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Episode 6 | A True Vertical Visionary ft. Kylie Karson form CheraTV
This week on The Vertical Buzz, host Buzz Leer sits down with Kylie Karson—actor, director, and co-founder of CheraTV—for a deep dive into where vertical entertainment is headed, what’s broken in the current ecosystem, and what it looks like to build something more ethical and creator-first from the inside.
Kylie shares her unbelievable journey from growing up in a religious family to college, then hustling in marketing before making the leap to Los Angeles—where she went on to star in 17 vertical series and ultimately co-found CheraTV, a bold new platform aiming to elevate the format with better storytelling, better culture, and better opportunities for artists. They talk about vertical speed vs. Hollywood, why “imperfect” visuals can actually win, the power of natural light, how client notes can derail sets, and the mission to create healthier environments for creatives.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Kylie’s origin story: from a spiritual upbringing to college, and the mindset shift that fueled her ambition
• How a marketing hustle helped her build momentum—and why she chose LA anyway
• How Kylie discovered vertical films—and why CheraTV is betting on elevated, creator-first storytelling
• Why “perfect” isn’t always better: how imperfect looks can feel more real (and more cinematic)
• Kylie’s “natural light” revelation—and what it changes about production value
• The biggest difference between vertical speed and traditional Hollywood workflows
• Why awards, studio money, and credibility are starting to move into the vertical space
• The ethics conversation: what needs fixing on sets—and how to build better culture
• What makes the Chera team culture different—and why it matters
• The dance-vertical breakthrough behind To Her Beat and why it’s a turning point
• Why actors should embrace verticals now—and how verticals can be real training reps
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Vertical Buzz
01:35 Meet Kylie Karson
03:53 From college to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL
06:42 Marketing Hustle to LA
11:44 Vertical Films and CheraTV
30:58 Imperfect Looks Win
31:46 Natural Light Revelation
33:51 Vertical Speed vs Hollywood
35:37 Awards and Studio Money
40:52 Ethics and Better Sets
44:08 CheraTV Team Culture
47:49 Dance Vertical Breakthrough
51:30 Why Embrace Verticals
55:11 Verticals as Actor Training
01:01:07 Final CheraTV Pitch and Wrap
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 + carbon filtration.
Website: AEIRO.co
Guest: Kylie Karson
Kylie Karson is an actor, director, and co-founder of Chera TV, a creator-first vertical streaming platform focused on bold, elevated storytelling. Originally from Florida, she moved to Los Angeles five years ago to pursue acting and went on to star in 17 vertical series, in addition to working in the independent film space. Her experience in the vertical world sparked a drive to elevate the format, make it more ethical for artists, and create sustainable job opportunities for creatives. That mission led her into directing and co-founding Chera TV, where she directed the platform’s second original series, To Her Beat. Kylie is committed to reshaping the entertainment industry into a more artist-driven ecosystem—one where creators not only tell the stories, but truly benefit from them.
Instagram: @TheKylieKarson
Instagram: @CheraTV
TikTok: @TheKylieKarson
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 & operated by Erika & Jason Hanan
Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio
Social Media Producer: Ana Karina Cano
Instagram: @anakarinacano
Music by Grace Leer & Bryan Dawley
“The Vertical Buzz Theme Song”
Public Relations & Media: Robb Leer
Leer Communications, Inc.
Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family.
—Host, Buzz Leer
#VerticalFilm #VerticalDrama #MicroDrama #Filmmaking #MobileStorytelling #ShortForm #VerticalSeries #TheVerticalBuzz
View all episodes
By verticalbuzzdistroThis week on The Vertical Buzz, host Buzz Leer sits down with Kylie Karson—actor, director, and co-founder of CheraTV—for a deep dive into where vertical entertainment is headed, what’s broken in the current ecosystem, and what it looks like to build something more ethical and creator-first from the inside.
Kylie shares her unbelievable journey from growing up in a religious family to college, then hustling in marketing before making the leap to Los Angeles—where she went on to star in 17 vertical series and ultimately co-found CheraTV, a bold new platform aiming to elevate the format with better storytelling, better culture, and better opportunities for artists. They talk about vertical speed vs. Hollywood, why “imperfect” visuals can actually win, the power of natural light, how client notes can derail sets, and the mission to create healthier environments for creatives.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Kylie’s origin story: from a spiritual upbringing to college, and the mindset shift that fueled her ambition
• How a marketing hustle helped her build momentum—and why she chose LA anyway
• How Kylie discovered vertical films—and why CheraTV is betting on elevated, creator-first storytelling
• Why “perfect” isn’t always better: how imperfect looks can feel more real (and more cinematic)
• Kylie’s “natural light” revelation—and what it changes about production value
• The biggest difference between vertical speed and traditional Hollywood workflows
• Why awards, studio money, and credibility are starting to move into the vertical space
• The ethics conversation: what needs fixing on sets—and how to build better culture
• What makes the Chera team culture different—and why it matters
• The dance-vertical breakthrough behind To Her Beat and why it’s a turning point
• Why actors should embrace verticals now—and how verticals can be real training reps
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Vertical Buzz
01:35 Meet Kylie Karson
03:53 From college to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL
06:42 Marketing Hustle to LA
11:44 Vertical Films and CheraTV
30:58 Imperfect Looks Win
31:46 Natural Light Revelation
33:51 Vertical Speed vs Hollywood
35:37 Awards and Studio Money
40:52 Ethics and Better Sets
44:08 CheraTV Team Culture
47:49 Dance Vertical Breakthrough
51:30 Why Embrace Verticals
55:11 Verticals as Actor Training
01:01:07 Final CheraTV Pitch and Wrap
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 + carbon filtration.
Website: AEIRO.co
Guest: Kylie Karson
Kylie Karson is an actor, director, and co-founder of Chera TV, a creator-first vertical streaming platform focused on bold, elevated storytelling. Originally from Florida, she moved to Los Angeles five years ago to pursue acting and went on to star in 17 vertical series, in addition to working in the independent film space. Her experience in the vertical world sparked a drive to elevate the format, make it more ethical for artists, and create sustainable job opportunities for creatives. That mission led her into directing and co-founding Chera TV, where she directed the platform’s second original series, To Her Beat. Kylie is committed to reshaping the entertainment industry into a more artist-driven ecosystem—one where creators not only tell the stories, but truly benefit from them.
Instagram: @TheKylieKarson
Instagram: @CheraTV
TikTok: @TheKylieKarson
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 & operated by Erika & Jason Hanan
Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio
Social Media Producer: Ana Karina Cano
Instagram: @anakarinacano
Music by Grace Leer & Bryan Dawley
“The Vertical Buzz Theme Song”
Public Relations & Media: Robb Leer
Leer Communications, Inc.
Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family.
—Host, Buzz Leer
#VerticalFilm #VerticalDrama #MicroDrama #Filmmaking #MobileStorytelling #ShortForm #VerticalSeries #TheVerticalBuzz