Latest news with #shortformcontent
New York Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A Hollywood Start-Up Targets the Micro Drama Craze
Remember Quibi? It was a short-form content studio and streaming service for smartphones that failed in spectacular fashion in 2020, so much so that its name became Hollywood slang: That's a Quibi, as in a terrible idea. Now, however, one of Hollywood's most outsize personalities is giving the basic concept — a short-form studio and app — another shot. He thinks Quibi was a terrific idea, albeit with spotty execution and really bad timing. And it needed the help of artificial intelligence. Lloyd Braun, whose résumé includes stints running ABC Entertainment, the Yahoo Media Group and the WME talent agency, lifted the curtain Wednesday on what he and his partners are calling MicroCo. It's the first Hollywood effort to capitalize on micro dramas, an addictive, bite-size entertainment genre that started in China a few years ago and has ballooned into a more than $7 billion business there, according to analysts. Shot vertically for viewing on phones, micro dramas are soapy, scripted and serialized — video romance novels for the TikTok era. Shows available on ReelShort, a Chinese-backed app, have titles like 'Selling My Virginity to the Mafia King' and 'Pregnant by My Ex's Professor Dad.' Production costs are minuscule by Hollywood standards, with Chinese companies spending as little as $15,000 for an entire season, analysts say. Episodes are a minute (or three) in length. Seasons stretch from 30 to 150 episodes. Chinese micro drama apps have lately been gaining traction in the United States; millions of Americans have downloaded them, according to Sensor Tower, an analytics firm. Analysts estimate that the genre will be a $10 billion business outside China by 2027. 'This is a rare white space in entertainment: an emerging global format with no clear leader here in the U.S.,' Mr. Braun said in an interview, gesticulating wildly as is his custom. (He was once parodied on 'Seinfeld.') MicroCo is funded by Cineverse, a tech-driven entertainment company in Los Angeles, and Banyan Ventures, an investment firm and media incubator run by Mr. Braun, Sarah Bremner and Noah Oppenheim, a former president of NBC News. Cineverse and Banyan declined to say how much they are spending. MicroCo plans to make money through a 'freemium' model in which people can view initial episodes of shows for free and buy credits (or a subscription plan) to unlock additional content, to find out how the stories end. The still-unnamed app may also run advertisements. By its own admission, Quibi failed, in part, because it spent too much on content: about $100,000 to $125,000 per minute, with episodes as long as 10 minutes. It released 25 new episodes, or about three hours of content, each day. The company hoped to sell enough monthly subscriptions to make money, but hardly anyone signed up. It burned through an estimated $1.4 billion in funding from an investor list that included Jeffrey Katzenberg, Goldman Sachs, Google and Alibaba. MicroCo plans to use A.I. tools to keep costs down. 'With today's technology, we can tell quality stories at an exceptionally attractive cost,' Mr. Braun said. For instance, MicroCo's app, which it plans to roll out early next year, will expand the micro format to other genres, including animation. Television animation costs $15,000 to $60,000 per minute if done traditionally. Intelligent Animation, another start-up backed by Banyan Ventures, has developed an A.I.-assisted process that drops the cost to as little as $1,500 per minute. A.I. is a touchy subject in Hollywood. Creative workers, in particular, worry about being replaced by machines. But at least so far, few studios are using it the way MicroCo intends to use it. 'Everything will have a human touch, but technology is going where it's going, and we hope to use it in the best way possible to scale our business and do great storytelling at a reasonable cost,' Jana Winograde, MicroCo's chief executive, said. Ms. Winograde, a former Showtime president, said MicroCo intended to improve on the quality of the average micro drama show while maintaining a cliffhanger-heavy style. Shows will try to establish stakes (plot tension) within three seconds and serve up a dramatic hook (to prompt continued viewing) within 23 seconds. 'We want quality storytelling,' Ms. Winograde said. 'But we're not trying to be premium television.' In other words, the froth will remain. Forgetting what has made micro dramas popular is 'the last thing we want to do,' she said. Susan Rovner, a former chairwoman of entertainment content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, will be the venture's chief creative officer. (She will join in early October, after her contract with NBCUniversal expires.) Before NBCUniversal, Ms. Rovner spent 22 years at Warner Bros. Television, where she oversaw the development of shows like 'Ted Lasso,' 'Gossip Girl' and 'The Flash.' Mr. Braun, who played a pivotal role in bringing shows like 'Lost' and 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' to the air, positioned Cineverse, which has a 50 percent stake in MicroCo, as something of a secret weapon. Cineverse, which has expertise in streaming and A.I. technology, is building the MicroCo app. The company employs more than 100 engineers in India. Erick Opeka, Cineverse's president and chief strategy officer, said, 'We think we can build a better, more refined experience than what we're seeing in the micro drama space today; one that is more consistent with the entertainment experiences Americans are accustomed to.' Cineverse also has a library of roughly 71,000 media properties (podcasts, films, TV series), some of which Ms. Rovner may adapt. Cineverse gained widespread acclaim in Hollywood last year for using its network of assets to turn 'Terrifier 3,' a low-budget horror movie, into a runaway hit. Cineverse spent less than $1 million marketing the film, and it collected $90 million at the worldwide box office. There is one question: If micro dramas are such a great business opportunity, why haven't any old-line studios started to make them? 'The entertainment business is in complete turmoil right now,' said Chris McGurk, Cineverse's chief executive. 'And so the big studios are busy trying to put their fingers in the dike, as opposed to looking at really innovative, cool, new ideas that require the kind of innovative thinking that Jenna and Lloyd and Susan bring to the table.'
