The arguments for shooting wide (horizontally) are many and—in the opinion of this magazine— persuasive. Nevertheless, Netflix has decided to offer vertical previews of movies and TV shows. The reason? Many Netflix customers hold their phones vertically. This has meant that previews were accompanied by black bars. The new doctored previews will fill the phone’s screen. Of course, much of the original material will be lost, but perhaps viewers won’t miss what they don’t see. Is the result satisfactory? Here’s a sampler that will let you judge for yourself.
If you want to learn more about Netflix’s vertical previews, here’s a Variety piece on the subject. As for the case for shooting wide, check out our own article here.