What happens when you take action storytelling vertical?

In this episode of Gatecrashers, we sit down with vertical star and producer Kasey Esser just days after wrapping Love Under Fire — one of the first independent action microdramas built specifically for the vertical screen.

We dive into what it really takes to produce large-scale action in a format originally dominated by romance — including never-before-seen stunts in vertical storytelling, the creative and technical challenges of shooting action on green screen, and how pacing, framing, and choreography change when the screen flips upright.

But this isn’t just about stunts.

Kasey breaks down:

• Financing and producing an independent vertical series

• Multi-country, multi-app distribution strategy

• The licensing vs backend gamble

• Why marketing spend is the real gatekeeper

• And his bold stance on performance expectations

We also explore what it means to own your IP in the vertical space — and why creators who move now may shape the future of this rapidly expanding frontier.

Is vertical just a trend — or the next evolution of independent filmmaking?

This episode is about risk, ownership, discipline, and building something before the industry gives you permission.

Kasey's Links

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaseyesser/

IMDB: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm6820472/

Lover Under Fire Trailer: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR2VazICXYd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Making of a vertical drama series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dMuxGSYZmc&feature=youtu.be

🌐 Connect

• 🎬 Production: ⁠⁠@foxandsiren.productions⁠⁠

• 📸 Makayla: ⁠⁠@iammakaylamcintosh⁠⁠

• 📸 Cat: ⁠⁠@catyudain⁠⁠

• 📰 Makayla’s Substack: ⁠⁠Rebel Waves⁠⁠

• 📰 Cat’s Substack: ⁠⁠catyudain.substack.com⁠⁠

• 📩 Email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

  
  

GateCrashers Podcast theme by Derek Graham Sound

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://Dgsound.net⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/dgrahamsound

This week on Gatecrashers, we sit down with Canadian entrepreneur and film producer Therese “Tag” Goulet — the powerhouse known as “The Sugar Mama.” Instead of waiting for gatekeepers to greenlight bold ideas, Tag built her own wealth and began backing creatives with her own money — funding music, films, books, and entire creative movements.

Now, as the visionary behind The Gift (formerly The Sugar Mama), she’s taking that mission to television — awarding one artist a $100,000 unrestricted grant to bring their work to life. No strings. No ownership grab. No creative control. Just belief. With two seasons now under their belt, they plan to expand beyond Alberta to Canada and the world. 

In this episode, we dive into:
• How Tag turned personal setbacks into financial success
• Why giving back to artists became her life’s mission
• How she decides who to invest in — and what makes someone fundable
• What writers and creators can do to attract supporters
• How to thrive in today’s evolving creator economy
• And what’s next as The Gift prepares to go global

This conversation is about power — how creators can stop waiting for permission.

If you’ve ever dreamed of someone betting on you… this episode will make you ask: What if that someone could be you?

Follow The Gift

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegifttv/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegifttv
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGift.TVShow

Follow Tag

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taggoulet.filmproducer/?hl=en

🌐 Connect

• 🎬 Production: ⁠@foxandsiren.productions⁠

• 📸 Makayla: ⁠@iammakaylamcintosh⁠

• 📸 Cat: ⁠@catyudain⁠

• 📰 Makayla’s Substack: ⁠Rebel Waves⁠

• 📰 Cat’s Substack: ⁠catyudain.substack.com⁠

• 📩 Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠

  
  

GateCrashers Podcast theme by Derek Graham Sound

Website: ⁠⁠⁠http://Dgsound.net⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/dgrahamsound

When your series lands on Amazon, the world sees the result. But what about the years — and oceans — it took to get there?

This week on GateCrashers, we sit down with Australian-born, Canadian-based actor, writer, and director Megan Peta Hill to talk about her journey to the Amazon series 56 Days — and everything that shaped her along the way.

From relocating from Australia to Canada, to navigating the relentless audition cycle, to balancing coaching with her own creative ambitions, Megan opens up about building a sustainable career in an unpredictable industry.

We dive into:

• The leap from Australia to North America — and what it really demanded

• The mental and emotional realities of auditioning at a high level

• Her theatre roots and how stage work informs her screen presence

• Co-writing and co-directing Echo — how the idea sparked, what the writing process looked like, and how she and Roxanne navigated collaboration

• Stepping behind the camera while continuing to pursue acting

• What it was like working on 56 Days and seeing it premiere on Amazon

• Her latest video game work and how voice/motion capture expands her artistry

This episode is about longevity, reinvention, and taking ownership of your creative life — even while chasing roles in the system.

If you’re building a career across borders, mediums, or identities… this conversation is your reminder that you can do both: audition and author your own story.

Megan's Links 

• @meganpetahill
• @Echo Short
  
• www.imdb.me/meganpetahill

Sometimes the long way around is the only way back to yourself.

