Vertical Horror
Your phone can be scary. This is good.
The new midnight theater lives in the palm of your hand.
Folks tend to give me the side eye when I bring up the world of verticals. But as a lover of story + invention, I’ve got to admit I get SO excited when I see folks creating new lanes. You might not be aware, but there is a whole world of horror content that is awesome. And it’s vertical. And it’s on TikTok. And IG. And YT Stories. They are turning social media into the new midnight theater, and I’m here for it.
These accounts remix tropes in clever ways: found footage, creepy POVs, even quick practical effects. Comment sections turn into campfire circles where people dare each other to watch with the lights off. It’s in your hand! Do you know how scary that is?
Vertical stories are becoming a real path for storytellers to carve out their own lane. Channels like Alter, Crypt TV , and NightmarishTV are where we should be looking for what pops in this format. Right now they seem to focus on trailers, clips and teasers but you can see where things are headed.
In a recent conversation with Jessica Ferrar (she’s dope btw), I mentioned that out of all the genre fandoms, horror fans might be the most lovely. These communities are able to build an audience and a rabid fan base because they are so committed to great storytelling. The audience is passionate, forgiving, and just wants more.
This honestly could this be the perfect gateway drug for 16:9 snobs? ;) The Blair Witch Project did it for found footage. Yes, crappy camcorder footage DOES belong in the movie theater if the grainy nature adds to the story. The same can work with the scroll. Let’s see what these folks make. I’ll be watching (through my fingers, but I’ll be there!)
Out east, they’re already knee deep in the genre. This one specifically creeped me out: In The Bus
Beyond romance (we know, we know), which genres feel like the next sweet spot for vertical storytelling to really take off?
Know any other horror accounts worth following? Let me know. I want to see them.
