Salt: Storytelling in Vertical Video: Following, Bending and Breaking the 'Rules', Online | OSA 031-W27

Everyone has a phone in their hand. What magic can we make?

Love it or hate it, vertical video storytelling is all around us. Just like writing, podcasting and horizontal filmmaking, the form has its own set of rules to learn, follow, bend, and break.

This class combines the tenets of craft storytelling with the vertical video format and all of its creative opportunities and limitations. We'll apply the foundational elements of storytelling — character archetypes, plot journeys, and universal meaning-making — to videos scripted, shot, and edited for a vertical audience.

Students will learn the elements of storytelling and test the boundaries between art, technology, and commerce. They'll develop story ideas, write scripts, and produce short videos within the creative parameters of vertical, experimenting with and pushing against the form. We'll explore the murky questions of artistic impact and algorithmic success.

This class is for everyone: new and practicing storytellers alike, vertical video skeptics, and curious optimists.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this class, students will be able to:

- Understand and apply foundational storytelling principles, including character, narrative structure, conflict, and universal themes.
- Identify the conventions of vertical video and understand how the format shapes storytelling choices.
- Develop story ideas specifically for a vertical video audience.
- Practice mobile-first video production and editing, using a smartphone to shoot and edit stories directly on their devices.
- Consider the relationship between creative storytelling, platform conventions, and algorithmic performance.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the four-session course, students will:

- Develop an original vertical video story concept.
- Write a short script or outline.
- Shoot and edit a short (30–90-second) vertical video using a smartphone and mobile editing tools.
- Reflect on their creative choices and how their work might connect with an audience.

Who This Class Is For

This class is for everyone: new and practicing storytellers, journalists, nonfiction writers, filmmakers, artists, and anyone curious about the creative possibilities of vertical video.

No prior video production experience is required. Students who are skeptical of vertical video, curious about social media storytelling, or looking to expand their creative practice are equally welcome.