Nine episodes. Nine scams. Nine seconds that save a lot of headaches.

Scams are more common than most people think.

Take9 wants busy parents to take a 9-second pause before they click, download or share. You asked for a 9-episode vertical microdrama that teaches that habit in a way people will actually watch. Here's what we know about the problem and the audience.

Most adults get scam attempts every day, and about 3 in 10 say they've already lost money or personal information to one. Many victims never report it, so the real number is likely higher.

We hide the lesson inside the laugh.

We know people learn more when they're entertained than when they're told. So the lesson in this series isn't a lecture. It's tucked into the laugh, the cringe, even the moment of fear when she almost clicks. This generation grew up on it. Nobody remembers the After School Special, but everybody can still sing "Conjunction Junction." That's what we're making: Schoolhouse Rock for scams. You come for the story, and you leave knowing to take nine seconds.

Here's our early point of view. The story itself comes after we listen: once we're awarded, we'll bring BPI three creative directions to choose from.

How development works.

We listen before we write. Then BPI chooses from three creative directions before a single script is written, so there are no surprises later.

A studio built for vertical, and a team that's done this before.

VERT is a director-led studio that brings craft and director- and creator-first authenticity to vertical, with the client services a brand or cause needs to trust us with its message. Many talented directors hide their vertical work. We're the home for the ones who don't.

VERT's founder, a director with 830M+ microdrama views this year, and network TV comedy writers who now write vertical series.

Hope Dotson Farley

Founder, VERT

Hope built VERT to bring craft and director- and creator-first authenticity to the vertical space, backed by the client services a brand or cause needs to trust it with their message. Her goal is simple: elevate the medium. She brings 25+ years of producing commercials, music videos and social content, starting at Radical Media, and co-founded and led Adolescent Content, one of the first social-first production companies, for over a decade. Her work spans Meta, Google, Nike, Tinder and Target, plus public-interest campaigns for Power to Decide and the States of California and New Mexico. Shorty Award, 6x ADDY Awards, Webby nominee, Inc. Female Founders 500.

Kristen Brancaccio

Director

830M+views across her last two microdramas, in 2026

Kristen Brancaccio is a writer-director who has directed more than 18 microdramas and is set to direct her first feature-length film for Dolphin Films in early 2027.

She most recently directed Issa Rae's debut vertical series Screen Time, which garnered over 250 million views in its first month on TikTok. Her Audible series Southern Belle Insults, starring Keke Palmer, Phaedra Parks, and Zachariah Parks, premiered in August 2026.

She also wrote and directed Hollywood Starlet for the new app aTwist, produced by Bradley Bell (The Bold and the Beautiful). Her series Heartstrings and Lies for Shorts won a Telly Award for Best Vertical Video Series this year. Her vertical work spans ReelShort, NetShort, and DramaShorts, among others. She is attached to direct both the microdrama and feature length adaptation of Clarence Hammond's original short-story Summer Session with Ancora Entertainment.

Before verticals, Kristen was a top-10 directing finalist on HBO's Project Greenlight for her short Day One, and wrote and directed the action-romance pilot Resistance for SYFY. She also has extensive music video credits.

KG

MG

Katy Garretson & Micah Goldman

Writers

Together, Katy and Micah sold their first five vertical series, then two more, including YA series for Shorties and Chera TV. Their work is grounded, funny and character-driven: the opposite of billionaire-and-mistress verticals. CONFIRM · credits they're OK naming

Katy Garretson spent two decades as a half-hour comedy director, including Frasier and 2 Broke Girls, after coming up through the DGA training program. She is a former professor of directing at USC and former CEO of an educational nonprofit for at-risk youth. DRAFT · swap in Katy's bio

Micah Goldman started on the production staff of The Office, wrote a pilot for Fox, and worked as a development executive before producing a comedy feature. He now writes vertical series full time. DRAFT · swap in Micah's bio

Union or non-union, both fit the budget.

You asked whether both are doable. They are. Since the lead is expected to be SAG-AFTRA, the union version is our primary bid. A detailed estimate is attached.

• Pulse survey and parent think tank
• Series bible and 9 scripts, 2 rounds of notes
• Casting of all supporting roles
• Director and full crew for a 1-day LA shoot
• Edit with 3 rounds of notes, color, mix, graphics
• 9 episodes, clean and captioned, plus stills