Sal Paskowitz | Hollywood Is Doing Vertical Wrong: The Vertical Buzz S3E12

What happens when a Hollywood screenwriter decides the future of entertainment is vertical, but refuses to let an algorithm tell him what stories to make? 📱🎬

This week on The Vertical Buzz, Buzz Leer sits down with Sal Paskowitz, screenwriter, director, producer, and co-founder of Super Punchy Studios. Sal co-created and co-wrote The Age of Adaline, starring Blake Lively and Harrison Ford, and now he's bringing his cinematic approach to the rapidly evolving world of vertical entertainment.

But Sal's story starts far from Hollywood. Raised as one of nine children in a legendary surfing family, he spent much of his childhood traveling the world in a camper. With an unconventional education built around books, nature, and movies, Sal developed a lifelong passion for creativity and storytelling that took him from art and graphic design to Hollywood filmmaking.

Now, with Super Punchy Studios, he's taking a different approach to vertical drama. Following the success of Step by Step, Sal is determined to put the story first, rather than simply repeating whatever an algorithm says is working. He shares why he believes audiences deserve more than recycled tropes, how vertical framing changes the way directors tell stories, and why he sees this format becoming a fully integrated part of the entertainment industry.

We also talk about Layover, Super Punchy's upcoming projects, the growing pains of the vertical market, and Sal's bold vision for what comes next. Plus, stick around for rapid-fire questions, surfing stories, celebrity impressions, singing, and a surprising family connection to legendary voice actor Mel Blanc.

In this episode, you will learn:

🎬 How Sal went from an unconventional childhood to co-writing The Age of Adaline

🏄 What growing up in a legendary surfing family taught him about creativity

📱 Why Sal believes vertical entertainment needs to put storytelling ahead of algorithms

🔥 What made Step by Step connect with audiences, and what's next for Super Punchy Studios

🎥 How directing and production design change when the frame goes vertical

🤖 Why Sal is betting on handcrafted stories in the age of AI