Vertical Video's HBO? VeYou Aims for Immersion

Tommy Harper, an executive producer for 'Wednesday' and 'Top Gun: Maverick,' has launched VeYou, a new platform dedicated to vertical microdramas. Harper envisions VeYou as the "HBO of vertical video," focusing on immersive storytelling designed for mobile consumption. He believes the vertical microdrama space is currently an open market ripe for innovation, likening its potential to Spotify in 2008.

VeYou's strategy involves delivering compelling narratives in bite-sized, five-minute chapters, allowing viewers to become fully absorbed in stories. The platform, backed by venture capital firm S32, plans to integrate AI across its operations, from content development to visual effects, with series budgets ranging from $100,000 to $250,000.

The platform is actively building its library, having acquired a vertical biopic on Elon Musk. Its latest production is 'Rival Hearts,' a soccer romance series debuting this month. This microdrama is a collaboration with Rivr Films, the scripted vertical drama division of Rivr Media, and tells the story of a high-stakes love triangle within professional soccer.

'Rival Hearts' stars Nicole Mattox and Antonio Rosello, and was filmed in Knoxville. VeYou is currently accessible in the U.S., UK, Europe, Latin America, and the MENA region, signaling its global ambitions for the vertical video format.