Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
November 07, 2025

Rivals to Lovers Sets New Standard in Dual-Format Global Storytelling

Original Source

TLDR

  • Descendant Films' dual-format strategy for Rivals to Lovers creates a competitive edge by maximizing global reach across both traditional streamers and mobile-first platforms.
  • The production uses simultaneous horizontal and vertical filming with ARRI Alexa 35 and Sony FX3 cameras, followed by parallel editing workflows to maintain visual consistency across formats.
  • This innovative approach to storytelling bridges cultural divides by making premium content accessible across different platforms and viewing preferences worldwide.
  • Rivals to Lovers pioneers first-of-its-kind dual-format production, capturing tech-fashion romance in both cinematic widescreen and mobile vertical formats simultaneously.

Impact - Why it Matters

This production represents a significant evolution in how content is created and consumed globally. As audiences increasingly split between traditional streaming platforms and mobile-first viewing, the industry has struggled with adapting content across formats. Rivals to Lovers' simultaneous horizontal and vertical production approach could establish a new template for future productions, potentially influencing how studios approach international distribution. For viewers, this means higher quality, natively designed content regardless of whether they're watching on a television screen or smartphone. The technical innovation also signals a more inclusive approach to global storytelling, recognizing that different markets have distinct viewing preferences and platform ecosystems that deserve equally polished content rather than awkwardly cropped versions.

Summary

Descendant Films, LLC is launching an ambitious new television series titled "Rivals to Lovers," directed by Erik Lu and produced by Karpit Patel, set to begin production in early 2027. The series follows Ananya, a bold tech-fashion entrepreneur, and Daniel, the charismatic but ruthless CEO of a competing startup, as their intense professional rivalry evolves into a charged emotional relationship. Blending romance, business rivalry, suspense, and personal transformation, the story explores themes of ambition, betrayal, and the blurred lines between competition and connection, filmed across iconic Los Angeles and San Francisco locations that capture both Silicon Valley innovation and intimate romantic drama.

What makes this project groundbreaking is its innovative dual-format production strategy, designed to maximize global reach by simultaneously capturing content in both traditional horizontal (16:9) format for global streamers like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, and vertical (9:16) format for mobile-first platforms dominating Asian markets such as Tencent, iQIYI, and Youku. This first-of-its-kind approach in long-form television production is led by Director of Photography Vedant Dave, who will define the show's visual identity across both formats using multi-camera setups including the ARRI Alexa 35 for cinematic visuals and the Sony FX3 for mobile-oriented framing. Dave's responsibilities include supervising lighting design, lens aesthetics, and camera movement to balance sleek corporate precision with character-driven vulnerability.

Director Erik Lu emphasizes that the series is built around contrast—between love and rivalry, intimacy and ambition, big-screen spectacle and mobile immediacy. Post-production will feature parallel editing workflows to shape both horizontal and vertical versions concurrently, with Dave ensuring visual coherence and performance nuance across formats. Production runs from January 16, 2027, through January 23, 2028, with post-production concluding in early 2028. As a flagship cross-market production from Descendant Films, the series aims to set new industry standards for multi-format global storytelling while engaging both Western streaming audiences and the expanding Asian serialized drama landscape. For more information, visit Erik Lu's website or check his IMDb profile for additional background on his cinematic work.

Source Statement

This curated news summary relied on content disributed by 24-7 Press Release. Read the original source here, Rivals to Lovers Sets New Standard in Dual-Format Global Storytelling

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