CNET
19-06-2025
- Business
- CNET
TikTok's Not Getting Banned, but These Apps Give It a Run for Its Money
The US ban on TikTok has likely been avoided (again). On Tuesday President Trump signaled his intent to add a 90-day extension to prevent the ban from taking effect on June 19. The extra time is meant to give the Chinese-owned app an opportunity to find a US-approved buyer. TikTok was shut down for less than 24 hours in January, in anticipation of a ban upheld by the Supreme Court. Access to TikTok was restored after the app received an extra 75 days to find a US buyer, and in April the deadline was extended by 90 days. Now the deadline will likely be extended by another 90 days. However, if you're one of the nearly 150 million Americans who actively use TikTok, you may be wondering where else you can find your fix of short-form content. Could another Chinese-owned app be the answer? We've put together a list of seven other short-video creation apps you can check out. Screenshots by Shelby Brown/CNET Instagram Reels Reels is a video feature on Instagram that lets you film, edit and post video clips in the app. Clips must be between three and 90 seconds long. To get started, make sure you've got the latest version of the Instagram app on iOS or Android. You can find Reels by swiping right to open the camera and tapping Reels. (Read our full Reels tutorial here.) If you've used Vine or TikTok, Reels should feel familiar to you. On the left side of the screen, there's a slew of filters, songs to add, timed text options and other effects. You can easily swap and post to your Instagram page or story as well. Plus you can save a Reel to your drafts to keep working on it later. See at Instagram Facebook Facebook Reels Much like its Instagram counterpart, Facebook Reels allows users to post video clips up to 90 seconds long. Since Facebook and Instagram are both owned by Meta, you can automatically share Reels you post on your Facebook account to your Instagram account and vice versa. The Facebook app is available on iOS and Android. See at Facebook YouTube YouTube Shorts YouTube offers a TikTok-style video feature called YouTube Shorts. Shorts allows creators to film quick, catchy videos at a maximum length of 60 seconds. YouTube also provides tools to edit multiple video clips together, as well as speed controls, timer and countdown options for recording hands-free. The YouTube app is available on iOS and Android. See at Youtube Snapchat Snapchat Spotlight Snapchat's Spotlight feature, which delivers short-form video like TikTok, has grown in popularity since its introduction in 2020. Snapchat reported last month that the total time users spent watching Spotlight content increased more than 125% year-over-year. The company gives creators an extra incentive to use their platform: if their content gets enough views, Spotlight creators can get monthly rewards called Snap Crystals, which can be redeemed for cash. For more information on how to get rewarded on Spotlight, see the official guidelines. The Snapchat app is available on iOS and Android. Xiaohongshu Xiaohongshu/RedNote Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, is a lifestyle app owned by Xingyin Information Technology, a private company based in Shanghai. It's been described as a cross between Pinterest and Instagram. It's also been described as the "Chinese version of TikTok," which makes it ironic that some US users are now considering it a possible TikTok alternative. See at Xiaohongshu Lemon8 Like Xiaohongshu, Lemon8 is a Chinese-owned company. In fact, it's owned by TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, and TikTok is now encouraging its US users to migrate to Lemon8. Lemon8 has drawn comparisons to Pinterest, with videos focused on lifestyle topics such as food, home and wellness. It's hard to imagine that the US government's security concerns with TikTok won't eventually extend to its sister app. For now, though, Lemon8 is a viable alternative. See at Lemon8
Khaleej Times
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
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.
