The Verties

The Verties will be awarded to the amazing creatives within the expanding Vertical Space.

Vertical dramas are reshaping the entertainment landscape, introducing a storytelling format built specifically for mobile audiences. Their rapid rise has captured Hollywood’s attention and driven meaningful industry recognition—most notably through VertiCon, the first-ever convention dedicated exclusively to vertical content, and the launch of the Vertical Awards, which honor innovation and creative excellence in this emerging space.

Designed for smartphones, vertical dramas are episodic series produced in a 9:16 vertical format, featuring short, fast-paced episodes often under one minute. Tailored for the TikTok generation, these micro-dramas are bingeable, emotionally driven, and optimized for on-the-go viewing. Despite their brief runtime, they deliver high-impact storytelling through relatable characters, dramatic twists, and cliffhanger endings—earning their reputation as modern-day soap operas reimagined for Gen Z and the scrolling era.