Kasey Esser chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about being a lead actor in the vertical drama industry.
Albert Einstein once said: “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” This quote applies to Kasey Esser.
On being a part of the vertical drama space, Kasey remarked, “Oh my God. It has totally changed my life. I came from fitness, and I did my first vertical in April of 2023. Once I shot that first one, it came out in June, and I have been booked ever since. Thankfully, there is no end in sight.”
On being a OG actor in the vertical drama space, he expressed, “I am very grateful for that. I mean that was just purely a timing thing. The thought of getting into vertical dramas now (brand new) seems much more intimidating. So, I am very happy to be one of the first, and a pioneer in the vertical acting field. I am very happy about that.”
Kasey on his love for vertical dramas
Kasey is drawn to vertical dramas for several reasons. “I think it’s always great to work, and they allow me to work on my craft, and go out and meet great people,” he said.
“I remember someone told me that ‘opportunities don’t just come to you on your couch.’ You’ve got to get out, you’ve got to play the game, and be in the arena,” he noted.
“Vertical dramas are a beautiful opportunity to do all of those things,” he added.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, at a time when streaming, technology, and social media are so prevalent, he said, “This is something I never really anticipated for myself, but it’s something that I’ve wholly embraced because in any other medium, it would have taken me five or ten years minimum to achieve what I have achieved thus far with verticals.”
“I am very grateful to vertical dramas because I am able to reach so many people very quickly,” he added.
Plan for the future
Regarding his plans for the future, Kasey shared, “For me, the goal is to be a leading man in film and TV and while maintaining a foothold in vertical and micro drama production. So, acting-wise, I want to continue to branch out, and producing-wise, I want that to be my focus in this space.”
Greatest lesson that microdramas and the industry have taught him
On the greatest lesson that microdramas have taught him, he said, “Vertical dramas are obviously lower budget in comparison to traditional film and TV. That’s obvious and a known fast. That still does not downplay how hard it is to make some of these, and how many people have to come together to make them happen.”
“Everyone needs to be a team player and wear multiple hats. It has just really taught me the true value of collaboration and that everyone on set is a supporting actor. Everyone on set is helping the other person do their job just down the line,” he noted.
“Vertical dramas have also given me a real appreciation for what really goes into making a movie,” he added.
Career-defining moments
On his career-defining moments in the vertical drama space, he stated, “If there is anything I can look back on, it’s embracing this space from the beginning. If I had taken the stance that perhaps I was advised to — which was not to do this and to keep it at arm’s length — I would have really regretted that.”
“So, I’m very grateful that I just went for it on the marketing front, and turned it into a real business, which has served me very well,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Kasey revealed, “Renaissance.” “It truly is ‘New Beginnings.’ I’m transitioning out of the fitness business and I am really going all in on the vertical drama industry. So, I would like to have a renaissance,” he said.
“I like to have that in my life every few years,” he admitted. “I live on risk, and I need risk always present for me to feel engaged.”
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, he responded, “I was actually talking about this with my girlfriend recently. I would like to possess the ability to eat whatever I wanted and that having no effect on my physique.”
“That would be a great superpower to have,” he admitted. “It’s something that I’ve noticed as time goes on. The older you get, you really have to start watching yourself versus when you were in college where you can just kind of eat whatever you wanted.”
Success
On his definition of the word success, Kasey said, “For me, of course, financial success would be nice. You want that to a certain degree. You need that but for me, as long as I stay in love with my own story and the journey and I feel fulfilled and engaged, that’s all I need.”
“If I live to be 96 years old like Robert Wagner, and still feel creative and wanting to work, then that’s such an incredible thing,” he said. “As time goes on, you can also slip into getting jaded or you start to have these experience that say something is not possible.”
“For me, I always want to remain curious and optimistic and have that creative spark that anything is possible,” he added.
Message for his fans
For his fans and supporters, Kasey said, “Thank you for continuing to support me. The fans were the ones that ‘discovered’ me in the beginning, and so many of them have just stayed for the journey. Now, I am 55-plus vertical drama series that they’ve followed and watched and they’ve seen me go into producing.”
“They’ve seen a lot of life changes these past three years, and if there were no fans, it would be tough to continue going. It is really difficult to film some of these week after week for 12-hour days. That is not to say that other jobs aren’t harder; there are definitely harder jobs,” he said.
“It is still hearing from the fans and seeing that validation, how excited they are, and how happy they are when certain series come out or remind you this is why we do this. As actors, we are providing entertainment to help make people’s lives better,” he explained.
“This is mainly because seeing where everything has gone within the space, as a whole, has been so incredible. I mean, to see the first vertical drama that I ever did now land on Peacock? Wow. We would have never thought that was even a possibility. I’ve worked with the streaming app ReelShort ever since they had under 3,000 followers on social media,” he elaborated.
“I won’t be betting against anything, especially with the growth of this space, just based on my own experiences,” he added.
Closing thoughts on vertical dramas
I want them to be able to watch me and watch the stories that I’m involved in and feel happier than they were than when they started it.
feel good escapism. Yeah, feel good escapism. My archetype was always it is always, you know, the movie The Mummy and Brendan Fraser’s role in that.
that’s kind of how I see, you know, myself, like action, but also a little bit comedic and, you know, something that anyone can watch.
You can watch it with your I mean, not all vertical dramas you want to watch your family, but something that you can just sit down and be like, OK, yeah, like I feel comforted when this guy is on screen. Things are going to be OK.
To learn more about actor Kasey Esser, follow him on Instagram.
