The Rise of Vertical Filmmaking in 2025: Why Creators Are Ditching Landscape
- gear4greatness
- Jul 5, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 6, 2025
🎥 The Rise of Vertical Filmmaking in 2025: Why Creators Are Ditching Landscape
It’s funny how the world tilts — literally. For decades, everything I shot was in landscape. From wide drone shots of The Forks to time-lapses on the Winnipeg bridge, I always thought that was how stories were meant to be told. But somewhere between TikTok and YouTube Shorts, the creative world turned vertical — and I started to realize… it actually works.
The first time I shot vertically, it felt wrong — like breaking a rule. But then I watched it back on my phone, full screen, no black bars, and it clicked. It felt personal. Like the world was made for that frame. Suddenly the storytelling wasn’t about sweeping horizons anymore — it was about connection. You’re not showing a scene; you’re sharing an experience. 📱
When I film vertically now, I feel closer to my audience. The distance disappears. There’s intimacy in that narrow frame — it feels like you’re talking to one person instead of thousands. And that changes how you move, how you edit, how you think. Every shot becomes intentional because you’re composing for a human’s hand, not a movie screen.
💡 Why the Shift Feels Bigger Than Just Format
In 2025, vertical isn’t just an option — it’s the language of creation. Platforms reward it, algorithms boost it, and audiences prefer it. But beyond all that, vertical filmmaking feels like the handwritten note of the digital era — immediate, raw, emotional.
I’ve seen creators turn everyday walks, morning coffees, and quiet moments into captivating stories simply by turning their camera upright. And as someone who loves cinematic framing, I’ve learned to find beauty in the constraint. A single frame can hold motion, sound, and feeling — even without showing the whole world. That’s the magic of vertical: it teaches you to simplify, to focus, to feel.
🎬 Gear That Keeps Up With the ShiftI’ve filmed vertical footage with almost everything — from my DJI Pocket 3 to the Insta360 X5, even my Galaxy S25 Ultra when I want pure mobility. These cameras understand the new rhythm. The Pocket 3’s flip screen makes it effortless to go vertical. The X5 lets me shoot 360° and reframe later, finding perfect compositions after the fact. Even my GoPro Hero 13 has a dedicated vertical mode that captures motion with perfect stability.
It’s not about losing the cinematic feel — it’s about bringing it to where people actually watch. And now that platforms like YouTube and TikTok are investing in vertical-friendly monetization, it’s no longer just a creative choice — it’s a smart one. 🎥
💭 The Art of Seeing VerticallyShooting vertically changes your mindset. You start to notice the up and down of things — the skyline, reflections in puddles, tall trees, human posture. It makes you compose stories in layers instead of lines. A city skyline feels different when it stretches up your screen instead of across it. It feels alive.
And the constraints force you to get creative. You can’t rely on sweeping pans or drone flyovers — you have to move closer, focus tighter, and tell a story through gestures, movement, and rhythm. It’s made me fall back in love with simple shots — the kind that feel like you’re standing there with someone, seeing what they see.
The Rise of Vertical Filmmaking in 2025: Why Creators Are Ditching Landscape
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🌄 Final Thoughts
At first, I resisted vertical filmmaking because it felt unnatural. I grew up chasing wide cinematic horizons — landscapes that stretched endlessly. But the truth is, the horizon hasn’t disappeared; it’s just changed direction. We’re not losing cinematic art — we’re redefining it. 🌆
There’s something deeply human about vertical storytelling. It’s handheld, intimate, imperfect — a conversation between the creator and the viewer. It’s less about spectacle and more about presence. You’re not watching a story unfold; you’re standing in it.
And maybe that’s what modern creativity is really about — not perfect framing, but emotional framing. The kind that happens when your audience feels like they’re there beside you, holding the phone, sharing the view.
Every time I shoot vertically now, I remind myself: it’s not a downgrade — it’s evolution. A new canvas for emotion. A new way to reach people where they are. And as long as I’m telling stories that feel alive, I don’t care which way the frame tilts — as long as it moves someone.
— Written by Pete | Gear4Greatness 🎥📱🌄✨
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