58:05 Market Slowdown Pivot 01:02:50 AI Tools Not Replacements 01:05:56 Next Phase And Farewell   🌬️ Sponsor: AEIRO (Arrow Air Purifiers) AEIRO Air Purifiers help identify, reduce, and monitor airborne contaminants to create a cleaner indoor environment for homes and professional spaces. Featured in this episode: AEIRO AC150, with smart sensor controls and true HEPA plus carbon filtration. Website: AEIRO.co   🎥 Guest: Kasey Esser Kasey Esser is an actor, producer, and one of the breakout stars of vertical entertainment. Originally from Evansville, Indiana, Kasey studied exercise science before moving to Los Angeles and pursuing careers in both fitness and acting. He has appeared in more than 55 microdramas and has been featured by Rolling Stone, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Bloomberg, and NPR. He also appeared alongside Jimmy Fallon and John Stamos in The Tonight Show's microdrama Who Billionaire? Me Billionaire?. Instagram: @kaseyesser   🎙️ Host: Buzz Leer Instagram: @buzz_leer   🎬 A Glendale Podcast Studio Production Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio   📱 Social Media Coordinator Ana Karina Cano Instagram: @anakarinacano   🎵 Theme Song Grace Leer and Bryan Dawley   📣 Public Relations Robb Leer Leer Communications, Inc.   ❤️ Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family. Host, Buzz Leer

  7. Aug 27

    Gary & Edmund Entin | Hollywood Twins Go Vertical: The Vertical Buzz S3E5

    Welcome to The Vertical Buzz, where vertical entertainment finds its voice. This week, host Buzz Leer sits down with twin brothers Gary & Edmund Entin, the writer-director-producer team behind 90 Degrees Films.   The Entin brothers have built careers spanning feature films, television, and the rapidly evolving world of vertical storytelling. As co-founders of 90 Degrees Films, they have created 14 vertical series for partners including Fox Drama, A&E, Lifetime, Pocket FM, and MicroHouse. Their feature film work includes Geography Club, Sins of Our Youth, A Country Christmas Harmony, and How Sarah Got Her Wings.   🎬 In this episode, Gary & Edmund talk about growing up in South Florida, making the transition from acting to directing, and discovering the vertical world. They take Buzz behind the scenes of their work with MicroHouse and talk about the challenges of relearning the filmmaking craft for a completely different format.   They also get candid about what it takes for actors to survive and thrive on vertical sets, why production quality is changing so quickly, and how vertical storytelling is beginning to bridge the gap between traditional Hollywood and a new generation of entertainment.   ❤️ The brothers also spotlight projects including Tides of Temptation, Wrestling With Love, and Hope and Heartbreak, while discussing the importance of telling stories that connect emotionally with audiences.   And yes, because they're twins, Buzz couldn't resist getting into some twin taste debates. 👯   In this episode, you will learn: • How Gary & Edmund built careers across film, television, and vertical entertainment • How 90 Degrees Films got started • What pushed them from acting into writing, directing, and producing • How they made the transition into vertical storytelling • What they've learned from producing 14 vertical series • Why actors need to adapt to the unique demands of vertical sets • How production quality in vertical entertainment is evolving • Why vertical storytelling can coexist with traditional film and television • What makes a vertical series connect with audiences • Where the vertical ecosystem could go next • And what it's really like running a creative business with your twin brother 👯   ⏱️ Chapters   00:00 Twin Intro Banter 01:09 Show Opens And Guests Teased 02:47 Meet The Entin Brothers 05:41 Creative Partnership Secrets 08:30 Origins In South Florida 11:13 From Acting To Directing 14:51 Vertical Breakthrough And MicroHouse 30:10 Malik’s Warning 30:55 Tides of Temptation Praise 31:33 Microhouse Launch and Awards 32:16 When Verticals Took Off 35:56 Relearning the Craft 39:07 Actors and Set Survival 47:07 Wrestling With Love Spotlight 58:54 Hope and Heartbreak Films 01:00:27 Gratitude for Vertical Boom 01:01:29 Tools Notes Collaboration 01:02:13 Future Formats and Ads 01:08:02 Twin Taste Debates 01:15:50 Documenting Vertical Ecosystem 01:19:22 Spinoffs Platforms and Farewell   🌬️ Sponsor: AEIRO (Arrow Air Purifiers)   AEIRO Air Purifiers help create a cleaner indoor environment for homes and professional spaces.   Featured in this episode: AEIRO AC150, with smart sensor controls and true HEPA plus carbon filtration.   Website: AEIRO.co   ⚡ Rapid Fire Sponsor: VertiCast   Swipe. Cast. Create.   VertiCast is built for the fast-moving world of vertical entertainment, helping actors and casting professionals connect.   Instagram: @verticastapp   🎥 Guests: Gary & Edmund Entin   Gary & Edmund Entin are writers, directors, and producers whose work spans feature films, television, and vertical storytelling. As co-founders of 90 Degrees Films, they have created 14 vertical series for partners including Fox Drama, A&E, Lifetime, Pocket FM, and MicroHouse. They have also written and directed five feature films, including Geography Club, Sins of Our Youth, A Country Christmas Harmony, and How Sarah Got Her Wings.   Website: www.ninetydegreefilms.com   🎙️ Host: Buzz Leer   Instagram: @buzz_leer   🎬 A Glendale Podcast Studio Production   Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio   📱 Social Media Coordinator   Ana Karina Cano Instagram: @anakarinacano   🎵 Theme Song   Grace Leer and Bryan Dawley   📣 Public Relations   Robb Leer Leer Communications, Inc.   ❤️ Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family.   Host, Buzz Leer

