Welcome to the Season 1 finale of The Vertical Buzz. This is a special edition episode and a full preview of the Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards happening this Thursday in Los Angeles. Vertical is moving fast, but the biggest story is even bigger: fans are not just watching anymore. Fans are shaping what wins, what gets made, and what becomes the next breakout.
Buzz Leer is joined in studio by Sam Silliman and Amy Sullivan Riley, with Jen Cooper joining remotely from the UK. Jen is the founder of Vertical Drama Love and the Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards, and this episode is your inside look at how the awards work, what makes a winner, and why this community has grown into a sold out live Hollywood theatre event with a global live stream.
Then the panel breaks down the top nominees in the Vertical of the Year category, reacts to nominee clips, talks genre trends, and debates what is actually pushing the medium forward right now. If you love vertical dramas, this is the episode to watch before the big night.
Welcome to the Season 1 finale of The Vertical Buzz. This is a special edition episode and a full preview of the Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards happening this Thursday in Los Angeles. Vertical is moving fast, but the biggest story is even bigger: fans are not just watching anymore. Fans are shaping what wins, what gets made, and what becomes the next breakout.
Buzz Leer is joined in studio by Sam Silliman and Amy Sullivan Riley, with Jen Cooper joining remotely from the UK. Jen is the founder of Vertical Drama Love and the Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards, and this episode is your inside look at how the awards work, what makes a winner, and why this community has grown into a sold out live Hollywood theatre event with a global live stream.
Then the panel breaks down the top nominees in the Vertical of the Year category, reacts to nominee clips, talks genre trends, and debates what is actually pushing the medium forward right now. If you love vertical dramas, this is the episode to watch before the big night.
In this episode, you will learn:
• How the Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards works and how the winners are chosen
• What separates a nominee from a winner and why global voting matters
• What makes a vertical feel like a true Vertical of the Year contender in 2026
• Why vertical is evolving so fast and how audience behavior drives what gets made
• Reactions and debate on the top Vertical of the Year nominees across multiple platforms
• How the Fan Awards grew from an online fan project into a live event in Los Angeles
• Where vertical entertainment is headed next and what fans are demanding more of
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Fan Awards
01:32 Meet the Panel
02:11 Amy Sullivan Riley Spotlight
03:36 Sam Silliman Spotlight
05:01 Jen Cooper Spotlight
06:37 How the Awards Work
08:54 What Makes a Winner
20:07 Sponsor Break
21:13 Nominee Clips Begin
44:56 Halfway Front Runners
49:25 Rom-Com Nostalgia
50:42 Pizza Guys Meet Vampires
52:33 Camp Horror in Vertical
54:54 Queen of the Court
58:04 Sponsor Break Aero AC150
58:44 Queen Never Cry Again
01:02:50 Taming My Bullies
01:07:07 Water Boy BL Hit
01:12:50 Picking the Overall Winner
01:17:33 Fan Awards Origin Story
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: Sam Silliman (@samanthaalex)
Sam Silliman is an award-winning executive producer and showrunner known for crafting high quality digital and narrative content for major platforms including Vice, Hulu, Starz, Netflix, and HBO. Since entering the vertical space in 2023, her projects have generated hundreds of millions of views. She is known for thoughtful leadership, strong collaborations, and prioritizing an exceptional on-set experience.
Guest: Amy Sullivan Riley (@amsullz)
Amy Sullivan Riley began in traditional film and television before becoming an early adopter in the vertical drama space in the United States. She is currently the Head of US Content for Flare Flow and has served as head writer and executive producer on more than 15 micro dramas. Her recent hit Oops, I Married My Bestie’s Brother reached a record 220 million views in 10 days.
Guest: Jen Cooper (@verticaldramalove)
Jen Cooper is the founder of Vertical Drama Love and a globally recognized voice in vertical and micro dramas. Through reviews, commentary, and fan driven initiatives like the Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards, she has helped connect fans, creators, and industry professionals worldwide. The awards drew tens of thousands of votes across more than 100 countries and are bringing the community together in Los Angeles for a live celebration.
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 Coordinator: Ana Karina Cano
Instagram: @anakarinacano
Theme Song: Grace Leer and Bryan Dawley
The Vertical Buzz Theme Song
Public Relations and Media: Rob Leer
Leer Communications, Inc.
Thank you
Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family.
Host, Buzz Leer
