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Calgary Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Made for smartphones, verticals are bringing much needed work to Hollywood North
Article content Actor Nic Westaway's resumé has a notable thread running through it. Article content 'I think I've played 10 billionaires, maybe 12,' he said. Article content Since last year, the Vancouver-based actor has been a sought-after star in the world of verticals, also known as micro-dramas. The Australian transplant, who did four seasons on the hit Australian soap opera Home and Away, has starred in 19 verticals in the last 1½ years. Article content Article content Meant to be watched on your phone, verticals are feature film-length stories typically broken down into 70 to 150 episodes of 60 to 90 seconds each. Article content Article content 'It's this weird mash up. It's like, if Hallmark and telenovela had a throuple with a B movie is how I like to describe it,' said Vancouver actor Alicia Read, who has made 10 verticals to date. Read, along with a few others, has formed the Vertical Film & Short Series Alliance ( to help TV Land film people navigate the exploding world of verticals. Article content The stories are watched using vertically oriented apps such as ReelShort, FlickReels, DramaBox and GoodShort. Each platform usually offers between 10-20 free, cliffhanger-packed, episodes to hook the viewer. After that, it will cost you US$20 to US$40 to continue to view. Article content 'They know when people are clicking. They know how far they go in before they start to lose interest,' said Vancouver casting agent Monika Dalman, who notes she has lost count of the number of verticals projects she has worked on since 2023. Dalman's stopped counting after number 40. 'They know what specific cliffhangers are making people pay for the rest of it.' Article content They also decide via data what the next scripts will be. Article content Article content Article content 'I'm all in on this sector,' said Jimmy Wu, a producer/cinematographer and founder of Vancouver production company Vertical film Vancouver/Section Cinema Inc., which has 20 vertical projects to its credit. Article content An early adopter, Wu produced his first vertical in December 2023. For each project, Wu employs anywhere between 20 and 40 cast members, 95 per cent of whom are local. Article content Article content The way things typically work is a company reaches out to a producer and gives them a script from a previously produced project, most likely from an Asian market. It is then westernized. Article content The plots lean toward revenge or rags-to-riches stories, with a soap opera/telenovela flavour. There are hidden identities, lost loves, unknown fortunes — and sometimes werewolves, vampires, and more billionaires than Mar-a-Lago's membership list. The narratives are big on dramatic gasps and slapping.
Vancouver Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
Made for smartphones, verticals are bringing much needed work to Hollywood North
Actor Nic Westaway's resumé has a notable thread running through it. 'I think I've played 10 billionaires, maybe 12,' he said. Since last year, the Vancouver-based actor has been a sought-after star in the world of verticals, also known as micro-dramas. The Australian transplant, who did four seasons on the hit Australian soap opera Home and Away, has starred in 19 verticals in the last 1½ years. Meant to be watched on your phone, verticals are feature film-length stories typically broken down into 70 to 150 episodes of 60 to 90 seconds each. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'It's this weird mash up. It's like, if Hallmark and telenovela had a throuple with a B movie is how I like to describe it,' said Vancouver actor Alicia Read, who has made 10 verticals to date. Read, along with a few others, has formed the Vertical Film & Short Series Alliance ( to help TV Land film people navigate the exploding world of verticals. The stories are watched using vertically oriented apps such as ReelShort, FlickReels, DramaBox and GoodShort. Each platform usually offers between 10-20 free, cliffhanger-packed, episodes to hook the viewer. After that, it will cost you US$20 to US$40 to continue to view. 'They know when people are clicking. They know how far they go in before they start to lose interest,' said Vancouver casting agent Monika Dalman, who notes she has lost count of the number of verticals projects she has worked on since 2023. Dalman's stopped counting after number 40. 'They know what specific cliffhangers are making people pay for the rest of it.' They also decide via data what the next scripts will be. 'I'm all in on this sector,' said Jimmy Wu, a producer/cinematographer and founder of Vancouver production company Vertical film Vancouver/Section Cinema Inc., which has 20 vertical projects to its credit. An early adopter, Wu produced his first vertical in December 2023. For each project, Wu employs anywhere between 20 and 40 cast members, 95 per cent of whom are local. The way things typically work is a company reaches out to a producer and gives them a script from a previously produced project, most likely from an Asian market. It is then westernized. The plots lean toward revenge or rags-to-riches stories, with a soap opera/telenovela flavour. There are hidden identities, lost loves, unknown fortunes — and sometimes werewolves, vampires, and more billionaires than Mar-a-Lago's membership list. The narratives are big on dramatic gasps and slapping. 'I lost count of how many times I've slapped and been slapped. It's crazy,' said Read. 'There's actually a fan account called vertical slaps. It's hilarious.' Wu confirms the high slap count. 'My first script, I counted 50 slaps,' said Wu. 