AGENDA NOTES FOR 2026 PANEL DISCUSSION
non-public page
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TITLE: The Rise of the Microdrama and Vertical Filmmaking: Understanding the Fastest-Growing Mobile Storytelling Trend
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PROGRAM SUMMARY:
Microdrama and vertical filmmaking are quickly reshaping how stories are created, distributed, and consumed on mobile devices. Built for phone-first viewing and often delivered in short, highly episodic bursts, these works are changing the rules of framing, pacing, performance, and audience engagement. This panel introduces festival audiences to the format, explains why it is gaining momentum, and explores what it may mean for the future of filmmaking.
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PANELISTS:
Dewey Paul Moffitt, Festival Director & Moderator
Dan & Ganna Hertzog, In The Wee Hour Productions
Gary Fieldman, Executive Producer, Filmmaker
Barbara Todd-Hager, Filmmaker
Bernardo Arsuaga, FIlmmaker
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LENGTH: 60 minutes, Sunday Morning, March 29th 10:30am-11:30am
LOCATION: Nauti Burro
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SHORT INTRO VIDEO EXAMPLE OF MICRO DRAMAS (3 min) to follow screenplay presentations (10am-ish)
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Structure:
0:00–0:05
Moderator welcome + quick educational setup
Define the terms for the audience:
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What is a microdrama?
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What makes vertical filmmaking different?
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Why is this becoming a trend now?
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0:05–0:14
Rapid introductions
6 panelists x about 1.5 minutes max each
Prompt:
“Name, role, and one sentence on whether you see this as opportunity, disruption, or both.”
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0:14–0:24
Educational segment: What the audience needs to know first
Moderator leads a concise primer:
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Mobile-first storytelling
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Vertical frame vs horizontal frame
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Short episodic structure
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Hook-driven writing
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Why audiences are responding
This is the part that makes the panel useful even for newcomers.
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0:24–0:42
Focused discussion: craft, production, and industry
Break into 3 tight topic areas:
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Storytelling craft
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Production realities
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Distribution and future opportunity
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0:42–0:53
Audience Q&A
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0:53–1:00
Closing round
One short final answer from each panelist:
“What is the one thing filmmakers should understand about microdramas right now?”
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Moderator Opening Script
“Welcome everyone. Today we’re looking at one of the fastest-emerging trends in screen storytelling: microdrama and vertical filmmaking. For many people, this may be a new term, so we want to begin by demystifying what it is, why it has grown so quickly, and what filmmakers should understand about the creative and industry implications of making stories for a phone-first audience.”
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Educational Primer Points
What is microdrama?
A short-form scripted narrative, often broken into very brief episodes, designed for fast consumption and strong audience retention.
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What is vertical filmmaking?
Storytelling specifically composed for the upright phone screen, usually in a 9:16 format, rather than adapting a horizontal project after the fact.
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Why is it trending?
Because audiences increasingly consume stories on phones, platforms reward quick engagement, and creators are experimenting with faster, lower-cost, highly serialized forms of storytelling.
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Why should filmmakers care?
Because it affects:
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framing
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pacing
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writing structure
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viewer attention
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monetization and distribution paths
Slimmed-Down Core Questions
Section 1: Understanding the format
What separates a true microdrama from just a short video?
What changes when a story is designed for vertical viewing from the beginning?
Why do you think audiences are responding to this format now?
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Section 2: Craft and production
What storytelling habits from traditional filmmaking do not work as well here?
How do pacing and cliffhangers change the writing process?
What are the biggest visual challenges of composing for a vertical frame?
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Section 3: Industry and future
Is this a creative opportunity, a commercial trend, or both?
Should film festivals take this format seriously?
What kind of filmmaker is best positioned to succeed in this space?
Best Closing Question
Ask each panelist:
“In one sentence: what should this audience remember about microdrama after leaving this room?”
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