UAE: Are micro dramas; short-form content the next big thing in entertainment?
Storytelling is an art and shorter the story, the more gripping it is! Digital platforms have observed a rapid and consistent rise in short form content aka micro dramas.
They're explosive, addictive and raring to capture the Indian and Middle East market (after China). OTT content is preferred and consumed by viewers and this has led to the advent of micro dramas. This is the latest format of storytelling that is enthralling and captivating the audiences like never before. Micro dramas are bite-sized episodes that typically last between 2-10 minutes, making them clickable, viewable and likeable on digital platforms. After capturing the China market last year, they're gaining momentum in UAE and India.
'We see micro dramas playing a key role in our content strategy as a response to an emerging consumer need. Most users carry their phones with them throughout the day and often seek short bursts of entertainment during breaks or while on the move,' says Amogh Dusad, director and head of content, Amazon MX Player. 'However, they might not always have the time or luxury to binge-watch a full-length show.'
Micro dramas fit perfectly into this use case. They allow platforms to offer engaging, high-quality storytelling in a shorter format, catering to viewers who want quick, satisfying content experiences.
The why and how of micro dramas
Micro dramas have gained immense popularity on social media platforms, streaming services, and mobile applications. These are shot at minimum 2-minute to 10-minute storytelling per episode. These dramas are designed to be concise, engaging, and easily digestible, catering to the fast-paced lifestyles of modern audiences. Micro dramas are in a vertical format and ideal for smartphone viewing. They've become ideal for creators to produce and distribute content, reaching a vast audience with minimal resources. In the Middle East, with rising use of smartphones, micro dramas has potential to offer storytelling focused on local culture.
Indian influencer RJ Karishma is super excited about an upcoming micro drama that she's a part of. 'Micro dramas are amazing because they are a great place to showcase acting skills. In shorter reels, you often don't get to show what you're capable of,' she said. 'Here you get to tell the viewers a longer story, keep them gripped and in my case, I'm playing multiple characters all by myself, so I'm looking forward to this.'
Micro dramas are pulling in big viewers who want to watch their favourite influencers on mobile screen and enjoy the rapid-fire episodes one after another. Perhaps, MDs are an extension of reels but in a prolonged storytelling format. Another benefit of micro dramas is easy plug-in of brands in between the storyline. Micro dramas are available on various OTT platforms and the Apple and Google stores, in addition to TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
What the trends suggest
The global micro short drama market is expected to grow at an annualised rate of 7.1% between 2024 and 2030, driven by the increasing popularity of short-form content on digital platforms. According to a report by the market researcher Lucintel, the Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth in the micro short drama market, with countries like China and India leading the charge. Market trends also indicate an interest and gradual demand for micro dramas in the UAE.
When the viewer can get the dopamine-induced content packaged in 5-10-minute episodes, why would they opt to watch a 45-minute episode? 'I think the writing of micro dramas and the way these shows are shot is significantly different from the usual OTT web series that we do,' Amogh says. 'The storytelling is much faster paced, it's slightly elevated and it has multiple gratification hook points and fast-moving plots. I think that is what keeps viewers engaged and move on from one episode to the other.'
Micro dramas offer several benefits to creators, actors and viewers. They're engaging and interactive, increasing audience participation and loyalty. Next, they are cost-effective and less expensive to produce than traditional long-form dramas. Unlike films, micro dramas can be easily distributed across various digital platforms, allowing creators to reach a wide audience. 'Shooting for micro drama series is fun! Micro dramas are all continuous and the end of an episode coincides with the cliffhanger that diverts you to the next one,' RJ Karishma says. 'It's a new format so everything from shooting in portrait to keeping the edits sharp is a challenge.'
The newest storytelling format has several opportunities for creators, actors and audiences. Micro dramas are opening up new business models, such as subscription-based services and branded content.
Micro dramas remains a hot topic for the moment but with shorter attention span, more eyeballs and further more hunger for content, will they change the way audiences consume content?
'I really don't think that it fundamentally changes the way consumers are consuming content; I think the new opportunity lies in the emerging use cases of consumption and its more really this and that way of consumption,' Amogh said. 'Like, use case of binge watching a series, watching a weekly show or watching a vertical serialised micro drama through thumb scrolling, they all are probably addressing different use cases but they don't necessarily mean different consumers. The same consumer at different points in the day might not watch or view something which is bite size, probably on a long weekend want to have a deeper engagement in the form of binge watching.'
Undoubtedly, micro dramas are revolutionising the way we consume entertainment, offering a new era of storytelling that is concise, engaging, and accessible. With the rise of digital platforms and social media, micro dramas have become an ideal way for creators to produce and distribute content, reaching a vast audience with minimal resources. As the micro drama market continues to grow, we can expect to see new business models, increased accessibility, and a wider range of diverse voices and perspectives. Whether you're a creator or an audience member, micro dramas are definitely worth checking out.
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