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VertiGals

Natalie Gergely & Alison Bonn

VertiGals is a podcast about the titillating craft of writing Vertical Micro Dramas, hosted by two hilarious pros who are eager to bring some comic relief to the wild world of smacks, whacks, and malicious mother-in-law attacks. Each episode offers candid conversations with industry voices, explores the creative process and tackles tough questions like how to keep the viewers attention over 50+ episodes? The show also addresses other facets of this fast-growing format including the latest news in vertical entertainment, platform trends, and which actors have the best six packs.

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  • 20 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 57 min
  • English

Episodes 20

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  • S1 · E17
    August 25 · 1 hr 4 min

    Interview with Chief Creative Officer of Inverted: Mat Raney

    The VertiGals chat with Mat Raney about his journey as a writer in various worlds to Chief Creative Officer of InVerted. Mat Raney is a screenwriter, novelist, and the Chief Creative Officer of Inverted Media. He has written for network television, wrote the multi-award-winning vertical series Pizza Guys vs Vampires, and is the writer of the forthcoming indie animated feature RIVER. As James Matlack Raney, he is also the author of the Jim Morgan adventure series, the award-winning Lord of the Wolves, and his most recent novel, LAST.

  • August 10 · 57 min

    From Ghostwriting Romance Novels to Hollywood to Microdramas with Claire Epstein

    The VertiGals talk about the trials of being a writer across mediums with Claire Epstein. Claire grew up in Washington, DC, and attended Vanderbilt University and Circle in the Square Theater School. In New York, she performed at the UCB by night while ghostwriting romance novels by day. Fifteen of her novels have been published, selling several hundred thousand copies and becoming Amazon bestsellers. She staffed on the Emmy-nominated Quibi/Roku show IMMORAL COMPASS and was the associate writer for Disney's Emmy-winning show HAMSTER & GRETEL. She's also had a few plays published, written for a podcast network called Parcast, a DreamWorks show, and the app Calm. She has developed projects with Big Breakfast, Powderkeg, Audity, Realm, Eko, and The Cartel, and producers Kristin Burr, Debbie Liebling, and Scotty Landes. She recently worked at DramaBox, where two of her vertical series were produced and received millions of views, and is now the head writer for a new American vertical startup.

  • S1 · E16
    July 27 · 1 hr 6 min

    From Running Production at Inkitt to producing "Screen Time" with Elizabeth Dell

    The VertiGals were lucky enough to sit down with Production Exec, Producer, Consumer Tech Founder Elizabeth Dell. Elizabeth is a producer and consultant in vertical micro series, currently leading projects for Hoorae Media, including the recently released Screen Time, which garnered 130M+ views in less than a month, distributed exclusively on TikTok and PineDrama. As Head of Production for Inkitt (parent company of CandyJarTV), she oversaw 30+ vertical shows. She produced multiple indie features, pilots, webseries, commercials, etc. including Destination Wedding, starring Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves. Elizabeth is the founder of the romance and games couples app Amorus, co-founder of music and sensation product Groove Thing. She has a Masters in Public Health from UC Berkeley and an undergraduate degree in Chemistry from Amherst College.

  • S1 · E15
    July 14 · 59 min

    How to Write for Vertical Prodution with Austin Herring

    The VertiGals talk about vertical writing pay rates and freelance writing, and sit down with Austin Herring to talk about the business of verticals, vertical production, and how to write for vertical production. Austin Herring is the founder and CEO of Snow Story Productions, one of the largest vertical production companies in the U.S. A veteran writer, producer, and director, he has been at the forefront of the microdrama boom, helping shape the future of short-form storytelling through hit series, innovative production models, and a commitment to raising the bar for the vertical format.

  • S1 · E14
    June 22 · 51 min

    From writing Middle Grade Novels to writing Verticals with Jessica Burkhart

    The VertiGals chat with the delightful Jessica Burkhart about transitioning from writing books to mobile games to verticals. Jessica Burkhart is a vertical drama screenwriter, author of over 30 books, and mobile game writer. She has written ten produced verticals for platforms including Shorts, ReelShort, and DramaShorts, and also works in localization and script doctoring. Find her at jessicaburkhart.com.

