Get Creative with Vertical Video

Producing content for a vertical space has endless creative possibilities, and in order to build videos that resonate with people, we know we need to play with the creative canvas at our disposal to push boundaries and build unexpected ideas. So we challenged a group of filmmakers to each create a video and saw them experiment with the vertical space. Here are some ways you too can take advantage of the vertical screen.

When watching landscape videos, the viewer is often directed to look left to right. However, in a vertical format, there is no clear horizon as it shifts depending on framing. This creates an opportunity to direct people's eyes by panning up and down and utilizing the height of the vertical space.

Dividing up the vertical space can create more opportunities for you to tell your story in newly arranged ways. You can split your screen in half or create a grid to show different angles or multiple products or stories at the same time. Differentiating the size of each screen section can also help indicate dominance or importance, guiding your viewer to the most important part of your video.

Experiment with animation to delight viewers through 2D, 3D, stop-motion or motion graphics. Animations are a great way to capture attention and bring your ideas to life.

Stacking type in an eye-catching way can hook viewers and bring them into your story. You can also use overlays to add texture and dimension to your videos.

Filmmakers and their work featured above: Ellen Su “Ascension,” Jeanne Deleau “Share,” Lucas Levitan “Gooey Melody,” Ron Brodie “Di Fiyah,” Pablo Rochat “Pool Party,” Ricky Qi “Walk in the Rain,” Monica Kim “Antechamber,” Kris Merc “Egg Drop Soup,” Moography “Lost,” Anna Davis and Daniel Rueda “You Can Leave Your Hat On,” Leyla Rosario “A Transatlantic Connection,” Kinda Akash “Longing for Home.”