Introduction: The Shift to Vertical Video
Vertical video is no longer a TikTok experiment, it’s now shaping how television and creators build new formats. The question isn’t if reality TV can adapt, it’s how quickly production companies, brands, and broadcasters will act.
My pilot project dives into this shift. Here are the first takeaways from Part 1 of the Vertical Video Pilot, which you can read in full on my Substack.
1. Lead With the Drama
Reality TV has always thrived on cliffhangers and eliminations. In vertical video, that rule intensifies. Audiences won’t wait through backstory. The first frame must deliver the beat—the elimination, the shock, the reveal. The rest of the episode is about unpacking the why.
This flips the traditional structure on its head, but the audience reward is higher engagement.
2. Micro-Drama Needs Micro-Schedules
Producing in 60–90 second bursts doesn’t mean less work. It means different work. Editing cycles shrink, production schedules tighten, and release rhythms must match audience habits.
But there’s a financial upside: ROI improves when production adapts to the short-form attention span while still delivering long-tail engagement.
3. Reality Rules Still Apply
Even when vertical, the foundations of reality formats still hold. Cast chemistry, structured elimination, and cliff-hangers remain essential. But the runtime forces precision—trimming dialogue, pacing faster, and cutting every second for impact.
Call to Action: The Full Blueprint
These headlines are only the start. The full pilot lays out the creative, scheduling, and financial model for vertical video reality TV.
👉 Subscribe now to Altmedia on Substack and get the complete Vertical Video Pilot series, with insider breakdowns and a working playbook for production companies and content creators.
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