  • S1 · E13
    June 9 · 49 min

    Independent Vertical Producing with Carin Smolinski & Julie Bruns

    The VertiGals met up with writers, actresses, and producers Carin Smolinski & Julie Bruns at the May 2026 Vertical Drama Market. Carin Smolinski indpendently produced "Tides of Desire" now streaming on MuVpix and Inverted. Julie Bruns starred in (along with Carin) and independently produced "Beneath Crimson Sails" on MuVpix and CandyJar. Both ladies enlightened us with exactly how much work goes into producing a vertical independently and what creatives should know before endeavoring into independent vertical producing.

  • S1 · E12
    June 2 · 53 min

    Elevating Vertical Series with Scott Brown & Stacy Howard of Second Rodeo Productions

    The VertiGals meet up with Scott Brown and Stacy Howard at the May 2026 LA Vertical Drama Market to discuss the current state of vertical story telling, the data, and pushing the medium forward. Founder of Second Rodeo Productions, Scott Brown is an Emmy-nominated Director, Creative Producer, and Writer who has helped lead the digital entertainment revolution – guiding brands, studios and traditional celebrities into the creator-driven era with audience-first storytelling. Across his career, his work has generated over 1 billion organic views, transforming ambitious ideas into moments that shape internet culture. Stacy Howard works alongside Scott as Head of Development at Second Rodeo Productions. Through Second Rodeo, Brown works at the intersection of creators, brands, and media companies, with a particular focus on the fast-growing microdrama category, now fueling a $1.4B+ content economy. His breakout success, the award-winning vertical series, The Diamond Rose, became one of the category’s early proof points garnering more than 20 million views within its first 24 hours.

  • S1 · E11
    May 26 · 1 hr 4 min

    Can Comedy Work in Verticals? with Eli Shell

    The VertiGals sit down with Eli Shell - a Los Angeles-based writer, director, and producer and founder of Sidewise Studios, an independent micro-studio creating original series for vertical platforms. With a background in tech communications, messaging, and strategy, Shell has over 15 years of experience producing and leading high-output creative content teams. He now applies a startup mindset: rapid iteration, real-time audience response, and a willingness to experiment in public, to entertainment. His flagship vertical comedy, In-House, is a mockumentary workplace series available on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, blending documentary humor with the creative chaos of modern marketing. Season 2 is in development now, more characters, more chaos, and a lot more to say about what this format can be.

  • S1 · E10
    April 27 · 1 hr

    In House Staff Writing Verticals with Astrid Carlen-Helmer

    The VertiGals sit down with Senior Screen Writer for DramaWave, Astrid Carlen-Helmer. Astrid is a French-American screenwriter and a graduate of the London Film School. She began her career in development at Blackpills, a short-form series studio, where she contributed to the creation of young adult fiction intended for international distribution. She later became Head of Development at the Franco-American production company HKCorp, where she developed multicultural projects, including The Chef in a Truck (Netflix / Wild Bunch). After several years in development, Astrid transitioned into writing. She worked as an author for the Originals divisions of the digital publishing platforms Tapas Media and Wattpad: she wrote a romantasy duology for Tapas and later served as a ghostwriter and head writer for Wattpad on several titles. She is also the co-author of Space Cadet, a Hachette-published novel based on the Amazon Studios film of the same name. After working as a writer at ReelShort, writing hit titles such as Dr. Boss is My Baby Daddy and Claimed by my Ex’s Alpha Brother, Astrid is now a senior screenwriter for DramaWave.

  • S1 · E9
    April 13 · 1 hr 8 min

    What The Fans love about Verticals with Meagan Johnson

    The VertiGals sit down with Vertical Super Fan, Influencer, and industry thought leader Meagan Johnson of @realreeldrama to talk about what the fans love about Verticals, what makes this industry so fascinating, and everything that Meagan is building in the entertainment space.

  • S1 · E8
    March 30 · 50 min

    The Birth of the LA Vertical Drama Market with Dana Protsyshak

    The VertiGals sit down with multi-hyphenate Dana Protsyshak to discuss her journey from romance novelist to her career in Vertical Drama filmmaking. Dana Protsyshak is the founder of Dana Productions, Vert-I-Go Media and the LA Vertical Drama Market, the first industry event dedicated exclusively to vertical drama storytelling, and the creator of OtheR, a dystopian series in development across long-form and vertical formats. With experience across 30+ vertical projects in writing, development, and production, she is recognized for her expertise in mobile-first storytelling and regularly evaluates vertical content for festivals, studios, and platforms. Dana develops and directs original vertical projects with international teams, builds Vert-I-Go Media app and curates industry communities through her Vertical Mixers, helping advance the vertical storytelling ecosystem.