'It's ridiculous, but that's what people watch.' Started in China about seven years ago, verticals began to gain steam in North America during the post-pandemic shift away from TV screens and home computers to phones as people began to commute and travel again. Some of the shows are getting hundreds of millions of views. According to Variety, the 2024 global market (excluding China) for verticals/micro-dramas was worth US$2 billion. That number is expected to double in 2025. China is the world leader in verticals. According to Variety , Chinese state media reported the sector had total revenues of US$5.2 billion in 2023, about 70 per cent of the country's theatrical cinema market. It has been estimated that 30-40 vertical projects are shot in Los Angeles each month. In Vancouver, the number is around 20 a month. 'In British Columbia, where the motion picture industry combines a long history of creation and production, a strong independent scene, and a world-class production ecosystem, vertical productions have exciting potential for existing and emerging talent to explore scalable content for global markets,' Prem Gill, CEO of Creative B.C., said in an email to Postmedia. While budgets are low on verticals, the level of expertise on the shoots is top-notch. 'I can trust the crew,' said Dom Cutrupi, a producer-writer-director who has worked on many Hallmark and Lifetime movies and has made 12 verticals. 'I've done two (vertical) rom-coms and my camera team had the experience of like, 60 Hallmarks each.' With budgets usually running from US$120,000 to US$200,000, verticals tend to average around eight days of shooting. That tight schedule, says Westaway, is a heck of a training ground for young cast and crew. 'What comes out the back end, I think, is super impressive,' said Westaway. 'People are setting up and delivering so quickly with such a limited time … getting through the amount of pages that we do in a script is crazy. So, you take that person in whatever position they're in, and you put them on a feature film or a Netflix series or something like that, and their skills are going to be so dialed in when you have more time and more takes and more space. You're going to be very wel-equipped to do an amazing job on whatever comes your way in your career.' The rise of verticals is well timed for those who work in TV/film production, as the business around the world is down by around 25 per cent. That slump has left many workers here in Hollywood North struggling since the halcyon days of half a decade ago, when streamers were practically backing up trucks filled with money. 'What they're saying is how much they're grateful for them,' said Sammie Astaneh, founder/producer of Service Street Pictures, of local cast and crews. 'They would be out of work. They would have to maybe get jobs at a restaurant or anything to make ends meet.' Aryn Mott, a Vancouver intimacy coordinator, has done 30 verticals. Mott is one of the TV/film production workers who is thrilled to see verticals taking off here. 'Over the past several months, verticals have provided consistent, meaningful work at a time when traditional production has contracted across the globe,' said Mott. Mott, who has worked on such mainstream titles as Shōgun and Resident Alien, has heard different feedback from others in the business. 'Some see verticals as an exciting, accessible frontier; others see them as a space with underdeveloped standards. Both perspectives have merit,' said Mott. 'As the format grows, we're witnessing a clear divide between companies that prioritize ethical, values-based collaboration and those that operate purely from a product-driven standpoint.' Verticals are non-union productions. The local Directors Guild and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees allow members to work on verticals while the unions try to figure out agreements. 'We have to sort of navigate how we're going to classify productions like this,' said Crystal Braunwarth, business representative at IATSE Local 891. 'I actually went to a vertical set and did a visit and opened dialogue with producers on tailor-making a union agreement with the council, so with the Teamsters, with us and with the camera union. We're actually working on a contract right now for a vertical production team . … A lot of our members are working on these shows anyway, so it makes sense for us to tailor and make an agreement.' Actors with UBCP/ACTRA, the B.C. branch of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, are not working on these projects. 'Our members remain committed to upholding industry standards we've fought for so long to establish, including minimum rates, health and safety protections, and limits on the use and exploitation of our names, images, and likenesses. They also rely on the union and collective agreements to safeguard these vital protections,' Keith Martin Gordey, president of UBCP/ACTRA and vice-president of ACTRA national, said in an email to Postmedia. 'For that reason, our members only work on productions signed to a union collective agreement.' But that could change. Gordey's statement also said the union has consulted with vertical platforms and producers, and the union hopes producers will sign on to a union agreement. The union is working to sign an agreement with one producer. According to the tracking site Appfigures, ReelShort is No. 1 in revenue with $52 million in the first quarter of 2024 with DramaBox No. 2 at $35 million. Together that's just over 60 per cent of the revenue of the top 10 apps. 'Investors see this as a smaller and lower-risk investment as opposed to traditional movies, which are a big, larger-risk investments,' said Wu. 'You can make one of these with a 15th of a budget of an indie movie. 'So, instead of one chance of release and seeing how it goes, you have 15 chances.' Wu said tone in 10 of these series will become extremely popular. 