Vertical Micro-Dramas Are an $8 Billion Business. Hollywood Is Finally Paying Attention

"In just four years since the launch of these vertical dramas, the genre's market has surpassed $8 billion globally, according to Media Partners Asia, with the vast majority of that figure coming from China. Once dismissed as a niche Chinese trend, short dramas are now one of the fastest-growing scripted formats - and Hollywood's studios, producers and investors are finally catching on."

"Each vertical short film has a run time of 60 to 100 minutes but is divided into about 90-second episodes, each one ending with a juicy cliffhanger while the next chapter is just a scroll away. Users get the first eight to 10 episodes for free, but must pay to unlock the rest of the content. The leading apps use coin-based models, subscription services (with some costing up to $19.99 per week) and ad-supported tiers to make a profit off of addicted audiences."

Short vertical dramas feature provocative, clickable titles and short, soapy episodes designed for rapid consumption. Each story runs about 60 to 100 minutes but is split into roughly 90-second chapters that end on cliffhangers to encourage continued scrolling. The format has grown into a multi-billion-dollar global market in four years, with China contributing the majority of revenue. Distribution typically offers initial free episodes followed by paywalls using coins, subscriptions and ad tiers. Major studios, producers and unions have entered the space, and top series attract hundreds of millions of views, exploiting short-form viewing habits.

Read at TheWrap