Vurt Launches Portrait-Mode Streaming Service Aimed at Indie Filmmakers

Vurt, a new app built around portrait-oriented films and series, went live this week with more than 100 episodes and features available to viewers. The startup, which says it puts a new original on the service every week, is offering a free mobile app on Apple’s App Store and Google Play, plus a browser version that mirrors the phone experience but focuses exclusively on vertical video.

The pitch is simple: let creators bypass long distribution chains. Filmmakers can submit projects directly through Vurt, and once accepted the platform says titles can be published within two to three days — far quicker than the typical aggregator and studio routes. Creators keep nonexclusive rights and receive half the ad revenue generated by their work; Vurt relies on advertising rather than subscriptions to pay talent and producers.

The launch arrives as viewing habits increasingly tilt toward phone-centered clips, a shift that has pushed big streamers to add short-form features. Niche services that specialize in bite-sized drama have also grown rapidly: industry trackers estimated one platform pulled in about $1.2 billion in consumer spending in 2025, while another reported roughly $276 million last year. Even TikTok has experimented with serialized short dramas, and newcomer apps such as Watch Club are competing for the same audience and creator pool.

Ted Lucas, the entrepreneur behind the product, drew on his long history in entertainment — he founded Slip-N-Slide Records and later navigated film distribution while releasing his documentary Miami Kingpins. Lucas told reporters he built Vurt after running into repeated hurdles getting that film out and concluded there had to be an easier route for smaller producers. He assembled a team that includes producer-director Mark A. Samuels, Swirl Films founder Eric Tomosunas, investor Hilmon Sorey and industry veteran Tarik Brooks in an advisory role.

Vurt’s format is pitched at short-form serials and mobile-first features, and it already hosts works spanning comedy, drama and genre fare, including films with established actors. Media analysts say the model lowers entry costs for creators, but they warn monetizing very short or niche titles at scale can be challenging. “It’s practical for creators who want a quick path to an audience, but converting attention into steady ad dollars will be the real test,” said a digital-media consultant who researches streaming monetization.

Whether major streamers will embrace full-length portrait storytelling remains unclear, but Vurt is betting many viewers and creators will. For now the company is focused on building a catalog and making uploads frictionless; its web player preserves the same upright format as the apps and the company plans to continue weekly original releases.