Let's talk about Verticals Archiv

Intimacy — a topic people rarely love to talk about in public …but my guest and I go all in for a full hour! ️️

This week, I’m joined by Intimacy Coordinator Karie Donnovan. @valleyintimacypro Thanks to her work, actors feel safe and comfortable even in the most delicate and intimate scenes on set

And trust me — you wouldn’t believe all the things an intimacy coordinator is actually responsible for!

Karie shares how she prepares for the many different “situations” that can come up during vertical shooting , where boundaries and challenges around intimacy can appear, and what the emotional world on set really looks like.

We unpack all that and so much more in this open and insightful conversation

Tune in — you don’t want to miss this fascinating episode!

In today’s episode, I’m chatting with a super creative mind in the vertical world — Director and Actor Danny Farber. This episode is bursting with creativity!

 We take the idea of the Criminal Vertical Series — a concept I originally developed with Kirby Ellwood @kirby.ellwood — and elevate it with some fantastic new twists. Plus, I give Danny a little tip on how he could hide his signature Easter Egg in a pirate-themed vertical.

We also talk about what makes filming in Europe — especially in Istanbul — so special for Danny, and what improvements he wishes to see for crews and especially for female actresses, as well as for storytelling overall.

Danny’s first steps into the vertical space in 2023 were like being thrown into cold water, but I’m so glad he feels completely at home in this world now. We dive into different perspectives on verticals, storytelling, the big NO-GOs, the platforms, clients, and so much more.

A real highlight: Danny performs his brand-new song “Istanbul” live and unplugged — exclusively in this episode! And yes… we even set up a music gig for him here in Germany at “Michaela’s Soundgarden.”

You don’t want to miss this creativity-packed episode — tune in and enjoy!

Also visit www.sirdannyfarber.com

In this episode, you’ll hear a super fun and down-to-earth conversation between two Bachelor of Arts grads . No fancy academic talk here—just real talk about the vertical content world, packed with charm and humor .

During what I like to call a “waffle talk” 🧇 (okay… I was the only one actually eating waffles), Buddy shares how he’s been trying to bring more acting into his life alongside his full-time job .

We also chat about which sport verticals he’d totally rock and why he thinks he’s absolutely not the guy for a basketball vertical .

He tells me what he’s grateful for on set , what he’d love to see evolve in the vertical world , and what it’s like to know both sides of the production business .

Why his mom can’t watch some of his films/verticals , why Buddy feels like he’s in a real-life Forrest Gump moment in this episode , and what he expects when he plays my brother in a vertical — you’ll hear all that and more exclusively in this episode!

In this new episode, I welcome the wonderful Kirby Ellwood @kirby.ellwood , with whom I was able to have a very refreshing and humorous conversation. With an impressive 27 lead roles, she is a highly sought-after vertical actress. She reveals to me that she has actually never starred in a werewolf vertical and has never filmed a vertical production in Europe. Why? We wonder…

Since she’s a beer lover and would love to visit Munich for Oktoberfest one day, I give her a little crash course on it , and we also talk about the things she considers essential for always spreading good vibes.

Why do we urgently need to contact Matt Macedo @mattmacedo and Robert Palmer Watkins @robertpalmerwatkins , and what million-dollar idea did we come up with to solve, among other things, Kirby’s Europe “problem”?

You’ll find out all of this and much more exclusively in this episode! So tune in!

In this new podcast episode, I finally meet—so it seems—the brother I’ve wished for my entire life. Lukas Silva and I discover so many similarities in all kinds of areas that we’re convinced we must be related.

He tells me how, at the beginning of 2024, he took his first step into the Vertical World, how he then found himself in the right place at the right time to land a fantastic lead role, where he has been able to travel thanks to vertical shoots, and what his experiences have been like.

Curious what kind of characters he likes to portray in verticals? You'll get the answers in this episode.

With his Italian roots, his love for Italy remains unbroken—just like his wish to maybe live there one day. He also shares what he appreciates about Europe compared to America and what dreams he still has outside the Vertical World.