'That's why I think investors are looking into this sector and really pumping this sector out,' said Wu. While production budgets are low, companies often spend 10 times the production budget on promoting a series. Figuring out the most successful verticals is difficult as the apps keep viewing figures secret. According to Jen Cooper, a verticals expert who runs the U.K.-based Vertical Drama Love YouTube channel and Instagram account, one of the biggest hits is The Divorced Billionaire Heiress with Mariah Moss and Hunter Kohl, which has had over 360 million views worldwide. Actors have wide-ranging payment experiences for these projects ranging from a few hundred dollars for a 12-hour day to a few thousand dollars for the most popular players in the verticals world. The average union day rate for a principal performer in Hollywood North is just $1,000 for eight hours. But those in the business have seen changes in just a year. 'I know for me, and I don't want to speak specifically dollars, but I can tell you that my rate has tripled since I first started,' said Read. 'I've been able to successfully negotiate much higher rates, things like transport to set, you know, stuff like that, on my own. Because I'm known to the clients, and I'm known to the producers.' Westaway, who is top of the acting food chain in the sector, has been able to secure bigger payments. 'I've done my best to negotiate for higher rates along the way,' said Westaway. In his first two verticals, he was paid less than a production assistant. 'It did start off with quite tight budgets as they sort of investigated how successful they were going to be up here.' According to industry insiders and some reports, women are by far the largest audience for verticals in North America. Because of this, Dalman points out casting of movie-of-the-week regulars is common. 'They have a number of actors that have been in Hallmarks,' said Dalman. 'And they have a huge fan base.' Cooper is part of that demographic and says even before she began her website and YouTube channel, she was hooked on verticals. 'Vertical dramas vary hugely in quality, but they contain some real gems — sharp comedy, clever in-jokes, pitch-perfect romances. Some of the most talented people in the business are working here,' Cooper says. 'They deliver the escapism and dopamine hit I'm looking for, all in 90 minutes on my phone — and then I can get on with my life.' Vancouver's Read had all but given up on a screen career until verticals appeared. 'To be honest, I wasn't really taking it seriously until this quote-unquote mid-life category opened up for me,' said Read, who is 50. 'What was happening when they first launched was that they were skewing very young … Then they started to open up this category that they called the mid-life category.' The apps, which are home to thousands of these series, are almost entirely owned by overseas companies. Aside from Quibi, Jeffrey Katzenberg's ill-fated — too long at 10 minutes and too expensive — short-form streaming service that went away after six months, the major American studios haven't crossed the digital breach. But experts say it's inevitable. 'There was a lot of industry excitement about Netflix looking at verticals, but at the moment, they are just reformatting some of the horizontal content into vertical format for marketing,' said Cooper. Cooper has heard that Disney is looking closely at verticals. The category was a popular topic at Cannes this year. 'A lot of the players in the space, have come from a tech background rather than studio background, so Meta is looking at it, and tech companies in India had just got seed funding,' said Cooper referring to Mobile entertainment startup ReelSaga. Those in the business agreed that verticals are set to grow as more people shift to watching content on their phones. 'It's a massive change of where the business is going,' said Cutrupi. 'This one is actually growing in front of our face.' Dgee@
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Forgotten soap star shows off huge £27million LA mansion after quitting fame and marrying a multimillionaire
Her husband is a talent agent to the stars brand new home Forgotten soap star shows off huge £27million LA mansion after quitting fame and marrying a multimillionaire Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A FORGOTTEN Home and Away star has shown off her plush £27million mansion seven years on from leaving the soap. Pia Whitesell appeared in the programme as Kat Chapman between 2015 and 2018 but she is now living a life that is worlds away from the Aussie soap opera. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Forgotten soap star Pia Whitesell has shown off her glam LA home Credit: Seven Network/ Channel 5 5 The actress showed off her stunning pool area in Los Angeles Credit: instagram/@pia 5 Pia is married to Hollywood super agent Patrick Whitesell Credit: instagram/@pia The 41-year-old actress is now living it up in a stunning £27million Bel Air mansion with her husband, Hollywood super agent, Patrick Whitesell. She took to Instagram this week to share a glimpse of the luxury swimming pool at the abode. The huge pool is surrounded by half a dozen sun loungers complete with parasols. The glam actress revelled in her luxurious surroundings as she captioned the snap with "How's the serenity?," in reference to the 1997 movie. Read more on Soaps HOME & LA Home & Away star unrecognisable with new life and career 13 years after quitting The Hollywood super-rich couple's home even includes its own maids quarters and boasts over 19,000 sq ft. As they renovated the home, the couple stayed in their oceanfront Malibu mansion. Pia and Patrick tied the knot in 2021 after he popped the question in late 2020. Her