For decades, series and films were conceived for horizontal screens. But consumer habits on smartphones and the growth of short videos are changing the way we consume entertainment: vertical content is in.
Microdramas are one of the most visible expressions of this change. These stories are designed for vertical formats (9:16) and are usually divided into episodes that are just a few minutes long and that are built around plot twists and moments of suspense that seek to keep the viewer moving from one chapter to the next.
Popularized by the Chinese market, the model has expanded internationally, with specialized platforms such as ReelShort, DramaBox and GoodShort. Now, microdramas are beginning to reach large streaming platforms as well.
HBO Max is testing out HBO Max Shorts, a new feature that allows you to discover content from your catalog through a vertical feed. Instead of producing entire series in this format, the platform features scenes, trailers, clips, and other short content that users can scroll through by swiping the screen.
The feature appears through the “Shorts” icon in the navigation menu, and seeks to reduce one of the usual frictions among streaming audiences: deciding what to watch. Instead of navigating between covers and descriptions, the user can directly encounter fragments of stories and, from there, discover a movie or series. The test began with a group of iOS users in the United States and is expected to reach more devices and markets later.
HBO Max’s move doesn’t mean streaming is abandoning the horizontal screen. But it does point to an interesting trend: vertical content won’t just compete for our attention on social networks; it will also begins to influence how we discover traditional entertainment.
The question, then, might not be whether future series will be vertical or horizontal, but rather, how the logic of scrolling will end up transforming the way we choose what to watch.
Source: HBO Max