From theatres to smartphones, a BIFFes dialogue examines why vertical filmmaking may shape the future of media
Bengaluru, NFAPost: The grammar of cinema is undergoing a quiet but radical transformation. As audiences increasingly shift from cinema halls and television screens to smartphones, storytelling itself is adapting—shorter, faster, and vertically framed. This tectonic shift was at the heart of an engaging discussion titled “Vertical Filmmaking”, held during the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival, where filmmakers, content creators, and industry professionals examined the rise of micro-series and their implications for the future of visual media.
Panelists agreed that vertical storytelling—designed primarily for mobile consumption—is no longer a niche experiment but a fast-emerging mainstream format. China currently dominates this space, followed by the United States, while India is witnessing rapid growth driven by platforms experimenting aggressively with short-form, high-intensity narrative content.
China Leads, India Accelerates
Offering a global perspective, Varsha, who works in the micro-series division of the Zee TV group, outlined the sheer scale of vertical filmmaking internationally.
“China is the global leader in vertical filmmaking,” she said.
“More than 40,000 micro-dramas have already been released there, and their revenue is now surpassing traditional box-office collections.”
According to Varsha, while the trend gained traction in the US over the last two to three years, India is now entering a decisive growth phase.
“Platforms like Zee and Kuku have already taken the lead,” she noted.
“By 2026–27, major corporate players will enter this space in a big way.”
However, she cautioned that this format demands a completely different narrative mindset.
“There is no room for silence, relaxation, or slowness in micro-dramas,” she explained.
“It’s all about noise, speed, momentum—and holding attention every second.”
Every Second Must Count
That pressure to constantly engage was echoed by Rajshri Ponnappa, a content creator working extensively in the micro-drama segment.
“There has to be a twist every 13 seconds,” she said.
“Something must always be happening—everything unfolds in the moment.”
She stressed that while micro-series may appear deceptively simple, they are among the most demanding formats to execute.
“Audience patience is extremely thin,” Rajshri explained.
“If there is no emotional hook in the first 10 seconds, the viewer will simply scroll past.”
In a digital ecosystem governed by algorithms and attention spans, storytelling has become as much about immediacy as imagination.
A New Visual Language
From a technical standpoint, vertical filmmaking demands a complete rethinking of visual composition. Cinematographer Manohar Joshi explained how the vertical frame alters both aesthetics and performance.
“This format is entirely different from widescreen cinema,” he said.
“Here, the actor’s eyes and emotions are far more important than grand visual spectacle.”
He pointed out that close-ups dominate vertical storytelling, while staging becomes more complex.
“Showing more than two characters in a single frame is a major challenge,” Joshi noted.
“But at the same time, this sector is generating employment and opening up new opportunities for technicians and artists.”
Mass Reach, Everyday Audiences
Adding another layer to the discussion, content creator Lovnith S. Rampure shared striking data on the scale of production and consumption in India.
“In the last six months alone, more than 800 micro-shows in Hindi and around 120 in regional languages have been produced,” he said.
Emotion-driven narratives, he observed, are performing particularly well.
“When even auto-rickshaw drivers are enjoying this content, you know the reach is massive,” Rampure remarked, underlining how deeply these formats are penetrating everyday life.
The Media of the Future
With episodes ranging from just one to two-and-a-half minutes, micro-series are fundamentally reshaping the art of storytelling. The panel concluded that vertical cinema is not merely a trend but a new media language—one that cuts across regions, languages, and demographics.
For writers, actors, directors, and technicians, adaptation is no longer optional.
Stories must be sharper, performances more immediate, and visuals more intimate—because in the vertical world, attention is the most valuable currency.
The session was moderated by senior film journalist Sunayana Suresh, who guided the discussion through its technological, creative, and cultural dimensions.
As BIFFes continues to reflect the changing contours of global cinema, the conversation around vertical filmmaking made one thing clear: the future of storytelling may well fit into the palm of a hand—but its impact is anything but small.
