5X Media executives Alon Shtruzman and Scott Einbinder have expanded into the fast-growing vertical drama sector with the launch of New Short Media, a standalone studio dedicated to producing premium mobile-first series.
Backed by what the company describes as a consortium of investors, the new business will operate independently from 5X Media and focus on developing scripted and unscripted projects featuring established actors, digital creators and influencers.
Director Gev Miron will oversee development and creative operations alongside writer-producer Russell Rothberg. The company said it has 10 projects in development and plans to produce multiple series simultaneously using a mobile-first production model.
Among the first titles are Speeding Towards You, an action-romance thriller written by Rothberg about rival car thieves caught in a covert operation targeting a crime syndicate; One Foot in Hollywood, starring influencer Alex Sparrow as part of an action-comedy centred on a group of creators who become entangled with a cartel; and Polyamour Mon Amour, a dating reality format following a celebrity couple as they open their relationship to a third partner.
Rather than launching its own platform, New Short Media intends to develop IP for existing vertical video services while creating projects with the potential to expand into longer-form television, film, games and consumer products.
Shtruzman (pictured) said the company sees an opportunity to broaden the range of content being produced for the format. “Vertical storytelling is evolving incredibly fast, but much of the market still revolves around the same types of romance stories. We see an opportunity to bring broader genres, premium production values and recognisable talent into the space while harnessing the reach of today’s creator economy.”
Einbinder said the company sees vertical video as an emerging storytelling format rather than simply another distribution channel. “Hollywood is discovering that vertical isn’t simply another distribution format – it’s becoming an entirely new storytelling medium. With New Short Studios combining experienced filmmakers with creators who already command enthusiastic global audiences, we’re creating projects designed to break through culturally, commercially and move beyond posts and clips into character-driven worlds that can live across multiple formats.”
Shtruzman, the founding CEO of Keshet International, joined 5X Media as a partner in 2024 after Einbinder established the management and production company the previous year. Einbinder now serves as executive chairman of 5X Media while New Short Media operates as a separate business alongside the company.