Forbes
14-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
TelevisaUnivision 2025-26 Upfront Spotlights Streaming, Reality, Microdramas, Women's Soccer
TelevisaUnivision will expand its short-form content slate with one-minute episodes of fast-paced ... More scripted original vertical video series designed for mobile viewing. Streaming, extreme reality shows, new 24/7 formats, short vertical video content, women's soccer competitions and music weighs heavily in TelevisaUnivision's vision for the upcoming season. The company announced new shows, expanded sports rights, and digital initiatives aimed at strengthening its position in the Spanish-language media linear and streaming space. At its 2025 Upfront, top company executives Donna Speciale (President of U.S. ad sales and marketing), Ignacio Meyer (President of Univision Networks Group), and Rafael Urbina (President of Streaming and Digital) outlined its programming and strategy. They emphasized a content-driven approach and a continued focus on U.S. Hispanic audiences, noting the company's integrated ecosystem across TV and streaming. ViX, the company's streaming platform, now reaches 28 million U.S. viewers. Programming and content will focus on cross-generational impact, including: Launch of microdramas: TelevisaUnivision will expand its short-form content slate with one-minute episodes of fast-paced scripted original vertical video series designed for mobile viewing. Forty original microdramas will debut on ViX lin the second half of this year, with plans to extend into comedy and documentaries. Expanded soccer rights: The company also announced a new deal with Concacaf, adding a full slate of the Confederation's women's soccer competitions to its sports lineup, which already includes Liga MX, UEFA Champions League. Streaming Ad Innovation: ViX will introduce new immersive in-show ads for brand integration, built in partnership with TripleLift. Launch of Music Initiatives: The new music festival YA Fest will launch in September 2026 across three cities, featuring live performances and digital experiences. The company is also introducing ViX Música, a dedicated streaming hub for Latin music content, including concerts, interviews, and behind-the-scenes specials. Partnerships include exclusive streaming of iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina and new docu-specials, starting with an inside look at Prince Royce's latest album, Eterno. Julián Gil and Valeria Marin host extreme reality competition "Conquistador." Con Esa Misma Mirada - Season 1 and 2: The ViX original, starring Mexico's former first lady and actress Angélica Rivera, joins the Univision lineup. Also featuring Diego Klein, Sofía Castro, Iván Sánchez, and Ximena Herrera. CDI: Código de Investigación: True crime series, launched in January 2025, continues exploring notable cases with expert analysis. Doménica Montero: A woman rebuilds her life after betrayal, only to face new enemies, forbidden love, and a past that won't let her go. Starring Angelique Boyer. El Conquistador: Survival reality show set in the Dominican Republic, with contestants facing physical and mental challenges. Hosted by Julián Gil and Valeria Marín. Juego de Voces: Musical competition, hosted by Angélica Vale, returns for third season. La Mansión 24/7: Reality series from the creators of Nuestra Belleza Latina, offering round-the-clock access to contestants' lives. Los Hilos del Pasado: A fashion designer discovers a young model is her long-lost daughter. Starring Yadhira Carrilo, Bárbara López, Emmanuel Palomares, Eduardo Santamarina and David Zepeda. Monteverde: Fleeing from a crime she didn't commit, woman hides in the town of Monteverde, impersonating her nun sister. Starring África Zavala and Gabriel Soto. Papás por Siempre: Drama about the lengths parents go to protect their children. Starring José Ron and Ariadne Díaz. Regalo de Amor: A widow uncovers secrets after her husband's death, including a little girl mysteriously registered as her daughter. Starring Alejandra Robles Gil and Chris Pazcal. ¿Quién es la Máscara?: Celebrity singing competition with hidden identities. ¿Quién Caerá? Season 3 (UNIMÁS): Game show where contestants answer questions to win cash prizes. Adamari López hosts. ¿Quién Caerá? KIDS (UNIMÁS): Kids' edition of the quiz show. Hosted by Adamari López and her daughter Alaïa Costa-López. The slate includes established live events such as Premio Lo Nuestro, Premios Juventud, the Latin GRAMMY Awards, and the New Year's Eve special ¡Feliz 2026! YA Fest will also air live across platforms.
