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The Vertical Reach Podcast
Hosted by Pauline Gray, an award-winning screenwriter and narrative strategist with over thirty years in commercial production, this podcast brings together the creators, innovators, and visionaries shaping the future of vertical film and microdrama.
As a Marshall Scholar with dual master's degrees from the London School of Economics and the University of Bristol's Film & Television program, Pauline brings both academic depth and industry insight to every conversation. Through her studio, Pauline Gray Studios, she has championed vertical storytelling as a powerful medium for brands, streaming platforms, and cultural institutions — proving that short-form content can deliver cinematic precision and emotional intelligence.
Each week, Pauline sits down with directors, writers, producers, platform executives, and creative leaders who are redefining how stories are told in a swipe-up world. Together, they explore the craft, strategy, and future of vertical content — from the creative process behind compelling microdramas to the business of building audiences in the mobile-first era.
Whether you're a filmmaker looking to expand into vertical formats, a brand seeking to understand the power of short-form narrative, or a storytelling enthusiast curious about where the industry is headed, The Vertical Reach Podcast offers the insights, inspiration, and connections you need.
Because great stories deserve to reach everyone — one vertical frame at a time.
The Vertical Reach Podcast
Latest Episodes
Ep 16. AI, Brands & the Future of Vertical Drama: Bethany Thomson
What happens when the person integrating AI into an industry is also the person most worried about what it might replace?Bethany Thomson has been sitting with that question all year. As Creative Lead at Sea Star Productions, she's spent...
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Episode 15. Vete Para La Calle: Angelina Barbieri's Vertical Hustle
Angelina Barbieri is a first-generation Latin American actress with a career spanning film, TV, and comedy, including Transporter 2, HBO's Ballers, NCIS: Los Angeles, Anger Management, NBC's The Night Shi...
Episode 14. Doug Vermeeren: Building the Cannes of Vertical Drama in Las Vegas
Here are the clean Buzzsprout show notes (matching the standard template format, with guest links kept as their own section rather than folded in):Doug Vermeeren: Building the Cannes of Vertical Drama in Las VegasWhat happe...
Episode 13. The Vertical Reach: How One Writer Moved UpUntitled Episode
Jessica Burkhart went from publishing 30 novels to writing full-time verticals in a year. She shares her pivot from books to games to screenwriting, how she learned to work within tight budgets, and why moving vertically—not horizontally—change...
Episode 12. From Shanghai to the Screen: Inside the Vertical Drama World the West Is Just Discovering
What does it look like to be inside a revolution before the rest of the world catches on?Daniel D. Newman found out — not by accident, but by spending 15 years living and working in China, where he watched vertical drama go from a niche ...