Producing : Producing in 2025 means thinking beyond the big screen. by Sandra Isabel Correia

Thanks for sharing the article, Sandra Isabel Correia. I think vertical shorts are a new frontier for producers, directors, writers, and more. I'm getting ready to write vertical scripts. I watched Stage 32’s "Understanding Vertical Storytelling "Verticals" 101" webinar last month. I plan on watching the "How to Write Vertical Micro Drama Scripts" webinar on Dec. 9th too. A producer-director I've worked with for a long time wants me to write some vertical scripts for him. I write commercials, so I'm used to writing really short scripts.

I think we have to evolve with the times. If vertical shorts and mobile-first videos are attracting more viewers, then it makes sense for creators and producers to pay serious attention to that space.

However, I also believe that mobile-native shorts don’t always translate well to the big screen. As audiences get more used to vertical content, the cinematic appeal of traditional wide-screen formats might gradually lose its impact.

Love that, Maurice Vaughan! Commercials really are the perfect training ground for verticals short, sharp, and punchy. Sounds like you’re already ahead of the curve, and I can’t wait to see how your vertical scripts turn out. Congratulations on that, my friend. It’s exciting that you’re already diving in with scripts for a producer-director you’ve worked with. I love that Stage 32 is offering these webinars to help us explore the format. I’ll be curious to hear how the Dec. 9th session shapes your approach. Please let us know then.

Great points, Fuad Shawn! I agree that vertical shorts are definitely reshaping how audiences consume stories, and it makes sense for us as creators to pay attention to that space. At the same time, I think you’re right. What works brilliantly on a phone doesn’t always carry the same weight on a cinema screen.

For me, the exciting challenge is figuring out how to let both formats coexist: vertical storytelling as a way to capture immediacy and intimacy, and widescreen cinema as a way to deliver scale and spectacle. It feels like we’re entering an era where producers and writers will need to design stories with the platform in mind, almost like tailoring the narrative to the canvas. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks, Sandra Isabel Correia. Ok, I'll let the community know how the webinar goes. I'm sure it'll be incredible!

Yes, please, Maurice Vaughan. Share with us :))

Sandra Isabel Correia We'll see. It is very faddish at the moment. It's been well established for over a decade in advertising, and in short-short ephemerals - ie. the essence of what Martin Scorcese says differentiates "content" (free, cheap, transitory, ephemeral, forgettable) from "film" (expensive, important, memorable, engaging) . But the vertical format is very difficult to watch and about 20 minutes in reelshort.com will have you asking why anyone is forcing otherwise interesting ideas into a format that is hard to look at. The human field of view is roughly 1:85 or 16:9 - standard wide screen or HD, and that accounts for why it has become dominant. It's very easy to view. All of which is to say that the vertical format requires narrative and visual approach to be shot specifically for that aspect. Advertising often is. Narrative so far almost never is. Now recall just a couple years ago Quibi became the fastest studio bankruptcy in history losing $ 1.5 billion in ~8 months, betting largely on the vertical experience, as well as the short-short ephemeral experienc. Were they simply too early? Or is it actually impossible to commercialize the format to the extent it pays for itself? We've been studying this and I can say without doubt that the vertical format is being used to drive traffic to standard long form format. That's a kind of marketing use, which is where verticals came from (in malls, many years ago), and seems to be the actual best use so far.

Really thoughtful breakdown, Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg . I agree. The vertical format feels more natural in advertising and marketing contexts, where it’s designed for quick impact, but narrative storytelling hasn’t yet found its sweet spot there. Quibi’s collapse is a cautionary tale, though it’s interesting to see verticals now being used as traffic drivers toward long‑form work rather than as standalone experiences. Maybe the format’s strength is exactly that: a teaser tool, not the main stage.

"It feels like we’re entering an era where producers and writers will need to design stories with the platform in mind, almost like tailoring the narrative to the canvas" - love that and agree Sandra Isabel Correia . To an extent, artists have always created for their medium. And as you've pointed out with your post on Netflix and WBD, the entire system is shifting to accommodate this ever emergent dynamic between technology and how we interact with it. The younger generations came up in an environment of much less categorization and norms. They'll easily start a show on their laptop when they wake up, carry it over to their phone on the way to school, and return to it on their big living room TV that evening. Just like we now have news and advertisements EVERYWHERE!!! hahaha, I think we're moving toward entertainment EVERYWHERE!!! :)

Absolutely, Sebastian Tudores. Stories now have to travel fluidly across screens, almost like they’re composed for movement as much as meaning. Entertainment everywhere, yes, but the real art is keeping depth and resonance intact as it shifts from phone to laptop to TV.

Sandra Isabel Correia "almost like they’re composed for movement as much as meaning." I'm gonna run out of space in my quotes notebook because of you! hahaha ;)

Ahahahaa Sebastian Tudores, take me with you lol :))

Vertical (or micro-dramas) are a huge wave of entertainment, surpassing U.S. domestic theatrical figures in China. The anticipation and promotion of its emergence in the U.S. and Western markets it growing, suggesting a new pathway for storytelling. Truncated audience attention span and the sector's growth would seem to indicate a space for these productions to explode in popularity.

Such a great point, Jack Binder. The rise of vertical and micro-dramas really does feel like a tectonic shift in how stories are conceived and consumed. The fact that they’ve already surpassed U.S. theatrical figures in China shows just how powerful this format can be when it aligns with audience habits.

What strikes me is that these productions aren’t just shorter; they’re designed for immediacy, intimacy, and portability. They meet audiences exactly where they are: on the move, in between tasks, or scrolling late at night. That truncated attention span you mentioned isn’t necessarily a limitation; it’s a new rhythm of engagement.

For creators, this opens up a fascinating pathway: stories that unfold in micro-beats, yet still carry emotional weight and narrative depth.

I’d say we’re watching the birth of a format that could redefine “episodic” storytelling altogether, not less, but different.