The Impact of Digital Culture on the Cinematic Experience: Vertical Cinema and New-Generation Audiences
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5195/cinej.2026.823Keywords:
vertical cinema, vertical video, Generation Z, mobile spectatorship, digital culture, audience perceptions, smartphone filmmakingAbstract
This study examines the rise of the vertical format in the digital age within the context of social media-based viewing and production practices and aims to discuss how this transformation has shaped the media habits, aesthetic perceptions, and understanding of cinema among new generations of viewers. The focus is how young audiences perceive vertical cinema, use it, and evaluate its aesthetic possibilities. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted through purposive sampling; eight were selected for in-depth thematic analysis using MAXQDA 24. The findings indicate that participants were frequently exposed to the vertical format and primarily associated it with social media practices. The vertical format is preferred for short, fast, and mobile-friendly content and is valued for its practicality and ease of production. However, it was perceived as limited in terms of narrative depth, visual composition, and emotional conveyance, and was therefore viewed as falling outside the realm of cinematic art. Vertical cinema was found to be both a product of digital culture and a medium that reproduces it. The study suggests that, within this sample, vertical cinema embodies a dual character: it encourages creative participation while remaining distant from traditional cinematic values.
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