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 Robot
00:34 Voices and Mel Blanc
01:29 Vertical Buzz Intro
02:58 Sal Bio and Banter
05:00 Surfwise Childhood
07:00 Books Not School
08:18 Movies as Church
11:52 Finding Sal and Art
18:13 Hollywood and Adaline
25:40 Vertical Wave and Super Punchy
35:03 Why Step By Step Worked
35:13 Beating Algorithmic Tropes
37:14 Vertical Market Growing Pains
38:09 Layover Hits ALZA Fest
39:51 Future Screens Go Vertical
41:35 Directing For Vertical Frames
43:19 Super Punchy Story First Mission
45:24 Rapid Fire Surf And Movies
51:10 Voices Songs And Family Ties
55:28 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: @salpaskowitz
Super 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 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 #SalPaskowitz #SuperPunchyStudios #VerticalDrama #VerticalEntertainment #TheAgeOfAdaline #StepByStep #Layover
