How SubwayTakes turned vertical video into Emmy-nominated television

Kareem Rahma’s SubwayTakes, a comedy series shot entirely on New York subway cars using professional cinema rigs, has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy in the Outstanding Short Form Series category. The show features rapid-fire interviews with both everyday New Yorkers and high-profile guests, all conducted in a moving subway car. Despite launching without studio backing, the series gained traction by embracing creative constraints and leveraging the city’s public transit as a free, dynamic set.

Rahma attributes the show’s success to a philosophy of immediacy, rejecting perfectionism in favor of rapid execution. He booked the first ten episodes by tapping personal networks, blending friends with strangers met on the street, and maintained a quality-first approach using high-end equipment like Sony FX3 cameras and Sennheiser microphones. The series’ unscripted, vertical-video format was unconventional at the time, treating short-form content as a standalone show rather than a promotional clip.

The Emmy nomination reflects a broader shift in Hollywood’s recognition of creator-led storytelling, moving beyond audience metrics to value narrative talent. Rahma notes that traditional studios previously struggled to integrate creators successfully, often forcing them into conventional formats. SubwayTakes’ nomination underscores the viability of creator-driven content as a legitimate television format, blending accessibility with artistic ambition.

Rahma’s creative process prioritizes instinct and adaptability, whether balancing multiple projects like SubwayTakes and Keep the Meter Running or adapting to new personal priorities after becoming a father. His approach—doing “what’s right right now”—has shaped both his career and the show’s community-driven ethos, where guests prepare their takes independently. The nomination, he says, validates creator-led storytelling as a sustainable and respected medium in modern entertainment.