Already Cast
The Protector
Jason
Played by Justin Sweat
Confident, loyal, and always in control — until he isn't. Feels responsible for everyone.
Drives the Story
Guilt & Redemption
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Goldstrand Media Presents
THE
Woods
You can run from your past. But you can't run from The Woods.
DramaThrillerMysteryVertical Series
Format
9:16 Vertical
1–3 minute episodes · 60+ episodes per season
Target
Mobile-First
ReelShort · DramaBox · ShortMax · TikTok · Instagram
Series Premise
When five young Travelers become trapped inside a mysterious forest with no apparent way out, every path they take leads them right back to where they started.
As fear turns to paranoia and trust unravels, they begin to suspect the woods are alive — because they are. The deeper they walk, the more the forest mirrors the secrets each of them tried to leave behind.
The Engine
- ▸Closed-loop mystery with time-bending rules
- ▸Character-driven psychological thriller
- ▸Built-in sponsorship & product integration
- ▸Five-season arc already mapped
Key Characters
Travelers in the Loop
Six roles. Four already cast. Each character carries a secret the forest knows how to use.
Already Cast
The Thinker
Thomas
Played by Sekou Ade
Observant, intelligent, and skeptical. Best friends with Jason and the group's strategist.
Drives the Story
Faith & Discovery
Already Cast
The Heart
Andy
Played by LaShae Monique
Compassionate, strong, and quietly fighting more than anyone knows. Lives with chronic asthma.
Drives the Story
Hope & Forgiveness
Already Cast
The Spark
Pixie
Played by Alyssa Raquel
Free-spirited, funny, and the emotional escape for the group. Hides pain with sarcasm.
Drives the Story
Loss & Acceptance
Already Cast
The Wild Card
Nick
Played by Erik Peterson
Charming, guarded, and carrying a past no one fully knows.
Drives the Story
Memory & Consequence
Already Cast
The Missing Piece
The Stranger
Played by Brian Adams
A former survivor. An oracle, not a villain. He knows the rules of the Woods — because he once broke them. He can guide, but never save. He can warn, but never interfere.
Drives the Story
The Truth
Season 1
The Loop: The Hook
Five Travelers. One forest. No way out.
The Setup
Jason, Andy, Pixie, Thomas, and Nick wake at the edge of a forest none of them entered — and every trail they take bends right back to the same clearing.
The Cliffhanger
They find their own names carved into a tree no one remembers touching, dated over a hundred years ago.
Investment Opportunity
Why Vertical Drama Now
The vertical drama market crossed $1B in 2024 and is projected to triple by 2027. The Woods is built to capture that wave.
$0.50–$2.00
Avg CPM, Vertical Drama
ReelShort, DramaBox, and ShortMax deliver some of the lowest acquisition costs in streaming — with watch-through rates rivaling premium TV.
70%+
Episode Completion
Vertical micro-drama averages 70–85% per-episode completion vs. 30–50% for traditional streaming pilots. Built-in cliffhangers compound retention.
$1B+
Category Revenue (2024)
The vertical drama market crossed $1B globally in 2024 and is projected to triple by 2027. Early IP positions sponsors at the front of the wave.
Multi-Tier
Sponsor Integration
Product placement, branded episodes, end-card spots, and character-driven integrations — engineered into the script, not bolted on.
Executive Team
Creative Leadership
Keith Sweat
Executive Producer | Creator
Justin Sweat
Associate Producer | PLAYS LEAD ROLE: Jason
Lena Jenkins-Smith
Executive Producer | Writer
Jonathan Williams
Director | Executive Producer | Writer
THE
Woods
You can run from your past. But you can't run from The Woods.
Scripts available upon request
A Goldstrand Media Production · Casting by Aisle One Entertainment