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Rick Shepherd | Pushing Vertical Boundaries: The Vertical Buzz Episode 11
Welcome to The Vertical Buzz. Host Buzz Leer sits down with actor, writer, and director Rick Shepherd to talk about what happens when a traditionally trained filmmaker jumps into vertical storytelling and has to rethink everything for the 9:16 frame.
Rick shares his Cleveland performance roots, his training across Case Western Reserve University and grad programs in London and Columbia University, and how COVID became the unexpected runway that pushed him deeper into indie filmmaking, collaboration, and ultimately vertical series. From there, the conversation gets practical and specific: what makes vertical different from horizontal, which genres can thrive in the tall frame, and why indie filmmakers may be sitting on a once-in-a-generation opportunity while the ecosystem is still being built.
Buzz and Rick also dive into Rick’s horror vertical series Dead Signal, including what it took to build a higher-quality project with recognizable vertical talent and why horror and action can be perfect for the vertical format. They close with rapid fire, a Cleveland detour, and a real conversation about the fight for the vertical ecosystem as bigger Hollywood players move in and the current platforms decide what the future looks like.
In this episode, you will learn:
• How Rick Shepherd’s early performance life and theater training shaped his filmmaking mindset
• How COVID, indie films, and community collaboration helped Rick transition into vertical work
• What it takes to enter vertical filmmaking as a director and actor, even if you come from traditional cinema
• Dead Signal and what goes into producing an elevated genre vertical series
• Vertical vs horizontal storytelling and how the tall frame changes opportunity, staging, and genre
• Why indie filmmakers may have more opportunity in vertical right now than in traditional film and TV
• The future of vertical entertainment and why creators need a seat at the table as the space grows
• Rapid fire takes plus Cleveland talk, Polish Boys, and the Christmas Story house
Chapters
0:00 Intro & Welcome
3:27 Rick Shepherd Bio
8:35 Early Life & Performance Roots
11:20 COVID, Indie Films & Moving to LA
13:55 Entering Vertical Filmmaking
21:26 Dead Signal: The Horror Series
25:24 Vertical vs Horizontal Storytelling
31:23 The Future of Vertical Entertainment
42:31 Rapid Fire & Cleveland Chat
47:53 Opportunities for Indie Filmmakers
55:13 Dream Vertical Project
58:21 The Fight for the Vertical Ecosystem
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: Rick Shepherd
Rick Shepherd is a Los Angeles based filmmaker and actor from Cleveland, Ohio. He holds a BA in Acting from Case Western Reserve University, an MA in Directing from East 15 Acting School in London, and a second master’s in Film and Literature from Columbia University. Rick began as an actor in independent films before moving behind the camera to write and direct, with a focus on performance-driven storytelling. He directs and produces vertical series, performs as a lead actor, is part of a MO Pictures vertical screenwriters talent pool, and founded Backyard Shorts, a company dedicated to developing vertical projects and supporting independent filmmakers.
Instagram: @realrickshepherd
Host: Buzz Leer
Instagram: @buzz_leer
A Glendale Podcast Studio Production
Owned and operated by Erika and Jason Hanan
Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio
Social Media Coordinator: 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
View all episodes
By verticalbuzzdistroWelcome to The Vertical Buzz. Host Buzz Leer sits down with actor, writer, and director Rick Shepherd to talk about what happens when a traditionally trained filmmaker jumps into vertical storytelling and has to rethink everything for the 9:16 frame.
Rick shares his Cleveland performance roots, his training across Case Western Reserve University and grad programs in London and Columbia University, and how COVID became the unexpected runway that pushed him deeper into indie filmmaking, collaboration, and ultimately vertical series. From there, the conversation gets practical and specific: what makes vertical different from horizontal, which genres can thrive in the tall frame, and why indie filmmakers may be sitting on a once-in-a-generation opportunity while the ecosystem is still being built.
Buzz and Rick also dive into Rick’s horror vertical series Dead Signal, including what it took to build a higher-quality project with recognizable vertical talent and why horror and action can be perfect for the vertical format. They close with rapid fire, a Cleveland detour, and a real conversation about the fight for the vertical ecosystem as bigger Hollywood players move in and the current platforms decide what the future looks like.
In this episode, you will learn:
• How Rick Shepherd’s early performance life and theater training shaped his filmmaking mindset
• How COVID, indie films, and community collaboration helped Rick transition into vertical work
• What it takes to enter vertical filmmaking as a director and actor, even if you come from traditional cinema
• Dead Signal and what goes into producing an elevated genre vertical series
• Vertical vs horizontal storytelling and how the tall frame changes opportunity, staging, and genre
• Why indie filmmakers may have more opportunity in vertical right now than in traditional film and TV
• The future of vertical entertainment and why creators need a seat at the table as the space grows
• Rapid fire takes plus Cleveland talk, Polish Boys, and the Christmas Story house
Chapters
0:00 Intro & Welcome
3:27 Rick Shepherd Bio
8:35 Early Life & Performance Roots
11:20 COVID, Indie Films & Moving to LA
13:55 Entering Vertical Filmmaking
21:26 Dead Signal: The Horror Series
25:24 Vertical vs Horizontal Storytelling
31:23 The Future of Vertical Entertainment
42:31 Rapid Fire & Cleveland Chat
47:53 Opportunities for Indie Filmmakers
55:13 Dream Vertical Project
58:21 The Fight for the Vertical Ecosystem
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: Rick Shepherd
Rick Shepherd is a Los Angeles based filmmaker and actor from Cleveland, Ohio. He holds a BA in Acting from Case Western Reserve University, an MA in Directing from East 15 Acting School in London, and a second master’s in Film and Literature from Columbia University. Rick began as an actor in independent films before moving behind the camera to write and direct, with a focus on performance-driven storytelling. He directs and produces vertical series, performs as a lead actor, is part of a MO Pictures vertical screenwriters talent pool, and founded Backyard Shorts, a company dedicated to developing vertical projects and supporting independent filmmakers.
Instagram: @realrickshepherd
Host: Buzz Leer
Instagram: @buzz_leer
A Glendale Podcast Studio Production
Owned and operated by Erika and Jason Hanan
Instagram: @glendalepodcaststudio
Social Media Coordinator: 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