Original Vertical Series · 9:16 · Germany
Department V develops and produces cinematic fiction for the screen in your hand.
In Asia and the United States, vertical drama has grown into a distinct fictional format: mobile first, 9:16, usually one to three minutes per episode and dozens of episodes per story.
Department V brings this storytelling language to high-quality fictional productions for the German-speaking market.
We develop original series conceived from the first frame for 9:16 — cinematic, immediate and built around the way audiences actually hold their screens.
Not cropped to vertical.
Created for vertical.
In Development
Six original vertical series.
Six worlds. One screen.
01
Mockumentary Horror · Found Footage
Shot mockumentary-style in the tradition of The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity: paranormal streamer Jim and his cousin Julia spend one night in a house that has stood empty for decades — live, uncut, in front of a growing audience. Then a user named EMPTYHOUSE1906 appears in the chat and knows things no one should know.
02
Vertical Mystery · Survival Thriller
Freely inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's The Pit and the Pendulum: Noah, 24, wakes up in a seamless white room. No door, no windows — only his wiped phone, an app called EXIT and a countdown. Twelve levels, one question: who did you let die? The only way out leads through his own past.
03
Psychological Drama · Horror
Charlotte Perkins Gilman's classic, transposed into a smart home: after a breakdown, Liv retreats with her caring boyfriend Jonas to a secluded apartment to recover. Watched over by cameras, cut off from everything, she becomes obsessed with the yellow wallpaper in her bedroom — and the woman she believes is trapped behind it.
04
Young Adult Mystery · Psychological Thriller
Chris, Mia, Karl and Elmar wake up with no memory, separated inside an abandoned office building. No exit, no signal, no explanation. As they search for a way out, they discover that past, present and future exist side by side within its walls — and that a voice on an old radio, calling itself Channel Four, knows their names.
05
Romantic Comedy · Identity Mystery
Shakespeare's Twelfth Night as a contemporary comedy of errors: after a blow-up with her twin brother, Viola slips into his life — his clothes, his football club, his flat share. The disguise works a little too well, and soon no one knows who is actually in love with whom.
06
Dark Drama · Psychological Thriller
Goethe's Faust, stripped of its period costume: young, beautiful and hungry for success, a group of ambitious people discovers that almost anything can be bought — including influence, intimacy and identity. The higher they climb, the more they are asked to sacrifice.
The phone isn'tthe second screenanymore.
Department V is a creative development studio focused on premium vertical fiction.
We bring together an established network of directors, writers, camera, actors and film professionals and combine traditional filmmaking experience with new production and development workflows.
Technology can change the process.
Storytelling remains the craft.
How We Produce
Every Department V series is produced to a high cinematic standard — really shot, not AI-generated — at a fraction of the cost of a classic series. Every episode ends on a cliffhanger, built to binge.
Modern technology, a small team and fast, AI-assisted workflows across every area of production. Distribution via our partners' own streaming platforms and apps — or via established apps such as ReelShort, DramaBox or NetShort.
The Founders
Department V is Dominic Müller, Nico Zingelmann, Ralf M. Mendle and Mathias Prause. We have worked for many years in different roles across film and television. At Department V we bring this experience together to develop series conceived consistently for the smartphone.
Initiator
Dominic Müller is a director whose credits include Wilsberg, Friesland, Einstein, Die Lottokönige, Der Lehrer and Dünentod. He brings extensive experience with successful series and franchises and knows how to tell different genres for a broad audience.
Initiator
Nico Zingelmann studied scenic directing at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg and works as a director and writer. His projects include Binny und der Geist, Magda macht das schon!, Der Lehrer and the six-part thriller series Gefährliche Nähe, on which he directed every episode.
Founding Member
Ralf M. Mendle works as a cinematographer, director and producer. His work as Director of Photography includes feature films such as Snowman's Land, Ein Tick anders and Zazy as well as numerous productions for television, documentary and advertising. Alongside his creative work he brings extensive experience in planning and executing productions.
Founding Member
Mathias Prause studied cinematography at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg. As a lighting cinematographer he works in feature film, television, documentary and advertising. His projects include Volt, Die Zukunft ist ein einsamer Ort, several Tatort films and the ZDF series Mordsschwestern – Verbrechen ist Familiensache.
We are currently talking to producers, broadcasters, streaming platforms, brands, investors and creative partners interested in vertical fiction.
Looking for an original vertical series, a development partner or a format designed specifically for mobile audiences?
Let's talk.