Hollywood Meets Istanbul: Will This Studio Shake Up TV Forever?!

Big news in the world of bite-sized entertainment! It seems some serious Hollywood and international TV power players are betting big on vertical video. Kelly Luegenbiehl, Jon Koa, and Onur Güvenatam – names you might recognize if you follow the industry closely – have joined forces to launch Shorties Studios. Their focus? Mobile-first, short-form vertical video content.

Hollywood Meets Istanbul: Will This Studio Shake U...

For those not totally immersed in the Hollywood scene, here's the breakdown: We're talking about a former Netflix EMEA content chief (Luegenbiehl), an ex-CBS Executive Vice President of Comedy Development (Koa), and the founder of OGM Pictures, the very studio that brought us Netflix’s first two Turkish original series (Güvenatam). That's a pretty impressive pedigree to be bringing to the vertical video space.

The studio will be operating across three major hubs: Los Angeles, London, and Istanbul. That global footprint suggests they're not just aiming for the American market; they're thinking global domination when it comes to this new wave of short-form content.

So, what's the plan? Shorties Studios intends to create original content for subscription streaming services, social media platforms, and even ad-supported branded content. The founders are calling it "a direct response to the evolution of media consumption." It's hard to argue with that. I mean, just look around – everyone's glued to their phones, scrolling through endless feeds.

Luegenbiehl, reflecting on her shift from traditional media to Netflix years ago, sees parallels in the potential of vertical content. "When I left legacy media ten years ago to pioneer international content for Netflix, no one could have imagined the impact non-English language content would have on the world," she stated. "Today, I see that same potential with vertical content… Verticals are the moment." It's a bold statement, but coming from someone with her track record, it carries some weight.

Koa, with his background in comedy development at CBS, emphasizes the importance of bringing the same high standards to short-form content as you would to a network sitcom. He believes vertical storytelling, with its immediate data and analytics, offers unique opportunities for virality and brand partnerships. "What excites me is bringing the same discipline, thoughtfulness, and creative ambition I’ve had throughout my career into a space that’s growing at remarkable speed," Koa explained.

Güvenatam's experience in Turkish drama production adds another layer of expertise to the mix. It will be interesting to see how they leverage their combined backgrounds to create content that resonates with audiences on a global scale. One thing's for sure: Shorties Studios is a venture to watch closely in the ever-evolving world of digital entertainment. Their production of *Wounded...* has already demonstrated prowess in the world of international content and a keen eye on what the people want.