🎙️ Welcome to The Vertical Buzz, where vertical entertainment finds its voice.
This week, host Buzz Leer welcomes Emmy-nominated director, writer, and producer Scott Brown, founder and CEO of Second Rodeo Productions. With more than 1 billion organic views across projects featuring MrBeast, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Larry King, and major global brands, Scott brings a unique perspective on where digital storytelling and vertical entertainment are headed next.
Fresh off speaking at Cannes Lions, Scott explains why verticals are just one part of a much larger scripted digital revolution. 🎬 He shares lessons from Hollywood, the creator economy, and premium digital content while discussing why attention, retention, and authentic storytelling matter more than ever.
Buzz and Scott also dive into directing for phone screens 📱, the legacy of Quibi, MrBeast's storytelling philosophy, common mistakes creators make, and why the next generation of entertainment won't fit neatly into one format.
🚀 If you want to understand where Hollywood, creators, and vertical storytelling are all headed, this is an episode you won't want to miss.
💡 In this episode, you will learn:
• Why Scott believes scripted digital content is entering a massive new era
• How Cannes Lions is beginning to embrace vertical storytelling
• What working with MrBeast, Dwayne Johnson, and Larry King taught him
• The traits shared by the world's most successful creators
• Why verticals succeed by focusing on story before stars
• How to direct specifically for mobile audiences
• The biggest mistakes new vertical creators make
• What Quibi got right before its time
• Why retention is the new currency of entertainment
• Where Scott believes the industry is headed next
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 Digital Scripted Gap
01:06 Show Intro and Guest
02:33 Bio and Sponsors
04:37 Cannes and Creators
07:02 Luck and Microdramas
09:44 Laguna to Film School
14:55 Defining Success
17:10 Top Creator Traits
20:10 Larry King Stories
23:17 Why Vertical Wins
39:36 Verticals As Real Movies
40:55 Directing For Phone Screens
42:28 Hook Fast Retain Viewers
45:00 Quibi Lessons Legacy Vs Digital
47:07 MrBeast Energy Curve Endings
49:20 Common Vertical Mistakes
50:39 Rapid Fire And Verticast Plug
55:59 Shabu Shabu Deep Dive
01:06:14 Directing Prep And Intentions
01:13:16 Future Opportunities 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
⚡ Rapid Fire Sponsor: VertiCast
The casting app built for the speed of vertical storytelling.
Instagram: @verticastapp
🎥 Guest: Scott Brown
Scott Brown is an Emmy-nominated director, writer, creative producer, and founder of Second Rodeo Productions. His work has generated more than 1 billion organic views through working with MrBeast, Dwayne Johnson, Larry King, Under Armour, Ford, Gatorade, Roku, BET, and many others. Scott has become one of the leading voices connecting Hollywood filmmaking, the creator economy, and premium vertical storytelling.
Instagram: @scottbrowndirects
🎙️ Host: Buzz Leer
Instagram: @buzz_leer
🎬 A Glendale Podcast Studio Production
Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio
📱 Social Media Coordinator
Ana Karina Cano
Instagram: @anakarinacano
🎵 Theme Song
Grace Leer and Bryan Dawley
📣 Public Relations
Robb Leer
Leer Communications, Inc.
❤️ Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family.
Host, Buzz Leer
