Vertical drama ads: a micro drama series for your business
A vertical drama ad is a short 9:16 series with a recurring Character, made for TikTok, Reels and Shorts. Each Episode is 30-90 seconds, solves one small problem your customers know, and ends on a reason to watch the next one. You make the Character once, write the season with the AI Director, try it free as a picture Slideshow, then film it with a plan.
Free: make your Character and its Story as picture-only Slideshows. Real video comes with a plan.
Updated November 2026
Why a series beats a one-off ad
A one-off ad has to win in one viewing. A series gets more chances: the same Character comes back, viewers learn who they are, and each Episode can carry one product, one offer or one answer without a hard sell. The cliffhanger does the retargeting for you. People follow a Character they want to see again; they rarely follow a logo.
How a series ad runs: five Episodes, one Character
Every business page below fills this shape with its own Characters, script and cliffhangers.
- Episode 1
The problem
Your Character hits the exact problem your customer has, on camera, in the first three seconds.
Cliffhanger And it is about to get worse.
- Episode 2
The wrong fix
They try the obvious fix. It fails in a way your customers recognize and laugh at.
Cliffhanger Someone knows a better way. They will not say it yet.
- Episode 3
The guide
Your business appears as the guide, not the hero: one useful tip, shown, not told.
Cliffhanger The tip works, but there is a catch.
- Episode 4
The catch
The real obstacle shows up. This is where your offer, product or service earns its place.
Cliffhanger One day left to fix it.
- Episode 5
The win
Your Character wins, small and specific. End on the call to action and a hint of Season 2.
Cliffhanger Next week: a new problem.
Pick your business
AI vertical drama maker
Real estateOutbid again: Maya and Theo lose their third house by $5,000. In the car, Theo opens a spreadsheet; Maya opens a bottle.
RestaurantsTable six: June has eaten at table six every Friday for ten years. Tonight a stranger is sitting there.
CoachingDay one: Sam promises a coach she will run a 10K in eight weeks. She has not run since school.- RecruitingBadge photo: Priya's first day. Her badge photo is terrible, her laptop will not start, and her manager is out sick.
Online coursesThe rejection: Leo's portfolio gets its tenth rejection. The email says 'not quite ready.'
Local businessOpening time: Rosa opens her café at 7 a.m. The same dog sits outside every morning. Nobody knows whose it is.
Product launchThe problem: Nia's bag strap snaps on the way to the most important meeting of her life.
Make it in Character App
Free: make your Character and its Story as picture-only Slideshows. Real video comes with a plan.
- 1
Make your Character
Make your lead once, from a few words, your own photo, or both, in any Art style. The kept picture is the reference for every Scene after.
- 2
Build the World
Describe the place (the shop, the office, the street) or start it from your own photos. It stays the same in every Episode.
- 3
Write Episode 1 with the AI Director
Paste your Episode 1 script, or pitch it in one sentence. The AI Director writes the Scenes with your Characters cast in each one. Edit anything before you spend.
- 4
Try it free as a picture Slideshow
Make the Episode as a picture-only Slideshow to check the story. With a plan, a narrated Slideshow Story with music is 40 Credits for up to 5 slides.
- 5
Film it with a plan
Film each Scene as a 9:16 Clip. A 5-Clip Episode on H3 Turbo is 125 Credits; Creator ($39.99 a month, 1,600 Credits) makes about 64 HD H3 videos, or 12 such Episodes. The price is on every button.
What it looks like: Rate Limited
Stills from our house show Rate Limited, a fictional startup comedy made in Character App. Not a client project.
Before you write Episode 1
Pick a trope
Most series ads borrow a drama shape: the rival next door, the mystery customer, the countdown. 14 vertical drama tropes with hooks and cliffhangers.
Write the cliffhanger first
Know the last line of every Episode before you write the first. How to write a vertical drama cliffhanger.
Know where it goes
TikTok, Reels and Shorts all take 9:16. Where to publish a vertical drama compares them.
Questions, answered
What is a vertical drama ad?
A short 9:16 video series with a recurring Character that tells a small story about your customers' problem across several Episodes, each ending on a reason to watch the next. It runs organically on TikTok, Reels and Shorts or as paid ads.
How many Episodes should a business series have?
Start with five. That is enough for a problem, a turn and a win, and few enough to make in an afternoon. If Episode 1 performs, make Season 2 with the same Character.
Can I use my own face or my staff?
Yes, from a photo, with permission from anyone shown. Or make an original Character from words, which keeps your staff off camera. No public figures.
Is it real video or a slideshow?
With a plan, real video Clips for every Scene. Free makes picture-only Slideshows, which are a quick way to test the story before you film.
Can I use the videos commercially?
Every plan includes commercial use per the Terms, with no watermark. You need the rights to anything you put in, such as photos of people or your own footage.
Making a drama for its own sake? Make your own vertical drama
Episode 1 starts with one line.
Free: make your Character and its Story as picture-only Slideshows. Real video comes with a plan.