Vedant Dave Appointed Director of Photography for Dual-Format Series 'Rivals to Lovers'

Descendant Films, LLC has announced Vedant Dave as Director of Photography for the premium television series 'Rivals to Lovers,' a project that represents a groundbreaking approach to global content distribution. Directed by Erik Lu and produced by Karpit Patel, this dual-format production is scheduled to begin filming in early 2027 and aims to redefine visual storytelling across multiple viewing platforms simultaneously.

The series follows Ananya, a bold entrepreneur in the tech-fashion industry, and Daniel, a charismatic but ruthless CEO of a competing startup, as their intense professional rivalry evolves into an emotionally charged relationship. This narrative explores themes of ambition, betrayal, and the complex intersection between competition and personal connection, blending elements of romance, business drama, suspense, and personal transformation.

What distinguishes 'Rivals to Lovers' from conventional television productions is its innovative dual-format strategy, designed to serve both traditional global streamers like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, as well as mobile-first vertical platforms dominating Asian markets such as Tencent, iQIYI, and Youku. By capturing footage simultaneously in horizontal (16:9) and vertical (9:16) formats, the production maximizes its global reach and cross-platform compatibility—a first-of-its-kind endeavor in long-form television production that could establish new industry standards for content creation.

As Director of Photography, Vedant Dave will lead the visual development of this ambitious series, unifying cinematic storytelling with cutting-edge technical precision. His responsibilities include defining the show's visual identity across both capture formats, ensuring aesthetic consistency and emotional resonance regardless of screen orientation or platform. Dave will work with multi-camera setups including the ARRI Alexa 35 for cinematic visuals and the Sony FX3 for mobile-oriented framing, crafting an immersive world that balances sleek corporate precision with intimate, character-driven vulnerability.

Director Erik Lu emphasized the significance of Dave's appointment, stating that the series is built around contrast between love and rivalry, intimacy and ambition, and big-screen spectacle versus mobile immediacy. Dave's mastery of light and visual tone positions him as the ideal collaborator for creating worlds that are both cinematic and emotionally accessible to diverse audiences. Throughout filming in iconic Los Angeles and San Francisco locations, Dave will supervise lighting design, lens aesthetics, and camera movement for both the grand scale of Silicon Valley innovation and the emotional subtleties of romantic drama.

The production approach emphasizes modern color palettes, reflective surfaces, and evolving visual motifs that mirror the power struggles and emotional arcs of the protagonists. Post-production will include parallel editing workflows to shape both horizontal and vertical versions concurrently, a process supervised closely by Dave to preserve performance nuance and visual coherence across formats. With production running from January 16, 2027, through January 23, 2028, and post-production concluding in early 2028, 'Rivals to Lovers' is positioned as a flagship cross-market production designed to engage both Western premium streaming audiences and the rapidly expanding Asian serialized drama landscape.

Descendant Films, led by Erik Lu, continues to push boundaries in cinematic storytelling for global markets, with prior collaborations spanning the United States and Asia. Lu's work is recognized for its aesthetic discipline, narrative clarity, and forward-looking technical innovation. The appointment of Vedant Dave and the implementation of this dual-format strategy represents a significant step toward creating content that transcends traditional distribution boundaries while maintaining artistic integrity.

The implications of this production approach extend beyond the series itself, potentially influencing how future television content is created and distributed globally. By addressing the distinct viewing habits of Western streaming audiences and Asian mobile consumers simultaneously, 'Rivals to Lovers' could establish new production protocols that other studios may adopt. This innovative methodology acknowledges the evolving nature of content consumption while maintaining high production values across formats, setting a potential benchmark for the industry's adaptation to fragmented viewing platforms.