In Conversation with Natalie McCarty of Gut Instict Media

What inspired the creation of Gut Instinct Media? From one media lover to another, what drove you to make that passion into something tangible? 

Gut Instinct Media was born very organically and true to its name. I followed my intuition and a gut feeling almost blindly until it grew into what is now the company. 

Truthfully, writing was never the original plan. I studied Media, Culture, and Communication at NYU with the intention of becoming a publicist, which is what I do today. Over time, I began to feel constrained by the narratives I was able to tell within traditional PR and that limitation ultimately pushed me toward writing. What has always driven me is something more fundamental: a genuine desire to connect with people and tell stories with depth and intention.

I’ve been a film fanatic for as long as I can remember, and my work has consistently centered on the relationship between media and culture and how storytelling influences society and how society shapes the stories we tell in return.

Gut Instinct Media is where all of those passions converge and allows me to build something tangible that brings people together, amplifies meaningful voices, and creates real-world impact. At its core, Gut Instinct is about trusting that inner pull toward connection and using media not just to observe the world, but to actively engage with and improve it. 

What are your top four pieces of media that came out in 2025? 

2025 was honestly such a great year for media, especially film (finally!). There were a lot of standouts, but a few really stuck with me.

At the top of the list, of course, is Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. It was easily the biggest media win of the year, maybe even the decade. Maybe even of all time… Breaking records with 16 Oscar nominations, it felt like a true, bold cultural moment and was incredibly well executed. It’s one of those things that only happens once in a lifetime. 

I also loved Eva Victor’s Sorry, Baby and Bradley Cooper and Will Arnett’s Is This Thing On? Both felt really intimate and grounded, and stood out for how honest and personal they were.

For my final pick, I’m giving it to I Love LA, partly because it deserves it, and partly because I just love L.A. It really felt like a genuine love letter to my city and the role it plays in shaping culture.

Why do you think having a virtual community like this is important?

In times like these, a virtual community couldn’t be more important. When people are being attacked by systems of power, when our government has failed us, when compassion feels increasingly absent from culture, and when so many voices are silenced, having a shared space for connection becomes essential.

A community like this allows us to connect not just nationally, but globally. It creates a sense of solidarity and belonging, truly. We are not alone in our experiences or perspectives, and there is real strength in being able to support one another and exchange ideas and hold space for different voices, especially during moments of peril, you know? 

At its core, a virtual community offers something powerful: collective resilience.

Do you feel like being in LA, a place where so much media is created, influences your work?

Oh, it 100% does. Being in LA and working in Hollywood gives me a completely different perspective on media. There’s an energy here that’s hard to replicate anywhere else.

LA is a place where stories are constantly being created and reimagined, and being surrounded by that kind of creative momentum inevitably influences my work. You’re exposed to so many perspectives, both on and off screen, and that pushes you to think bigger and more intentionally about storytelling. Being embedded in that environment makes the work feel alive, and it’s inspiring to be part of a city that’s actively shaping the stories the world consumes.

Movie/Show that changed your life or made you think more about media as a whole 

Celine Song’s Past Lives. I truly cannot talk about this film enough. It fundamentally changed the way I move through the world and think about storytelling. 

Favorite thing Gut Instinct has done thus far?

There have been so many labors of love with Gut Instinct and a lot of exciting projects, but my favorite experience so far was definitely working with Teen Vogue. It was devastating to see what Condé Nast did to that team and to such an important publication. Those summits were incredible to cover and created meaningful opportunities to connect with our younger audience. They also gave me the chance to work directly with executives at Teen Vogue, which was an especially valuable and rewarding experience. Really lucky to have been able to experience that two years in a row.

Anything exciting we can expect for the future? 

One exciting thing coming up is that one of our senior writers, and a close friend of mine, Bella Kovar, has just announced a second round of her poetry workshop with us. It’s an incredible program she’s running and a great way for people outside of our staff to engage with the brand in a more hands-on way. 

We’re also always developing new collaborations. Personally, I’m really looking forward to covering the Oscars and continuing to work with film companies like A24 and Sony.

Within today’s digital landscape, what do you find worrisome and what do you find positive within journalism?

To start on a positive note, journalism feels more essential than ever within today’s digital landscape. Despite the horrendous times, there are still so many moments of hope, joy, and resilience that journalism makes visible. At Gut Instinct, we are able to highlight stories that might otherwise go unnoticed and bring people and communities together through shared experiences, values, and conversations. Digital platforms, when used thoughtfully, allow stories to travel faster and reach audiences who are actively seeking connection, representation, and truth. 

At the same time, there is a great deal that feels deeply worrisome. The journalism industry has been increasingly constrained by political pressure under the Trump administration, which has actively worked to undermine public trust in the media and erode long-standing protections around freedom of the press and of speech. 

Trump’s deliberate spread of misinformation, his weaponization of the term “fake news,” and his relentless attacks on journalists have fostered a hostile environment in which ethical, responsible reporting is both more difficult and more urgent than ever. In response, the only option is to raise up your voice and hold an unwavering commitment to truth, accountability, and integrity

Who is a Darling in your life that you’d like to shout out?

My friend Diego Andaluz (@thediegoandaluz). I genuinely don’t know how he manages to fit so much into a single day. He works incredibly hard and is always involved in something exciting and creatively ambitious. His drive, persistence, and commitment to his work are deeply admirable. Beyond that, he’s just a genuinely good person: supportive, uplifting, and always giving back to the people around him. I truly love seeing him win.