Join us for a panel talk in the LBFF FilmLounge on Saturday at 2pm. As the industry keeps shifting, Cate Fogarty of Vertical Sunsets, actor and creator Clayton Farris, and Echobend Chief Creative Officer Ryan Turner share how they are building what comes next, from vertical formats to brand collaborations, honest insight into the paths that can help any creative thrive in the days ahead.

Moderated by LBFF’s Director of Programming Hunter Stiebel.

HUNTER STIEBEL | LBFF DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING

Hunter Stiebel, Director of Programming for the Long Beach Film Festival, is an actor and filmmaker whose work spans independent film, network television, and acclaimed theater. He currently stars in the ensemble film Chasers, which premiered at Sundance 2025 and continues a successful international festival run, most recently screening at South By Southwest Sydney. He is also recognizable from numerous national commercial campaigns, including his ongoing role as Jack Box for Jack in the Box. Hunter began his career in theater, performing with Tony Award–winning companies such as Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater,and Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

CATE FOGARTY | VERTICAL SUNSETS

Cate Fogarty is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker passionate about crafting female-driven stories that equally entertain and erode stereotypes. After traveling the world to work on a dozen plus vertical series, she co-founded Vertical Sunsets, a boutique creative studio that develops and produces microdrama content for a global audience. Their original series continue to elevate the genre while garnering hundreds of millions of views and attracting a fiercely loyal fanbase world-wide. Focused on equity and sustainability in filmmaking, Cate and her co-founders believe that diversity on both sides of the camera fosters high-quality, binge-worthy content that captivates viewers, and Vertical Sunsets continues to lead by example

CLAYTON FARRIS | ACTOR & CREATOR

Clayton Farris is an actor and creator. He’s the lead in Chips or Crackers, a comedic short film that is part of the 21st Century Problems film block (4:30pm Sunday 8/30, Art Theatre).

RYAN TURNER | ECHOBEND

Ryan Turner has always known he wanted to be a filmmaker—ever since he convinced his 6th grade history teacher to let him make films instead of write papers.
He’s the co-founder of Echobend, a Los Angeles–based creative studio, and does everything from running post-production to directing comedy commercials. His work has aired on TVs around the world, screened at film festivals, and garnered billions of views online.
He’s an optimist at heart and a big believer in building creative community. But most importantly, he doesn’t have to write any more papers. Except when asked for a bio.