This week on Gatecrashers, we sit down with writer and director Jerry Decker — whose career has spanned from writing for A&E Biography to producing major series for Discovery, SyFy, Animal Planet, and serving as Executive Producer at National Geographic Television.

On paper, it’s the kind of résumé most filmmakers dream of. But beneath the success was a quieter pull — the desire to return to his roots as a narrative storyteller and risking it all.

After years inside the fast-paced world of nonfiction television, Jerry found himself circling back to the thing that started it all: crafting original stories from scratch. That journey led to his award-winning French New Wave horror film Le Dernier d’Entre Nous and his upcoming crime drama Cul-De-Sac.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How life can reroute your creative path — and why that’s not failure

• What writing and producing at scale teaches you about story

• The tension between career stability and artistic identity

• Why returning to narrative work felt both terrifying and necessary

• The courage it takes to begin again — even with decades of experience

This conversation is about evolution, reinvention, and trusting the part of you that never stopped wanting to tell stories.

If you’ve ever felt called back to something you started long ago — this episode is your reminder that it’s not too late.

🎧 Listen now.

Follow Jerry Decker on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afilmcrime/
View his IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0213157/

This week on GateCrashers, Makayla and Cat spill the tea on all things Heated Rivalry, skin care, bake some takes and dive into self-care on set.

🎧 Listen now to Gatecrashers: Hot Takes — where honesty meets rebellion.

Gatecrashers sits down with filmmaker Adam Michael to unpack what it really means to build a creative life without waiting for permission. After leaving the corporate world, Adam taught himself filmmaking through short films, made the leap to his first feature (Shredded), and chose community over industry validation.

In this episode, we talk about making features outside traditional systems, why Adam intentionally stayed in Ohio, the role of regional festivals like the Youngstown Film Festival, and how independence can be a long-term strategy—not a stepping stone. Adam also shares what’s next, including his feature Already Dead, adapting a stage play for the screen, and why “better places to go” isn’t always a physical location.

This is a conversation about sustainability, trust in your own timeline, and building something real where you are.

Links:

• IMDb page for Shredded — directed by Adam Michael, co-written with Makayla McIntosh:
  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27924817/

• Adam Michael (filmmaker) IMDb profile:
  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12051325/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candid_life_entertainment/
  

• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@candidlifeentertainment

🌐 Connect

• 🎬 Production: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@foxandsiren.productions⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 📸 Makayla: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@iammakaylamcintosh⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 📰 Makayla’s Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Rebel Waves⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 📰 Cat’s Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠catyudain.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 📩 Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠

  
  

  GateCrashers Podcast theme by Derek Graham Sound

  Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://Dgsound.net⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/dgrahamsound

Gatecrashers is back with an episode at the cutting edge of storytelling.

In this episode, we sit down with Monika Dalman and Alicia Read — co-founders of the Vertical Film & Series Safety Association (VFSSA) and leaders behind Type Eh Media — to break down how vertical storytelling went from "the Wild West” to a rapidly evolving industry with real jobs, real standards, and real power, creating work for a struggling and consolidating film industry.

We talk about their unconventional paths into verticals, how traditional film and television skills translate (and many times don’t), and why this format is creating new opportunities for actors, filmmakers, and producers who are tired of waiting for permission from legacy gatekeepers. Monika and Alicia unpack the realities of working in vertical micro-dramas, the importance of safety, fair pay, and structure, and how VFSSA is helping professionalize a space that grew faster than anyone expected.

If you’re curious about where storytelling is headed, how new media is reshaping careers, or how creatives can build sustainable paths outside the old systems — this conversation is for you.

🎙️ Topics include:
• Breaking into vertical storytelling
• Building VFSSA and advocating for industry standards
• Type Eh Media and the business of new media
• Unionization, safety, and sustainability in emerging formats
• What the future holds for vertical film and series

•A new curriculum for actors who want to work in verticals and teachers who want to pass the knowledge .

This is Gatecrashers — where we talk to the people building the future instead of waiting to be let in.

🔗 Alicia & Monika’s Links

• Type Eh Media: https://www.typeehmedia.com

• **VFSSA (Vertical Film & Series Safety Association): https://www.thevfssa.org

• AIgency ID: https://aigencyid.com

Alicia Read

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicialoveread

• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0713790

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicialoveread

Monika Dalman

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monika-dalman

• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10038096

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monikadalman

Cat and Makayla sit down to reflect on an incredible 2025—everything we created, produced, and launched across film, music, and live experiences. From behind-the-scenes wins to lessons learned, we unpack what it really takes to make things happen in a world where gatekeepers aren’t the gatekeepers anymore. Then, we dive into practical strategies for setting bold goals, staying accountable, and building your own path in this new era of independent creativity. Whether you’re crafting a film, a show, or an entirely new project, this episode is a blueprint for taking control of your vision and smashing through traditional barriers.

