Entertainment Talent Flocks To Mini-Dramas

Mini-dramas — low-budget, short-form, vertical shows that are distributed on dedicated apps — are expanding beyond their popularity in Asia (especially China) to the US.

The Big Picture: While the premium A-list series on Quibi couldn’t catch on, the soap opera-esque programming of mini-dramas seem to have found a home with American audiences. With traditional studios and streamers tightening their belts, many out-of-work writers, directors, actors, and crew members are finding that they’re also in need of work opportunities.

Behind the Scenes: Mini-dramas — melodramatic shows that typically feature supernatural beings, love triangles, and a lot of billionaires — are piquing the interest of both talent and studios, according to CAA’s head of digital media, David Freeman.

• Appfigures reports that there are 215 mini-drama apps in the US alone, led by ReelShort, DramaBox, and FlexTV. Spending in the space has also doubled in the past year to over $100 million a month in revenue.
• That revenue is driven by mini-dramas’ “freemium” model, where viewers can access the first few episodes of, say, The Double Life of My Billionaire Husband (real title) for free but must pay a small $5-$10 per week to watch additional episodes.
• US studios are either debuting or exploring their own versions of these shows, including TelevisaUnivision (it’s developing 40 of them), Lionsgate, A&E, and Hallmark.
• Influencer talent management firms, like Select Management Group, are now on the hunt for mini-drama actors to sign, hoping to launch the next era of digital talent.

Final Credits: Mini-dramas have become a hit with a segment of Gen Z and middle-aged women (are they the modern equivalent of tawdry romance paperbacks?). While it may be difficult for premium entertainment companies like Universal and Netflix to produce mini-dramas (assuming they even want to) due to quality expectations and guild rules, it would be very easy for the likes of YouTube, Reels, and TikTok to do so. As of November, TikTok was already testing the format.

Prediction: Maybe influencers were never meant for Hollywood — they were meant for the mini-drama industry. Expect some ambitious creators to give them a shot.