Show Notes
What happens when a Hollywood screenwriter decides the future of entertainment is vertical, but refuses to let an algorithm tell him what stories to make? 📱🎬 This week on The Vertical Buzz, Buzz Leer sits down with Sal Paskowitz, screenwriter, director, producer, and co-founder of Super Punchy Studios. Sal co-created and co-wrote The Age of Adaline, starring Blake Lively and Harrison Ford, and now he's bringing his cinematic approach to the rapidly evolving world of vertical entertainment. But Sal's story starts far from Hollywood. Raised as one of nine children in a legendary surfing family, he spent much of his childhood traveling the world in a camper. With an unconventional education built around books, nature, and movies, Sal developed a lifelong passion for creativity and storytelling that took him from art and graphic design to Hollywood filmmaking. Now, with Super Punchy Studios, he's taking a different approach to vertical drama. Following the success of Step by Step, Sal is determined to put the story first, rather than simply repeating whatever an algorithm says is working. He shares why he believes audiences deserve more than recycled tropes, how vertical framing changes the way directors tell stories, and why he sees this format becoming a fully integrated part of the entertainment industry. We also talk about Layover, Super Punchy's upcoming projects, the growing pains of the vertical market, and Sal's bold vision for what comes next. Plus, stick around for rapid-fire questions, surfing stories, celebrity impressions, singing, and a surprising family connection to legendary voice actor Mel Blanc. In this episode, you will learn: 🎬 How Sal went from an unconventional childhood to co-writing The Age of Adaline 🏄 What growing up in a legendary surfing family taught him about creativity 📱 Why Sal believes vertical entertainment needs to put storytelling ahead of algorithms 🔥 What made Step by Step connect with audiences, and what's next for Super Punchy Studios 🎥 How directing and production design change when the frame goes vertical 🤖 Why Sal is betting on handcrafted stories in the age of AI 🌎 Why he believes vertical entertainment is becoming a fourth major format alongside movies, TV, and streaming 🎞️ What Layover's selection for the ALZA Film Festival means for Super Punchy 🎤 The surprising story behind Sal's connection to Mel Blanc, plus his voices and musical talents Chapters 00:00 Writing vs the Robot00:34 Voices and Mel Blanc01:29 Vertical Buzz Intro02:58 Sal Bio and Banter05:00 Surfwise Childhood07:00 Books Not School08:18 Movies as Church11:52 Finding Sal and Art18:13 Hollywood and Adaline25:40 Vertical Wave and Super Punchy35:03 Why Step By Step Worked35:13 Beating Algorithmic Tropes37:14 Vertical Market Growing Pains38:09 Layover Hits ALZA Fest39:51 Future Screens Go Vertical41:35 Directing For Vertical Frames43:19 Super Punchy Story First Mission45:24 Rapid Fire Surf And Movies51:10 Voices Songs And Family Ties55:28 Top 10 Game 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: Sal Paskowitz Screenwriter, director, producer, and co-founder of Super Punchy Studios, Sal is best known for co-creating and co-writing The Age of Adaline. His work now spans cinematic filmmaking and original vertical dramas, including Step by Step and Layover. Instagram: @salpaskowitzSuper Punchy Studios: @superpunchystudios 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 Ka
More from The Vertical Buzz
What happens when Hollywood tells you hard work isn't enough, but a new entertainment revolution gives you a second chance? 🎬📱 Richard Sharrah has lived through two major shifts in entertainment. From helping create viral YouTube hits Kid History and Kid Snippets to becoming one of vertical drama's recognizable faces, Richard knows what it takes to build an audience, create opportunities, and spot a disruptor before everyone else catches on. In this episode of The Vertical Buzz, Richard shares how a primetime TV deal collapsed during COVID, why he pivoted to an MBA at USC, and how his first vertical drama, The Billionaire's Baby Bargain, changed everything. We also get into the flood of AI-generated verticals, why audiences may tune out, and whether vertical entertainment can become a true meritocracy. Plus, we discuss his work with Lighthouse Verticals and its family-centered, faith-based slate connected to Tim Tebow. In this episode, you will learn:
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 Truth00:44 AI Actors Debate01:22 Show Intro And Guest04:51 Peacock Micro Drama Trip06:46 Texas Roots And Childhood08:05 Early Acting Spark09:19 UT Austin And Career Pivot12:54 Cavern Tour Guide Days20:08 LA Move And Acting Training25:05 Vertical Breakout And Buzz33:43 Coffee With Sal34:17 Thrown Into AD Work35:17 Super Punchy Rise35:54 Keeping Set Energy37:45 Life Experience Acting38:31 AI Versus Heart42:42 Back To Traditional44:10 Vertical Acting Style45:56 Genres And Growth54:52 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 Rel
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 Trailer00:23 Vertical Sports Tease01:30 Show Intro Microsports03:41 Nate Bio Sponsor05:03 Breaking Into TV14:02 BattleBots Reinvented17:59 World One Speed Chamber30:43 Reinventing the Sprint31:11 Strategy and Run Up31:51 Portable Speed Chamber33:29 Strongest Event Explained36:10 Bench Squat Max Strategy40:40 What Is a MicroSport47:55 Vertical First Production01:01:56 Campus Competition Day01:02:25 Crowns Belts and Champions01:02:56 Sponsor Break Airo AC15001:03:21 Vertical Buzz Rapid Fire01:09:48 Merv Griffin Shar Pei Heist01:16:23 Test Event at LA Galaxy01:20:29 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
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 Shift01:52 Show Intro and Big Questions03:23 Meet Kevin Singer06:22 Origins and Berkeley Years08:57 Politics Meets Acting13:25 Launching Singer Strategic17:24 Why Vertical Video Wins28:39 Tax Day Viral Timing30:00 Backlash And Speed Risks32:16 Stop The Scroll Authenticity35:23 Vivek Baseball Ad Breakdown40:46 AI Versus Human Content43:07 Local Campaign Vertical Strategy46:34 El Sayed And Endorsement Clips01:00:13 Borrowed Credibility Explained01:01:18 Podcast Clips as Political Ads01:03:26 Rapid Fire Segment Begins01:04:30 Why TikTok Bans Political Ads01:13:59 Machiavelli and Authenticity01:18:13 Vertical Top 10 Countdown01:22:38 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 DawleyThe Vertical Buzz Theme Song Public Relations and Media Robb LeerLeer 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
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.