A 90-second vertical episode is a different craft from a short film cut down for a phone. It has to hook in seconds, move a story forward and end on a reason to tap “next.” This guide covers the production basics we recommend for creators planning a series built for Snapserial’s one-to-two-minute format.
A note on availability: Snapserial’s creator tools are not open yet. The specs below are general best practice for vertical episodic video, not a final upload requirement. Final technical requirements will be shared with creators when access opens.
Shoot for the phone, in vertical
Episodes are watched held upright, so compose for 9:16 from the first frame instead of cropping a horizontal shot later.
- Aspect ratio: 9:16 vertical.
- Resolution: 1080 x 1920 is a safe target. Shooting at 4K and delivering at 1080p gives you room to reframe.
- Frame rate: pick one (24 or 30 fps) and keep it consistent across the whole series.
- Safe zones: keep faces and key action away from the extreme top and bottom edges, where interface elements and captions sit.
Frame for faces
Most of the drama in a vertical series lives in close and medium close-up. The tall frame suits a single face or two people stacked in depth better than wide two-shots. Plan coverage around reactions, because a reaction is often the story beat.
Structure a 90-second episode
A workable shape for a 1–2 minute episode:
- The hook (0–5 seconds): open mid-conflict or mid-question. No slow establishing shots.
- The turn (5–60 seconds): one clear development that changes what a character wants or knows.
- The escalation (60–85 seconds): raise the stakes and set up the cliffhanger.
- The button (final seconds): end on a reveal, a line or a look that makes the next episode feel necessary.
Keep one major beat per episode. If you need two, you probably have two episodes.
Get the audio right first
Viewers forgive modest visuals faster than muddy dialogue. Record clean dialogue, use a lavalier or close shotgun mic where you can, and capture a few seconds of room tone for edits. Mix so speech stays clear on phone speakers, and keep music under dialogue.
Add captions
Many people watch with the sound low or off. Burned-in or well-timed captions keep the story readable anywhere, and they help viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Keep lines short and inside the safe zones.
Export cleanly
For a master file, a standard H.264 MP4 with AAC audio is widely compatible. Export at the same frame rate you shot, avoid heavy re-compression between edits, and keep episode files consistently named and numbered, such as series-title_ep01.mp4.
Plan the series, not just the episode
Series work best when episodes are consistent in look, length and sound. Write a short series outline before you shoot, decide where the free episodes end and the first cliffhanger lands, and batch-shoot locations to keep costs down.
Get on the creator list
If you are an indie creator or studio thinking about publishing vertical series, we would like to hear from you. Creator tools are not open yet, so sign up on Snapserial and we will reach out when they are.