EVNT.

EVNT. ｜GOING VERTICAL @ UCLA: RSVP now open

Two panels. One playbook. On Nov 14 (1–3 PM) at UCLA, creators, producers, and platforms unpack how vertical micro-dramas are made, financed, and distributed.

Real Reel™

11 Nov 2025 — 2 min read

The Vertical Short Revolution comes to UCLA on Fri, Nov 14 (1–3 PM) at Charles E. Young Research Library, Main Conference Room (Room 11360). A practical forum on how vertical micro-dramas are being created, financed, and distributed in the U.S.

Co-hosted by Real Reel™, the UCLA Center for Chinese Studies, and the International Short Drama Association.

Panel 1 — Creation & Aesthetics of Vertical Shorts

Sining Xiang (Writer/Director) — Award-winning shorts and vertical hits for ReelShort (The Double Life of My Billionaire Husband).
Shawn Chou (Director/Editor) — Feature director and veteran editor bridging studio craft with vertical workflows.
Johnny Jiang (Executive Producer, NetShort) — Oversees U.S.–platform pipelines and vertical-series slates.
Darren Tian (Director/Producer, Interactive Film/Salty TV) — LA-based director-producer pioneering rapid-cycle mini-series.

Panel 2 — Industry & Operations

Celine Zen (Producer; Co-founder of Real Reel™) — SHÙ Studio; ex-CCO Starlight; EFA/Berlinale Talents; international co-pros.
Brandan Dennehy (Producer/Strategist) — Creative producer with major collaborators; scaled vertical-studio ops and user reach.
James Chen (Independent Producer) — Former Playlet GM for global market development; U.S. short-drama ops.
Weina Gao (Producer/Distributor, Forest Dream) — 30+ years in film/TV; co-pros and distribution across short-drama platforms.

Event details

When: Fri, Nov 14 · 1–3 PM
Where: UCLA — Charles E. Young Research Library, Main Conference Room (Room 11360)

RSVP

Seats are limited. Register HERE

Note: Please RSVP first. We’ll confirm admission by email on Thursday, Nov 13 (daytime) based on capacity. Thanks for your understanding.

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