FanTalk: Where Vertical Drama Fans Speak Up 🎬💬

Vertical storytelling is often discussed from the outside—through platforms, analytics, and industry trends. But to truly understand its impact, we also need to listen to the people learning and creating inside these spaces. Following my first feature on the Digital Performance Lab with director D’Arcy Smith, this second article shifts the focus to a student […]

Vertical storytelling is no longer a niche experiment — it’s becoming a training ground, a testing space, and for many performers, a genuine career pathway. As demand for micro-dramas and vertical series continues to grow, the question is no longer if this format matters, but how performers and institutions are adapting to it. That’s where […]

🧠 FanTalk: The Numbers Illusion View Counts, Metrics, and Why Transparency Matters in VertiLand View counts are everywhere in VertiLand. They’re proudly displayed on vertical apps, used in marketing campaigns, and often presented as proof of success. But here’s the real question: what do those numbers actually mean? As a viewer, I don’t think it’s […]

When Fan Ideas Become Verticals: The Story Behind Beneath Crimson Sails In VertiLand, trends often move fast — but true innovation usually starts with a simple question: what haven’t we seen yet? Beneath Crimson Sails stands out as a milestone in Vertical storytelling. As the first pirate-themed Vertical series, it proves that even traditionally “high-budget” […]

Being a Fan – Part 3: Privacy Matters Welcome back to FanTalk.This is Part 3 of Being a Fan — and if you haven’t read Parts 1 and 2 yet, I strongly recommend starting there. In those, we talked about parasocial relationships, respect, and how fandom dynamics can sometimes blur important lines. Today, we’re going […]

Have you ever opened one of your go-to apps, spotted a shiny new release, and clicked out of curiosity — only to realize within seconds that it’s an AI Vertical? And we’re not just talking about obscure apps. Major players like FlareFlow, PocketFM, and Dramabox have started pushing AI-generated vertical dramas onto our feeds. But […]

🎭 Acting Definition Acting is the art of embodying a character that is not yourself — breathing life into someone else’s story, emotions, and actions while knowing it begins and ends with the performance. When Acting Becomes Too Real for Fans Imagine this: you just landed your very first role, and it’s as a villain. […]

Imagine coming home after a long day at work. You’re tired, looking for a little escapism, so you grab your phone, open your favorite app, and start a Vertical. The first few episodes hook you instantly. You’re in. But then—paywall. Since you’re not a heavy binger, you skip the subscription and spend between $50–$70 in […]

The Shift From Toxic Tropes to Empowering Stories In a previous FanTalk, I spoke about the concerning trend of toxic or abusive male leads being glamorized in vertical dramas—and how this can be dangerous due to audience desensitization. Too often, we see female characters “forgive” years of psychological or physical mistreatment because the male lead […]

TL;DR Stories shape norms. When violent or degrading behavior is packaged as “romance,” younger viewers can become desensitized, more accepting of harm, and less likely to recognize red flags in real life. The data backs this up—and so does common sense. What the research says (and why it matters) Desensitization is real. Longitudinal research shows […]

In a previous FanTalk about Being a Fan, we explored parasocial relationships and how to manage them from a fan’s perspective.Today, let’s continue the conversation with Being a Fan – Part 2, focusing on one of the most important (and sometimes forgotten) parts of fandom culture: respect. When Excitement Crosses the Line Imagine this: You’ve […]

Vertical web dramas have quickly evolved from novelty content to a full-blown phenomenon, with fans across the globe craving romance, tension, and escapism in bite-sized episodes. But with that growth has also come a rise in toxicity—storylines relying on shock value, abuse, and outdated tropes. Thankfully, creatives are rewriting the rules. One of the most […]