From Hollywood to Handheld: Kate Monroe’s Vertical Crime Breakthrough, The Hales
Written by Will Jones
Kate Monroe is not simply launching a new crime drama. With The Hales, the actress and executive producer is placing a confident bet on what she believes is the future of entertainment.
Her latest project is a vertical crime series, shot entirely for mobile viewing and designed to be consumed the way modern audiences naturally watch content. “A vertical is a series that’s intentionally shot for your phone,” Monroe explains. “So many viewers are on their phones, and not everyone wants to commit to traditional long-form episodes anymore. Think about a typical drama: 40 minutes to an hour per episode, ten episodes a season. That’s an eight- to ten-hour investment. A vertical drama reimagines that structure. Each episode runs about 90 seconds to two minutes, and you can experience an entire season in 15 to 20 minutes.”
Filmed in vertical format, the series fills the entire screen the same way social content does on platforms like TikTok or Instagram. Yet Monroe is quick to emphasize that shorter episodes do not mean scaled-back production value. “With The Hales, we really set the bar. Even though it’s short-form, we shot it like a feature film. It’s cinematic. It’s beautiful. It looks incredible. We didn’t compromise on quality just because it’s vertical.”
The shift toward vertical storytelling came after Monroe’s experience producing Bodyman, where she saw firsthand the realities of traditional filmmaking. “When I made Bodyman, I realized how time-consuming and expensive traditional filmmaking really is,” she says. “A movie is an hour and a half. But when you’re making a full season of television, you’re essentially making ten movies. That’s an incredible commitment of time, money, and resources before audiences ever see a single frame.” With The Hales, the process moved at a radically different pace. “I wrote The Hales in a day. We kept the crew lean, about 10 to 15 people. We shot the entire season in three days. In less than two weeks, it was ready for market.” The economics, she notes, are just as compelling. “With a relatively modest ad spend of $10,000 to $20,000, a vertical series can generate $500,000 to $1 million in revenue very quickly. Why choose the most difficult, expensive route when there’s a model that allows more creators to participate and move faster? For me, vertical felt like both a creative and a strategic evolution.”
At its core, The Hales is a classic murder mystery, structured around suspense and shifting perspectives. “I’ve always loved murder mysteries, especially the kind that open with someone already dead,” Monroe says. “You start with the crime, and then you reverse-engineer everything. It becomes this ‘who did it?’ chase where every detail matters.” The series opens with a murder, immediately plunging viewers into speculation. “From that moment on, the audience is asking: Who did it? As each character takes the stand, suspicion shifts. Was it his wife? The mistress? His mother? Did someone else have motive? The story keeps turning the lens, forcing you to reconsider everything you thought you knew.”
Beneath the mystery lies a layered examination of power within a marriage. The Hales are a glamorous and formidable couple operating at the top of their world. “He’s a charismatic, wealthy dealmaker with a slightly shifty edge. She’s the number one criminal defense attorney in her city. Brilliant. Strategic. Unshakable in a courtroom. So for her to suddenly find herself on trial for the potential murder of her own husband, that’s seismic.” The scandal would rock their entire community. Visually, the world is polished and elevated. “We shot in a stunning location with the Hollywood sign in the background, which gives it this unexpected old-Hollywood elegance. There’s a classic, almost noir beauty to it, but it’s wrapped in a modern whodunit.”
Emotionally, the story becomes more complex as viewers get to know Sebastian Hale, played by Eric Etebari. “He’s a deeply hostile character, a womanizer who believes he can do whatever he wants without consequence. The more you get to know him, the more complicated your feelings become. You may even find yourself hoping his wife did it.” The answer, however, does not come easily. “You’ll have to wait until Season Two to learn the truth. We want audiences fully invested, debating it, choosing sides.”
The inspiration behind the series comes from decades of watching crime dramas. “I grew up watching shows like Law & Order: SVU and Criminal Minds with my mom,” Monroe says. “Even now, when I’m looking to binge something, it’s almost always a murder mystery.” She laughs as she adds, “At this point I probably know enough to get away with murder. I’ve filed away so many storylines over the years.” When conceptualizing the vertical format, she understood that pacing would be critical. “Every 90 seconds has to end with a hook, a cliffhanger. Suspense and high-emotion drama are perfect for that format. I asked myself what the perfect murder mystery would look like, mapped out the characters and twists, and within 24 to 48 hours, I had written the entire season. This genre has lived in my head for decades. The Hales is the culmination of that obsession.”
Monroe believes the timing could not be better. “I don’t just think the industry is ready for vertical storytelling. I think the market is demanding it.” She points to international success in the format and the simple reality that audiences are spending more time on their phones than in front of televisions. “When people are on their phones, they’re not committing to two-hour movies. They want something immediate. You can consume an entire crime drama before work. That’s powerful.” She also believes audiences are fatigued by unnecessary filler. “With vertical, we cut all of that out. It’s pure momentum.”
Beyond storytelling, Monroe sees innovation in the business model. The rollout will include brand partnerships integrated naturally into the narrative, as well as audience participation through referral incentives and tokenized ownership. “Right now, creators make content and audiences consume it, but fans don’t participate in the upside. We’re changing that. Imagine being able to say, ‘I helped get Season Two made. I own part of that.’ That creates a completely different level of engagement.” In her view, vertical storytelling could become a meaningful solution for an industry in transition.
As for how she wants audiences to feel when the first season ends, Monroe does not hesitate. “I want them shocked. That jaw-dropping moment where the screen goes black and you think, ‘No way. I did not see that coming.’” Season One closes on a decisive cliffhanger. “It’s the kind of ending that immediately makes you want Episode One of Season Two. The story doesn’t end. The chase evolves. The stakes get higher.”
The Hales will roll out across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, with portions available for free before viewers unlock the full season. “We’re meeting audiences where they already are,” Monroe says. She envisions the series as both a standalone success and a launching point. “Maybe it starts as a vertical series, and then it evolves into a traditional television show or a feature film. That’s the long game. But for now, audiences can watch it everywhere, and I can’t wait for them to dive in.”
With The Hales, Kate Monroe is not only delivering a murder mystery. She is challenging how, and where, stories are told.
Watch the full interview here:
www.youtube.comwww.katemonroeceo.com
Cast and Production Credits:
Director: Mike Dolgin (Focus Media)Alexandra Hale: Kate Monroe
Sebastian Hale: Eric Etebari
Prosecutor: Preston Hillier
Alexandra’s Defense: Angie DeGrazia
Detective Rowan: David Chokachi
Sebastian’s Mother: Elizabeth Gast
