Made in New York: Building a Vertical Production Economy
Made in New York: Building a Vertical Production Economy
What would it take to make New York a hub for vertical production? Bringing together creators, producers, and industry voices working across the city, this conversation explores New York’s emerging vertical ecosystem—from its creative talent and production infrastructure to its deep and experienced workforce. The panel will examine the opportunities, challenges, and resources needed to build a sustainable vertical production economy and establish New York as a center for the format’s continued growth.
Sunday, October 18, 2026
11:00 AM · AMC 19th Street, Theater 1
Andrew Beck
Co-Founder · Hudson Vertical
Andrew Beck has built a career developing original content across formats: film, television, vertical microseries, and AI-assisted production. He is co-founder of Hudson Vertical, a NYC based studio building original vertical series for mobile-first audiences, and brings a background as both a studio executive and independent producer, including executive roles at HBO, The Weinstein Company, and Spyglass Media Group. Most recently, he served as executive producer on REALITY, starring Sydney Sweeney, which premiered at the 2023 Berlin Film Festival.
Thom Woodley
Co-Founder, Hudson Vertical · Hudson Vertical
Thom Woodley has been working in vertical storytelling since the 2010s. As a writer/showrunner, he has created for many top vertical platforms, including FOX, FlareFlow, Shortical, Vigloo, DramaPops. Previously he was a creative executive at CollegeHumor/Dropout, Head of Content at pioneering vertical platform Rizzle, writer of the Dos Equis “Most Interesting Man in the World” campaign, story designer of the Episode: Interactive platform, and creator of the world’s first scripted sitcom webseries. He is now the founder of Hudson Vertical, a studio dedicated to developing original IP, expanding the vertical format beyond its familiar genres, and helping build a sustainable creative ecosystem for vertical filmmaking.
Beila (Lameng) Bei
Partner & Executive Producer · LAT Entertainment
Lameng Bei is a New York–based entertainment executive and Partner & Executive Producer at LAT Entertainment. Previously Head of Studio for New York at DramaBox and an executive producer at ReelShort, she has overseen more than 100 short-form titles. Her work spans vertical storytelling, creative development, and production for global audiences. A Producers Guild of America member, she holds an MFA from USC and a bachelor’s degree from Peking University.
Mitchell Camarda
Head Researcher/Editor At Large · Open Gardens
Mitchell Camarda is a New York City-based writer and producer and serves as Head Researcher and Editor at Large at Open Gardens. Working alongside Benjamin Odell of 3Pas Studios, Camarda contributes to the publication’s coverage of the intersection between Hollywood and the creator economy, with a focus on the changing ways entertainment is developed, produced, distributed, and consumed.
Jen Cooper
Founder, Vertical Drama Love · Vertical Drama Love
Jen Cooper is a leading critic, consultant and internationally recognised authority on vertical and micro drama. Founder of Vertical Drama Love and the Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards, she also leads major industry and fan research into the rapidly evolving sector. Her expertise has been featured by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bloomberg and BBC Radio 4. Jen combines deep industry knowledge with a direct connection to global audiences, offering a unique perspective on the future of vertical entertainment.
Photo credit: Jade Tinkler Photography