  8. Aug 20

    Richard Cambridge | AI, Gran Turismo, & The Future of Film: The Vertical Buzz S3E4

    Welcome to The Vertical Buzz, where vertical entertainment finds its voice. This week, host Buzz Leer sits down with British actor, producer, entrepreneur, and technology innovator Richard Cambridge. Richard has spent more than 25 years working across acting, film, television, and entertainment technology, with credits including Gran Turismo, Hollyoaks, The IT Crowd, and Disney's Suspect: The Shooting of John Charles de Menendez. He's also the co-founder of WeAudition and VertiCast, two platforms built around creating opportunity and connecting actors with the people making entertainment. 🎬 Richard's career sits at the intersection of performance and technology, making him uniquely positioned to talk about where entertainment is headed. He and Buzz dig into the explosive growth of vertical storytelling, how VertiCast came to be, and why Richard believes creator-led content is becoming one of the biggest forces in entertainment. 🏎️ Richard also shares some incredible stories from Gran Turismo, including the intense training required to perform real pit stops, what it was like shooting in Dubai, and how his background fixing cars helped prepare him for the role. 🤖 The conversation gets deep on AI, too. Richard believes AI should be viewed as a tool rather than something artists should fear, while keeping human connection at the center of storytelling. They also discuss wearables, the creator economy, paywalls, cliffhangers, and what the future of filmmaking could look like. And because this is The Vertical Buzz, there's plenty of talk about actors, opportunity, mental health, and why Richard believes people shouldn't wait to start creating. In this episode, you will learn: • How curiosity shaped Richard's career in acting and technology • How WeAudition evolved into VertiCast • What Richard saw happening in vertical entertainment before many others • What it took to perform real pit stops for Gran Turismo • How his experience fixing cars unexpectedly helped his acting career • Why Richard believes AI and human performance can coexist • Where creator-led entertainment is headed • How wearables could change the way we consume content • Why paywalls and cliffhangers are so important to vertical storytelling • Why Richard believes everyone should start creating now ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Creative Life Mission 01:11 Show Intro and Guest Reveal 02:51 Bio and Sponsors Roll 04:51 Curiosity and WeAudition Origins 08:22 VertiCast and Vertical Boom 11:08 Acting Roots and Many Hats 20:30 Gran Turismo Set Scale 27:57 Pit Stop Training Chaos 28:27 Snow to Dubai Heat 29:38 Real Life Tire Change 30:11 Hollyoaks Soap Grind 34:16 Cameras and Vertical Workflow 35:48 Cars and Early Fixing Days 38:12 AI vs Human Performance 52:46 Sports and Startup Speed 53:38 AI Future of Filmmaking 55:19 Life Outside Entertainment 57:32 Paywalls and Cliffhangers 01:01:03 Verticast and Partnerships 01:07:24 Wearables and Creator Economy 01:12:08 Legacy Favorites and Farewell 🌬️ Sponsor: AEIRO (Arrow Air Purifiers) AEIRO Air Purifiers help identify, reduce, and monitor airborne contaminants to create a cleaner indoor environment for homes and professional spaces. Featured in this episode: AEIRO AC150, powerful enough to clean rooms 300+ sq ft, quiet enough for production, with smart sensor controls and true HEPA plus carbon filtration. Website: AEIRO.co ⚡ Rapid Fire Sponsor: VertiCast Swipe. Cast. Create. VertiCast helps actors, producers, casting professionals, and creators connect in the fast-moving world of vertical entertainment. Instagram: @verticastapp 🎥 Guest: Richard Cambridge Richard Cambridge is a British actor, producer, and technology entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience across film, television, and entertainment technology. His acting credits include Gran Turismo, Hollyoaks, The IT Crowd, and Disney's Suspect: The Shooting of John Charles de Menendez. He is also co-founder of WeAudition and VertiCast, platforms designed to create opportunity and connections for actors and entertainment professionals. Instagram: @richcambridge 🎙️ Host: Buzz Leer Instagram: @buzz_leer 🎬 A Glendale Podcast Studio Production Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio 📱 Social Media Coordinator Ana Karina Cano Instagram: @anakarinacano 🎵 Theme Song Grace Leer and Bryan Dawley 📣 Public Relations Robb Leer Leer Communications, Inc. ❤️ Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family. Host, Buzz Leer

See All (38)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Vertical Buzz is the media platform covering the rapidly evolving world of vertical entertainment

Information

  • Creator
    verticalbuzzdistro
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Vertical Buzz

You Might Also Like