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Let's talk about Verticals Podcast
130 - Isabel Dréan - More Than Tropes: Creating Depth in Vertical Storytelling...

130 - Isabel Dréan - More Than Tropes: Creating Depth in Vertical Storytelling...

Let's talk about Verticals vor 2 Wochen

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1:22:24

What turns a good idea into a truly captivating story — and how
do you create real depth in a format built around speed, hooks,
and cliffhangers? ️

In this episode, I’m joined by screenwriter, director, producer,
and bestselling author Isabel Dréan. Isabel’s fascinating journey
has taken her from horror and psychological thrillers to
Christmas movies and ultimately into the fast-growing world of
Vertical storytelling.

We talk about how storylines for Verticals are developed, what
separates a compelling story from a collection of familiar
tropes, and why emotional depth and multidimensional characters
still matter — even when episodes are only a few minutes long.

Isabel is especially passionate about bringing powerful female
characters to life and creating women who are strong, complex,
and capable of driving their own stories. But she also speaks
openly about the darker side of the industry: the shockingly low
and unfair rates sometimes offered to screenwriters, predatory
contracts, and platforms that take advantage of writers who are
under financial pressure and desperate for an opportunity. ️

Having explored digital and episodic storytelling long before
today’s Vertical boom — including developing and producing more
than 50 original web series — Isabel already understood years ago
that audiences would embrace stories told in short, addictive
episodes. Today, she shares that knowledge through her work, her
masterclasses, and her bestselling book How to Write a Vertical
Series in 10 Days.

What does Isabel love most about writing? What gives a story
genuine emotional depth? Why did she believe in episodic
storytelling before the industry fully recognized its potential?
And what needs to change so that writers are finally valued and
paid fairly for the stories on which this entire industry
depends? ️

All of that — and so much more — in this honest, insightful, and
incredibly important conversation.

Verticals from Isabel Dréan:

The Summer I Turned My Sexiest (Gamma Time)

The Prince and the Royal Wedding Planner (Gamma Time)

When Love Finally Found Me (Kalos TV)

The Blind Bride of the Scarred Mafia Boss (Vigloo)