Karla M. Rodriguez: “Vertical dramas offer a breeding ground for the new generation of talent” [video]

On June 14, 2025, during the second public screening evening organized by Studio Phocéen association in Paris, Californian professional Karla M. Rodriguez delivered a presentation on the evolution of formats and new production dynamics around duanju.

A former Sony Pictures and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences employee , Karla M. Rodriguez helped pioneer the mobile video boom by joining Vogue and Condé Nast . She now works in casting and partnership development for several short fiction platforms.

A transformation of the audiovisual landscape

In her talk, Karla M. Rodriguez looks back at the transition that has taken place in Hollywood over the past decade. When she was working in unscripted TV content development at Sony , she observed a gradual decline in the sector, directly linked to the decline of linear TV: "Everyone is streaming, no one is watching the channels anymore. And many are on YouTube or mobile."

This transformation in usage led her to turn to more agile and digital formats. At Vogue , she participated in the production of both horizontal and vertical videos, designed for the web and social networks. There, she discovered the importance of short formats focused on talent, such as the series " 71 Questions " or " What's in My Bag ."

From fashion publishing to vertical fiction

This detour through fashion media opens the way to the world of duanju, which she sees as a hybrid space, at the crossroads of the worlds of influence, series and streaming. For her, vertical dramas allow a new generation of creators to "work in innovative environments, faster and connected to the reality of mobile uses . "

Now based in California, Karla Rodriguez assists platforms in identifying talent and structuring projects designed from the outset for vertical storytelling. She emphasizes the strategic value these formats represent for professionals seeking diversity, rapid impact, and global reach.

“This format is designed for instantaneous production. For talents who want to create quickly and be visible quickly. And that changes everything.”

Intervention to be discovered below.

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