Vertical Mini Dramas: Are They Worth Your Time and Talent?

You’ve probably seen them: short, soapy, vertical-format “mini dramas”. They’re cheap to produce, quick to consume, and are offering some writers a much needed paycheck when traditional screenwriting jobs can be hard to come by.

But let’s be honest, they’re far from the perfect gig. The work often comes with low pay, tight deadlines, limited creative control, little to no reuse protection or even proper credit. 

So, is writing for verticals a smart move in lean times? Or just another way writers are being asked to do more for less?

This post breaks down the reality of “verticals”: who’s actually making money, what the trade-offs are, and whether these projects are worth your time and talent (spoiler: it depends on your goals and needs).

1. Some writers are making real money (but not most)

There are some writers earning steady income in the vertical space, but they tend to have a few things in common: they write a lot of episodes (often dozens at a time), work directly with platforms or established and credible, repeat producers, and they treat it like their full-time job. For most writers however, the pay doesn’t match the labor. Compensation is usually per episode “batch” (ie. 20-60+ episodes at once) with fast turnaround times and little flexibility. So, while rates can look reasonable on paper, the volume required and intense delivery expectations can make the work much less lucrative than it first appears (for comparison, even mid-tier vertical work often pays less than a single half-hour union TV script — while demanding far more pages, far more quickly). Also, once the episodes are delivered, the money usually stops. Residuals or performance-based bonuses are rare.

2. Always read the fine print 

Take the time to understand the contract you’re agreeing to (this goes for any writing job). Trust me, spending an hour reading boring legal jargon (and — if you have the access, asking a lawyer to look it over too) is better than getting burned later because you didn’t know what you were signing. Many vertical deals are structured as “full buyouts”. That often means no backend, no guaranteed credit, no control over revisions, edits, or future use, and the platform or producer retains “exclusive, perpetual rights to the material”. In other words, once you deliver the work, you will have no ongoing rights, ownership, or additional payments. So, before you say yes to a vertical gig, ask yourself: What am I giving up in exchange for this paycheck? If the answer is “a lot,” and you have the ability to make different financial choices, make sure the compensation justifies it.

3. Creative control is limited

Most verticals are highly formula-driven (that’s how they can be produced quickly and at scale). Which means you’re usually stepping into a pre-set template: story structure, character arcs, and episode length are dictated rather than developed from scratch. It’s a solo grind. So, if you’re hoping this kind of work will be collaborative or give you a sense of creative ownership — you’ll probably get frustrated, fast. But if you go in with your eyes open, ready to execute quickly within strict parameters — you’ll most likely have a much better experience. Think of verticals less as a place to ‘leave your mark’, and more as a place to practice hitting the brief and paying the rent.

4. Verticals might not help your “real” career, but it won’t ruin it either

Some writers worry that working on verticals will somehow make them less appealing for “real” TV or film jobs. In reality, most decision-makers either don’t care about the format or barely notice it. What can hurt though is the time and creative energy vertical work can consume (especially when the work doesn’t translate into writing samples or credits). So if you do take these jobs, make sure they don’t ‘crowd out’ the writing that actually moves your long-term goals forward. Verticals can absolutely support you financially while you build your career — just make sure they don’t replace it.

5. What problem is this solving for you?

Verticals can be a useful tool to keep your skills sharp, offer some much needed income, and give you something concrete to work on when opportunities are slim. But these jobs also shouldn’t be romanticized as the thing that’s going to ‘break’ your career. So before you take a vertical project, be honest with yourself about why you’re considering it and what you need right now: immediate income? A sense of career momentum? Survival? If the job will give you what you need, it’s probably worth taking — just don’t ask it to be more than it is.

6. Bottom line: let verticals pay the bills, not define your career

Vertical mini dramas aren’t some “savior of the industry” — but they’re not the devil either. If you take the work, take it eyes wide open. Right now, paychecks can be really hard to come by and sometimes survival comes first, but know what you’re gaining, what you’re giving up, and how it fits into the larger picture of what you want and need out of life. And if you do have the luxury of choice, it’s worth asking whether that paycheck is moving you closer to your long-term goals, or quietly pulling you away from them.

What are your thoughts on vertical mini dramas? Let me know @CaroleKirsch!

For more industry info and tips check out these additional resources:

If you're interested in finding out more about my one-on-one coaching, go to: carolekirschner.com/options

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To learn how to create your “personal logline” read my free e-book, Tell Your Story in 60 Seconds.

And you can find my book, Hollywood Game Plan on Amazon or at Michael Wiese Productions (MWP).