Welcome to The Vertical Buzz, where vertical entertainment finds its voice. This week, host Buzz Leer sits down with Darren Darnborough, an actor, entrepreneur, and tech innovator helping shape the future of casting, auditions, and vertical storytelling.Darren shares how a Dr. Pepper commercial at 16 opened the door to acting, why he pivoted from acting school into film and media, and how his entrepreneurial path led from nightclub promotion to Stuck4Staff, WeAudition, and now VertiCast. Buzz and Darren talk about the evolution of self-tapes, the rise of WeAudition as a global actor community, and how VertiCast is being built specifically for the speed of vertical production.They also get into why vertical casting needs a different system, how availability and experience matter in this new ecosystem, what Hollywood can learn from micro drama data, and why specificity may be the key to standing out in a crowded creator economy.In this episode, you will learn:• How Darren Darnborough got his first professional acting job at 16• Why he moved from acting studies into film and media• How Stuck4Staff helped shape his thinking around urgent casting• Why WeAudition became essential during the rise of self-tapes• How VertiCast was built for the speed of vertical storytelling• What “swipe, cast, create” means for actors and producers• Why vertical casting needs faster tools and better availability data• How micro dramas are shifting the entertainment industry• Why actors should understand data, community, and specificity• What Darren believes the industry may be missing right nowChaptersSponsor: 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.coRapid Fire Sponsor: VertiCastVertiCast is a casting app built for the speed of vertical storytelling. Actors can create profiles, upload clips, share availability, and make it easier for casting directors and producers to find them quickly.Website: VertiCastApp.comInstagram: @verticastappGuest: Darren DarnboroughDarren Darnborough is a UK-born, Los Angeles based actor, entrepreneur, and tech founder. His screen credits include MacGyver, Magnum, P.I., 2 Broke Girls, True Blood, Marshals, Abruptio, Razor, and Zack Snyder’s The Seneschal. Off-screen, Darren is the co-founder and CEO of WeAudition, a global platform used by actors in more than 100 countries, and the co-founder of VertiCast, a casting platform built for the fast-moving world of vertical storytelling. Across acting, technology, and community building, Darren is helping shape where entertainment goes next.Instagram: @darrendarnboroughHost: Buzz LeerInstagram: @buzz_leerA Glendale Podcast Studio ProductionInstagram: @glendalepodcaststudioSocial Media Coordinator: Ana Karina CanoInstagram: @anakarinacanoTheme Song by Grace Leer and Bryan DawleyPublic Relations and Media: Robb LeerLeer Communications, Inc.Special thanks to all of my support team, friends, and family.Host, Buzz Leer