I also learn quite a bit about his cooking skills, his favorite dishes, and what he finds so inspiring about Arnold Schwarzenegger.

We also talk about how the Vertical World has evolved and changed since his very first shoot, what he thinks could still improve or develop further, and where we’d love to see new innovations.

And what’s behind his sensitive aura and the so-called “comfort-movie”? 

Tune in to find out.

️ New Episode Out Now!

In this episode, I’m chatting with Bryan Mangam, a New York–based actor known for his edgy and eccentric rolesacross feature films, TV series, and commercial projects. Beyond his on-screen work, Bryan is also a writer and producer with plenty of creative stories to tell.

We dive into the challenges of the vertical world, why it’s not always easy for audiences to navigate the platform jungle, and what kind of changes and innovations might be needed — especially when it comes to genres and storytelling formats.

Curious to hear which role Bryan found the most weird and funny?

What stories he’s dying to put on paper as a writer?

And what was going through his mind at the very start of his acting career?

Then you definitely don’t want to miss this one — tune in and join us as we explore the creative chaos of the vertical world!

In today’s episode I’m chatting with Carin @carinsmolinski — a creative powerhouse who’s seen a whole lot of the world. After spending some time living in Japan and exploring different corners of the globe, she eventually made her way back home to Canada — and that’s where she first discovered the world of Verticals.

After being involved in more than 20 Verticals, Carin decided it was time to tell her own story. She picked up the pen, wrote her very first Vertical script with a fresh and exciting storyline, and then took things even further by directing it herself — alongside her son, Indiana Wilson @indiana_wilson_films , who stepped in as Director of Photography. Tides of desire was born! @tides_of_desire_vertical

With what she calls her superpower, Carin is full of energy, motivation, and unstoppable drive to shake things up in the Vertical world.

We also talk about why she’s actually at a triple disadvantage when shooting Verticals in Canada — and, of course, her future plans, her own Vertical project, and the many new stories already buzzing around in her head.

Check it out and tune in.

And don't forget to like and share!

I was so happy to have Declan Clifford as a guest on my podcast – in my opinion, he really deserves to be more in the spotlight .

In this episode, he doesn’t have to stand in anyone’s shadow, because the stage is all his today!

We chat about how he feels being “the eternal runner-up,” and what it was like to finally play his first leading role in the Vertical “Pool Boy.”

Declan has played a wide variety of characters over the years — including quite a few villains — and he tells me how he prepares for those roles (because, as we all know, that’s so not his real-life personality!).

We also talk about what it was like for this Aussie to find his way around Los Angeles, how he deals with his natural accent in the Vertical world, and what helps him switch back into “private Declan” mode after long days on set or a big wrap and much more.

Check it out and tune in.

And don't forget to like and share!

In this episode, we’re heading to the other side of the world - all the way to Australia to meet Lisa! Many of you might know her as Vertical Drama Queen on Instagram, but she’s also the founder and driving force behind Team Cayman, the fan page dedicated to Cayman Cardiff and Daniel Jongma Fandom. 

Lisa is also a bit of a “victim” of the platforms’ clever marketing strategies — that’s how she ended up in the world of verticals and has been more or less stuck there ever since (just like so many other fans!).

We chat about what makes a good vertical in her eyes, which apps she loves to use to watch them, and how she ended up running fan pages for both Cayman and Daniel. She also tells me also about the three scripts she’s currently working on — hoping they’ll one day make it into vertical production and bring us, the audience, even better stories to enjoy.

The reviews on her Vertical Drama Queen page are open and honest — just like the interviews she does. Entertainment is guaranteed! She’s also part of the Monthly Recap group for this podcast.

How much time she spends on her fan pages every day, what her husband thinks about her constantly searching for shirtless pics of Cayman ;-) , and so much more — you’ll find out all about it in this podcast episode!

Check it out and tune in.

And don't forget to like and share!

THE LADIES AND I ARE BACK in a XXL Version!

