Los Angeles Gathering Will Bring Together the Platforms, Creators, Talent and Brands Building the Next Generation of Vertical Entertainment

LOS ANGELES — August, 2026 — FUEGO Shorts, Casa NoHo Studios and theWorkbooktoday announced the inaugural Latino Vertical Summit, a full-day industry gathering dedicated to the intersection of Latino storytelling and the rapidly expanding world of Vertical entertainment.

The Summit will take place Thursday, October 15, 2026, at Casa NoHo Studios in North Hollywood, closing out Hispanic Heritage Month with a day of provocative conversations, education, networking and dealmaking followed by a special Hispanic Heritage Month Cocktails & Salsa After Party.

Designed to bring together creators, writers, actors, producers, studios, platforms, brands, agencies and investors, the Latino Vertical Summit will examine how mobile-first storytelling is creating new opportunities across development, production, talent, distribution, monetization and branded entertainment and why Latino storytellers are uniquely positioned to help shape what comes next.

“Verticals are rewriting the rules around how stories are developed, produced, distributed and discovered,” said David Chitel, CEO of FUEGO Shorts. “The Latino Vertical Summit is about bringing together the people who understand our culture with the people building this new business and making sure Latinos aren't simply participating in the Vertical revolution, but helping lead it.”

Programming will explore the Vertical ecosystem through a distinctly Latino lens, with conversations spanning writing and story architecture; platforms and distribution; the influence of Latino novela DNA; talent and creators; in-language versus in-culture storytelling; casting; production; brands; monetization; and the future of the format.

The full-day program will feature executive conversations, panels, keynotes, workshops and networking, bringing established entertainment leaders together with the entrepreneurs, creators and emerging companies building the next generation of Vertical entertainment.

“Vertical storytelling may feel like a new format, but the emotional DNA behind it isn't new to Latino audiences at all,” said Ben DeJesus, Co-Founder of FUEGO Shorts and Founder of Casa NoHo Studios. “Cliffhangers, forbidden love, betrayal, family drama, heightened emotion we grew up with this stuff. The opportunity now is to take that storytelling muscle and reinvent it for a mobile-first generation.”

For Sandy Hernandez, Co-Founder of Casa NoHo Studios, the Summit is also about expanding access for Latino talent and creators as an entirely new entertainment ecosystem takes shape.

“There is an incredible amount of Latino talent ready for this moment in front of the camera and behind it,” said Hernandez. “But representation isn't just about who gets cast. It's about who gets to write, direct, produce, own, build companies and make decisions. As this new category grows, we have an opportunity to create those pathways now instead of trying to fix them later.”

The Summit will also connect the rapidly evolving Vertical marketplace with the broader professional talent and production community through The Workbook.  “Every major shift in entertainment creates new opportunities for talent, and Vertical storytelling is opening an entirely new lane,” said John Mclean of The Workbook. “Actors, creators, writers and filmmakers need opportunities to understand the format, meet the people building it and position themselves to participate. The Latino Vertical Summit creates exactly that kind of bridge.”

A Format Built for the Scroll with Latino DNA

Vertical microdramas have emerged as a new form of serialized, mobile-first entertainment, typically built around short episodes, aggressive hooks, cliffhangers and binge-driven storytelling designed specifically for smartphone viewing.  For the Summit's organizers, the connection between that formula and generations of Latino storytelling is impossible to ignore.

Long before audiences were unlocking the next episode of a Vertical series on their phones, novelas were using many of the same storytelling mechanics to keep millions of viewers coming back night after night.

The Latino Vertical Summit will explore how that cultural foundation can translate into a new generation of stories created in-language, in-culture and in-context while examining the global opportunity for Latino stories capable of crossing cultures and borders.

Closing Hispanic Heritage Month With a Celebration

Following the Summit, attendees will transition from conversation to celebration with a special Hispanic Heritage Month Cocktails & Salsa After Party at Casa NoHo Studios.

The evening will bring together Summit speakers, attendees, creators, executives, talent and partners for cocktails, music, salsa and networking celebrating the close of Hispanic Heritage Month and the Latino community's growing influence on the next generation of entertainment.

Event Details

LATINO VERTICAL SUMMIT:   Thursday, October 15, 2026

·      10a – 2p:  Vertical House (Invite Only)

·      2p – 4p:  Vertical Village & Networking

·      4p – 8p:  Vertical Summit

·      8p – 10p:  Cocktails & Salsa

Casa NoHo Studios | North Hollywood, California

Full-Day Summit + Hispanic Heritage Month Cocktails & Salsa After Party

Presented by FUEGO Shorts, Casa NoHo Studios and theWorkbook

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