Vurt wants you to look at vertical videos as a genre of their own
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What's this about?
From Disney Plus to HBO Max, almost every major established streaming service is experimenting with ways to get into vertical content. It's clear that these companies see video-focused social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram as existential threats. In this arms race for viewers' attention,
The one-panel cartoon
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A traditional film screening room with a large projector screen displaying a series of short, vertical videos arranged side-by-side in a grid, while an audience looks bewildered and confused.
Caption: When the future arrives, it comes in sideways.
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Based on the original story on theverge.com.
Editor's note
As vertical videos continue to dominate social media platforms, their integration into mainstream entertainment signals a profound shift in how we consume media. This trend, driven by the efficiency and immediacy of vertical formats, may well redefine the boundaries of storytelling and creativity in the decades to come.
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Panel 1
The subject here is the shift from traditional horizontal video formats to vertical videos, driven by the influence of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Major streaming services are now trying to adapt to this trend to compete with these platforms. The irony lies in the fact that established streaming services, known for premium long-form content, are suddenly embracing vertical videos—a format traditionally associated with short-form, mobile-first content on social media. This is a stark contrast to their usual focus on high-quality, long-form productions. The highlight is the absurdity of a high-end streaming service trying to appeal to a format that is typically seen as less sophisticated and more casual, effectively trying to be like TikTok. ---
Panel 2
*An office cubicle with a laptop and a few papers scattered on the desk. A young, slightly overwhelmed-looking employee, Alex, is staring at a computer screen displaying a vertical video format template.* Alex (muttering)
Alex: This is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole...
Panel 3
*Alex’s desk, closer shot. Alex is looking at a mock-up of a vertical video featuring a typical long-form streaming service scene (e.g., a cozy living room with a TV set playing a movie). The vertical format cuts off significant portions of the scene.* Alex (sarcastically)
Alex: Wow, this looks *so* natural...
Panel 4
*Alex’s desk again, a close-up of Alex’s face showing a mix of frustration and resignation. The mock-up of the vertical video is on the screen, with only a fraction of the content visible.* Alex (deadpan)
Alex: If this works, I’ll eat my hat... and my pride.
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