Vertical dramas originated in China in the late 2010s, and they’ve only grown in popularly since then: in 2024, revenue from vertical dramas in China surpassed traditional Chinese film box office receipts. Worldwide, they’re an $11 billion dollar industry, and the industry is only growing. Shot in 9:16 (specifically for phones) for apps like ReelShort and DramaShort, episodes of these serialised dramas are one to two minutes long and pay-as-you-go; in order to get to the end, viewers need to buy credits. The stories themselves rely on very specific genre tropes, including werewolves, forbidden love affairs, and secret identities, and have titles like Found a Homeless Billionaire Husband for Christmas, Fated to my Forbidden Alpha, and Married for Green Card, Stayed for Love (which are all real titles).

Vancouver has become a go-to destination for the filming of these vertical dramas. However, even though vertical productions employ many of the same artists who work on independent film productions, content-wise, there isn’t a lot of crossover between the two. Is it even possible for indie filmmakers to leverage the vertical space to tell their stories?

According to Julie Bruns, there is indeed space for indie filmmakers in the world of vertical dramas. Julie is an award-winning indie filmmaker and actress (including Ada, about 19th-century genius mathematician Ada Byron King), a veteran of 25 vertical dramas, and the force behind Beneath Crimson Sails, which recently premiered on the vertical streamer Muvpix. Beneath Crimson Sails is a fully independent fantasy pirate vertical series filled with treasure, magic, sword fights, ships, stunts, and nary a trope in sight. In this fascinating and informative interview, Julie speaks with Sabrina about the world of vertical dramas, and what a project like Beneath Crimson Sails tells us about what’s actually possible in that space.

Episode sponsor: Fish Flight Entertainment

Actress and filmmaker Nat Boltt (Penelope Blossom on Riverdale) returns to the YVR Screen Scene Podcast to discuss Holy Days, her feature film directorial debut that screened at the venerable Toronto International Film Festival and is currently wowing crowds around the world. Based on the acclaimed novel by Dame Joy Cowley, Holy Days is a joyful adventure about faith, friendship, and the courage to take one last leap of belief. Three unconventional nuns embark on a last-ditch road trip across New Zealand on a journey to fight for their independence. Along the way, they form an unlikely bond with a young Māori boy on a deeply personal mission of his own. Holy Days was written and directed by the Vancouver-based Nat and stars a trio of legends: Academy Award nominee and Emmy, Golden Globe, and BAFTA winner Judy Davis, BAFTA winner Miriam Margolyes, and two-time Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver; the young Māori boy is portrayed with stunning depth by rising star Elijah Tamati. Holy Days is moving, whimsical, funny, wildly entertaining, and beautiful. Recently, Holy Days has enjoyed screenings across North America (and will return to Vancouver’s Park Theatre on April 25), and will soon be available on VOD. In this fascinating and episode, Nat Boltt reflects on the wild ride to bring this rollicking feature film directorial debut to the screen. It’s a fun one!

Episode sponsor: Fish Flight Entertainment

Next week, Family Law takes its final bow after four critically acclaimed seasons on Global Television and Stack TV. The Lark Productions comedy-drama series – which follows a group of flawed family members who reluctantly work together at their father's law firm in Downtown Vancouver – was the brainchild of showrunner and award-winning author Susin Nielsen. Susin is an exceptionally gifted storyteller, and she’s got the awards, accolades, and stats to back it up: more than one hundred hours of television; author of seven best-selling young adult novels, some of which have won the Governor General’s Literary Award, the UKLA award, and over a dozen young readers’ choice awards; recipient of the Writers’ Trust Vicky Metcalf Award for her body of work, which now includes a book for adults, Snap (about three people who meet in a court-mandated anger management class).

In this compelling conversation with Sabrina Rani Furminger, Susin discusses what she learned about storytelling and this crazy biz in her four years at the helm of Family Law, the time Family Law star Jewel Staite gave her the middle finger for real, and turning real-life rage into comedy gold in Snap – and she also takes the time to say goodbye to Family Law’s viewers, crew, and cast.

Episode sponsor: Fish Flight Entertainment