With a fresh Recap for October and a special segment for Halloween where we tell you our Top 3 of werwolf/vampire ones

Do you want to hear the collective opinions of a few fans at once? Unvarnished, open, honest, and direct?

Then this monthly review episode is just right for you! I'll be reviewing the month of October with five ladies who are active in the vertical world.

@verticalviewweekly

@verticalfilmslover

@verticait

@realreeldrama

@i.love.verticals

We talk about verticals, apps, actors and actresses, and much more. Also about the good and bad things that have occupied us this month, speak openly about what we as an audience no longer want and where we see room for improvement.

We also decided to give @felix_merback a special award

You wanna know for example the answers to the following questions?

- Actress of the month?

- Actor of the month?

- Vertical of the month?

- Why is @realreeldrama so worried about @kikifrags ?

- Which vertical you shouldn't watch right before going to bed in @i.love.verticals opinion?

- What makes @verticalviewweekly so obsessed?

Then you should definitely tune in and listen!

And don't forget to like and share!

Sandi, one of the admis of the Eric Guilmette Fandom, joins me for an episode to talk about, among other things, the officially crowned legend Eric Guilmette. We also discuss why she started this fandom, what her experiences with the audience crowd have been like, and what the day-to-day business of running such a fandom actually entails.

She also tells me when and how she first encountered the vertical space, if she felt into also in the Marketing trap, as well as how these verticals occasionally help her in some way in her daily life.

Are you wondering if, as an admin of the fandom, she only watches Eric's verticals or if others also find their way onto her phone display and why Sandi and I absolutely need to listen to Abba songs and crave shrimp after the episode, as well as much more, you can find out in this podcast episode. Enjoy!

Check it out and tune in.

And don't forget to like and share!

John Henry Richardson is a veteran in the vertical world. He's been involved in verticals as an actor almost from the very beginning, always playing a (grand)father role. He enriches the verticals with his sympathy, authenticity, and genuine wisdom, and our conversation today is just as humorous, diverse, and interesting.

When he first becomes aware of verticals in Vietnam, he knows full well that this new format will sooner or later captivate the rest of the world. 

Why does he love filming verticals so much? What he's experienced in his long acting career? And why he can't drink American beer anymore? You'll learn all this and much more in this entertaining episode with my dream grandfather for life.

Check it out and tune in.

And don't forget to like and share!

Given her young age, Cailin Peluso is probably one of the most pregnant women in such a short time in the Vertical Space. After all, she now boasts a proud 22 children. :-)

After her first role at the age of three, it became clear to her that her goals lay squarely in leading roles, ideally in Hollywood. So, she didn't hesitate for long and, after graduating from high school, moved to Hollywood on her own and without any concrete plans for her future acting career.

After initially finding the whole thing a little weird when she entered the vertical space as a corpse, we can all be very grateful that she gave it another chance after a few months. Because now she's a successful lead in several verticals. However, she's been pigeonholed as a pregnant woman, which isn't exactly her favorite.

It's time for producers to see the young, talented actress as more than just a dependent pregnant woman. We chat about what roles she'd like to take on (without being pregnant).

She also tells me why Apple Boxes are often used when shooting her verticals, that her grandma is a big vertical fan and what she doesn't like about the role women are playing in most of the verticals. 

Check it out and tune in.

And don't forget to like and share!

The best cure for a bad day? - Definitely Adam Chisnall! His Instagram Reels consistently delight countless people and bring a smile to their faces. The same goes for his appearances in various verticals. In countless supporting roles, he embodies everything from a serious assistant to a humorous supporter.

He would be the perfect lead for a wonderful comedy or parody vertical. It's never boring with him, and this podcast episode is no exception. We chat about his journey through stand-up comedy, his career in acting, and other artistic experiences.

Why is he the Kim Kardashian of the vertical world? Hear what he thinks is time for the vertical world, what he's sometimes fed up with, and why he sometimes doesn't have many kind words to say about the topic of "actor pay."

Check it out and tune in.

And don't forget to like and share!