🌐 Connect

• 🎬 Production: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@foxandsiren.productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 📸 Makayla: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@iammakaylamcintosh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 📰 Makayla’s Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rebel Waves⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 📰 Cat’s Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠catyudain.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 📩 Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  
  

  GateCrashers Podcast theme by Derek Graham Sound

  Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://Dgsound.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/dgrahamsound⁠

Podcast Episode Description

What does it actually take to build a sustainable, impact-driven career as a filmmaker today?

In this episode, we’re joined by Lisa Cordileone, creator of How-To-Multi-Hyphenate, an interactive workshop designed to help artists rethink above-the-line strategy through an authentic entrepreneurial lens. Fresh off a successful screening at NEWFEST — the largest LGBTQ+ film festival in the U.S. — Lisa shares how her project COMMITTED serves as a real-world use case for building creative work that’s both meaningful and sustainable.

COMMITTED is a drama/suspense TV series set in 1953 Washington, D.C., during the Lavender Scare — a chilling moment in American history when government “morality lists” targeted LGBTQ+ individuals, Black and Native Americans, feminists, and intellectuals. The pilot brought together a cast and crew of 40 artists from 7 states, paired emerging talent with experienced mentors, and was led by a team with credits spanning HBO, Pixar, Netflix, Starz, Paramount, and more.

Rather than focusing on “one project at a time” survival, this conversation digs into mindset — the foundation of a sustainable creative career:

• Why raising money per project often keeps artists stuck

• How to think beyond success metrics that depend on luck or gatekeepers

• What it looks like to pay yourself for the years of labor, regardless of outcome

• How beliefs, values, and perspective shape both art and business

• Why sustainability is about systems, not just funding

Lisa also shares insights from How-To-Multi-Hyphenate, a workshop now partnered with organizations like Northwest Film Forum, Three Dollar Bill Cinema, Women in Film D.C., NW Screenwriters Guild, Elon University, East Carolina University, and more — and why this framework is especially powerful for filmmakers working across disciplines.

This episode is for filmmakers, artists, producers, and creatives who are done burning out and ready to build careers that last.

👉 If this conversation leaves you wanting more, you can dive deeper through Lisa’s How-To-Multi-Hyphenateworkshop and programs, where these ideas are expanded into actionable tools for artists and organizations.

🔗 Links & Resources

🌐 https://www.endwellstudio.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/endwell_studio

🎬 Trailer & Series Proof of Concept:
https://www.endwellstudio.com/committedproof
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/committed.shortfilm

📘 https://tinyurl.com/42bk32wh

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisa.cordileone
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mycreativevisioncollective

🌐 Connect

• 🎬 Production: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@foxandsiren.productions⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 📸 Makayla: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@iammakaylamcintosh⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 📰 Makayla’s Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Rebel Waves⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 📰 Cat’s Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠catyudain.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 📩 Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠

  
  

  GateCrashers Podcast theme by Derek Graham Sound

  Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://Dgsound.net⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/dgrahamsound⁠

In this inspiring kickoff episode of Gatecrashers, we sit down with filmmakers, authors, and creative rule-breakers Helenna Santos and Alexandra Boylan — the women behind the micro-budget feature At Your Own Risk.

We dive into Alexandra’s journey into producing her very first feature film, a micro-budget horror that proved you don’t need permission, massive resources, or a studio greenlight to make something powerful. She shares how learning to use what you already have access to — locations, friends, skills, and community — became the foundation for her producing career and eventually led her to mentoring other filmmakers. She's also produced multiple faith-based films from 250k-1 mill.

Helenna brings a unique cross-border perspective, sharing how building a creative life in Canada has shaped her approach to storytelling, sustainability, and artistic freedom — and how making work outside the traditional Hollywood system can open unexpected doors.

Together, we talk about why micro-budget filmmaking can actually be better than big budget projects:
less pressure, more flexibility, stronger collaboration — and the freedom to experiment, take risks, and simply have fun making art with your friends.

This episode is about:

• Creating before you feel ready

• Using what’s already in your hands

• Why smaller budgets can lead to bigger joy

• Building a creative life without gatekeepers

• And starting a new year by choosing momentum over perfection

If you’re an actor, filmmaker, or creator wondering whether you’re “ready” — this conversation reminds you that you already are.

Welcome to 2026.
Create boldly.

Alexandra & Helenna's Links

Tubi "At Your Own Risk"  https://tubitv.com/movies/666447/at-your-own-risk

Alexandra's Films & Books:

 ⁠https://theboylansisters.com/⁠

Helenna's Films & Books:

https://www.helennasantos.com/