10/02/2026
Your next filmmaking opportunity may not begin on a movie screen. It could begin on a phone.
Vertical drama is creating a new market for scripted entertainment, and independent filmmakers, writers, producers, and directors are finding opportunities within it.
On the newest episode of The Art of Film Funding, Carole Dean speaks with Dana Protsyshak, founder of Dana Productions, the LA Vertical Drama Market, and Vert-I-Go Media.
Dana has worked across more than 35 vertical projects, and she takes listeners inside a format that operates very differently from traditional filmmaking.
They explore how vertical stories are structured, why episodes rely so heavily on hooks and cliffhangers, what production can look like, who finances these projects, how filmmakers and crew are paid, and what platforms want to see from creators trying to enter the market.
One particularly useful takeaway for filmmakers: don’t approach vertical drama as simply a traditional movie shot vertically. The storytelling, pacing, framing, production schedule, audience behavior, and business model have developed their own rules.
Dana also shares practical advice for writers trying to break in, including studying successful vertical series, developing sample episodes, understanding current trends, and building experience that shows platforms you understand the format.
If you’re looking for new ways to create, sell, distribute, and earn from your storytelling skills, this conversation will give you a valuable introduction to the vertical drama business.
🎧 Listen now to Hollywood Goes Vertical: How Filmmakers Can Create, Sell and Make Money from Vertical Drama on The Art of Film Funding Podcast
https://buff.ly/VX1ZuST