  • S1 · E7
    March 16 · 57 min

    From Mobile Romance Games to Verticals with Rachel Zilberg

    The VertiGals have the pleasure of interviewing the brilliant Rachel Zilberg, Lead Writer at "Shorts," the platform known for rom coms and feel good productions. Rachel got her start in romance based mobile gaming and took the natural next step into vertical drama writing. She has written several exceptional vertical dramas, not limited to "Love Switch: Billionaire CEO vs. Mafia King" which was the recipient of 2025 Hollywood Vertical Awards' 'Most Captivating Dual Identity'. In this episode, we discuss the world of romance based mobile gaming, what it's like to lead a team of writers at one of the industries leading platforms, and what the future of vertical storytelling holds.

  • S1 · E6
    March 2 · 49 min

    The Convergence of Legacy Media and The Creator Economy with Ben Odell

    Hollywood is evolving, and former screenwriter, legacy Film & TV producer, CEO of 3Pas Studio, and creator of the "Open Gardens" and "Vertical Bloom" sub stacks, Ben Odell, is at the forefront of that evolution. Ben joins the VertiGals to talk about how storytelling is evolving from Hollywood's perspective, the creator economy, the arrival of AI , and how digital media and legacy media have already converged, and will continue to.

  • S1 · E5
    February 16 · 41 min

    Breaking into writing Verticals with Dena Dizdar Plumer

    The VertiGals have the pleasure of sitting down with inspiring MicroDrama writer and winner of ReelShort's Top Romance Prize, Dena Dizdar Plumer. After raising a family, Dena decided to move to Los Angeles from Texas to pursue her life long dream of being a screenwriter. As a former copywriter and Ad Exectuive, Dena talks about how her career in advertising influences her work in MicroDramas, how to become a MicroDrama writer at any stage in life, and what it's like to work as a writer in the age of AI.

  • February 2 · 1 hr 5 min

    Writing & Directing Verticals with Kristen Brancaccio

    The VertiGals have so much fun learning about Kristen Brancaccio's journey to conquering the vertical world. Having directed 17 verticals to date, Kristen has a lot of insight in the structure that works best in verticals and how the marketing and financing models around verticals will have to change for vertical story telling to be able to effectively evolve.

  • S1 · E3
    January 20 · 1 hr 16 min

    The Evolution of Vertical Storytelling with Vertical Pioneer Thom Woodley

    The VertiGals talk about Alison's hit release on MyDrama "LoveScore" and review a few other Vertical Dramas they enjoyed. They also talk about the experience of writing verticals from idea to production and what that's been like from a writers perspective. Thom Woodley joins them to talk about his experience working in digital content and vertical content since 2023 - past failures, current happenings, and where he thinks the Vertical industry is headed in the future.

  • S1 · E1
    Dec 8, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min

    VertiGals Episode 1: Interview with Writer and Digital Visionary Isabel Dréan

    Alison and Natalie discuss Verticals they've watched over the past week and sit down with writer and digital visionary Isabel Dréan - a pioneer in the Vertical Drama world. Isabel discusses the current state and the future of the Vertical Drama business and dives into her soon to be released book "How to Write a Vertical Series in 10 Days." Isabel offers incredible insights into the craft and technique of writing Vertical Microdramas, and how to write commercially to get hired and paid in the Vertical Drama industry. This is an absolute "must-listen" for all creatives curious about how to work as a writer in Verticals.

  • Dec 8, 2025 · 6 min

    VertiGals Trailer

    VertiGals is a podcast about the titillating craft of writing Vertical Micro Dramas, hosted by two hilarious pros who are eager to bring some comic relief to the wild world of smacks, whacks, and malicious mother-in-law attacks. Each episode offers candid conversations with industry voices, explores the creative process and tackles tough questions like how to keep the viewers attention over 50+ episodes? The show also addresses other facets of this fast-growing format including the latest news in vertical entertainment, platform trends, and which actors have the best six packs.

Showing 1–20 of 20 episodes