engagement ring is believed to be worth between $1.1m and $1.9mAUD. She was previously married to AFL footballer Brad Miller. Patrick is the boss of Hollywood media empire Endeavor, former known as WME. It is the talent agency to the stars representing a whole host of the world's A-list talent. It has earned him an estimated net worth of £303million. The agency had dedicated teams looking after talent such as Jude Law, Hugh Jackman, Ben Affleck and the Kardashian family. LIFE BEFORE HOLLYWOOD Before striking it lucky in Los Angeles, Pia began her career as a model aged 14 in Australia. After three years as a fledling teen model, she took part in reality TV show Make Me A Supermodel in 2001 which landed her a contract with L'Oreal. She transitioned into acting and TV hosting in 2011 before landing her part in Home and Away in 2015. Her last acting role was in 2019 when she appeared in a live-action Dora The Explorer movie. She soon retired from acting shortly after and upon meeting Patrick. 5 Pia started out as a model before turning to acting Credit: Handout
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Forgotten soap star shows off huge £27million LA mansion after quitting fame and marrying a multimillionaire
A FORGOTTEN Home and Away star has shown off her plush £27million mansion seven years on from leaving the soap. Pia Whitesell appeared in the programme as Kat Chapman between 2015 and 2018 but she is now living a life that is worlds away from the Aussie soap opera . Advertisement 5 Forgotten soap star Pia Whitesell has shown off her glam LA home Credit: Seven Network/ Channel 5 5 The actress showed off her stunning pool area in Los Angeles Credit: instagram/@pia 5 Pia is married to Hollywood super agent Patrick Whitesell Credit: instagram/@pia The 41-year-old actress is now living it up in a stunning £27million Bel Air mansion with her husband, Hollywood super agent, Patrick Whitesell. She took to Instagram this week to share a glimpse of the luxury swimming pool at the abode. The huge pool is surrounded by half a dozen sun loungers complete with parasols. The glam actress revelled in her luxurious surroundings as she captioned the snap with "How's the serenity?," in reference to the 1997 movie. Advertisement Read more on Soaps The Hollywood super-rich couple's home even includes its own maids quarters and boasts over 19,000 sq ft. As they renovated the home, the couple stayed in their oceanfront Malibu mansion. Pia and Patrick tied the knot in 2021 after he popped the question in late 2020. Her engagement ring is believed to be worth between $1.1m and $1.9mAUD. Advertisement Most read in Soaps Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler She was previously married to AFL footballer Brad Miller. Patrick is the boss of Hollywood media empire Endeavor, former known as WME. It is the talent agency to the stars representing a whole host of the world's A-list talent. It has earned him an estimated net worth of £303million. Advertisement The agency had dedicated teams looking after talent such as Jude Law, LIFE BEFORE HOLLYWOOD Before striking it lucky in Los Angeles, Pia began her career as a model aged 14 in Australia. After three years as a fledling teen model, she took part in reality TV show Make Me A Supermodel in 2001 which landed her a contract with L'Oreal. She transitioned into acting and TV hosting in 2011 before landing her part in Home and Away in 2015. Advertisement Her last acting role was in 2019 when she appeared in a live-action Dora The Explorer movie. She soon retired from acting shortly after and upon meeting Patrick. 5 Pia started out as a model before turning to acting Credit: Handout 5 She lives in a Bel Air home with her husband Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Advertisement
Sunday World
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Home and Away actor joins cast of RTÉ series The Dry as it returns for final season
The third and final series of the show has begun filming Home and Away actor Rick Donald has joined the cast of RTÉ series The Dry. Rick Donald will star in the third and final season of the show, Deadline reports. He will play the role of Daryl, a 'handsome and mysterious' Australian stranger, who meets the main character and recovering alcoholic Shiv Sheridan, played by Róisín Gallagher. Róisín Gallagher and Rick Donald / Image: Peter Rowen/RTE News in 90 Seconds - June 19th Donald played the role of Kieran Baldivis in popular Australian soap Home and Away. He's also starred as Danny in the Australian version of hit show The Office. His other acting credits include Educators, Australia's Sexiest Tradie and Population 11. Filming has already begun on the third season the show produced in collaboration with ITV. Original cast members, Siobhán Cullen, Ciarán Hinds, Adam Richardson and Pom Boyd will all return. The Dry (season 2) RTE One Eugene chat with Michael McElhatton 'It has been a true joy to see audiences embrace the Sheridan family in all their dysfunctional glory and I am so grateful to have gotten to tell this story over three seasons,' the show's creator, Nancy Harris said. 'The third and final season aims to go deeper than ever before, really getting under the skin of Shiv and the family in a way that we hope is both surprising, funny and (painfully) honest.' The series follows 35-year-old Shiv Sheridan, a recovering alcoholic who after spending 10 years in London returns home to Dublin to a family who are not supportive of her newfound sobriety. The final installment has promised to dive deeper into the lives of the Sheridan family as long-buried family secrets come to the surface. As the family deal with the emotional reckoning, Shiv has to confront the possibility that the real problem may never have been alcohol – but may have been herself all along.
