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Vertical dramas turn a 47-year-old career auditioner into a working actor

TJ Wilk, a former waiter, trainer and manny who logged 729 auditions over two decades, has filmed more than 30 mobile-first microdramas since 2023. His debut vertical, a 56-episode werewolf series, drew 28.8 million views on ReelShort.

Why it matters. Vertical dramas open a viable full-time acting path for performers Hollywood’s traditional casting pipeline had shut out.

Signal from The Ankler · Degen Pener · read the original.

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