Claim OwnershipInside Vertical Short Dramas
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🎙️ Go behind the scenes of the global vertical short drama boom.
Hosted by producer Maggie Han, founder of the Short Drama Alliance, this podcast explores the rise of vertical short dramas through interviews with creators, producers, and industry leaders worldwide.
Featuring conversations from the Short Drama Forum and the YouTube channel Short Drama Decode.
Find us on Tiktok,Instagram, Facebook,X or threads — just search Short Drama Alliance.
42 Episodes
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Today’s episode comes from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum,featuring Yamile Vaena — a bilingual best-selling author from Mexico and a screenwriter whose career spans nearly five decades of storytelling. In this conversation, Yamile shares how she transitioned from novels to vertical dramas, why the format unlocked new creative and financial opportunities, and what she learned writing for major platforms across China, India, and the U.S. We talk about identifying ideas that actually work in one-minute episodes, how to design emotional hooks and cliffhangers, and why the global short-drama industry is now expanding beyond romance into thriller, horror, and new genres. Let’s dive in.---📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 135-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — f— designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum, with Carin Smolinski — an actress, producer, and director who has appeared in 26 vertical micro-dramas and is now shaping the next wave of elevated, values-driven vertical storytelling. In this interview, Carin shares how she moved from entrepreneurship in Japan into acting in 9:16 dramas, what she’s learned across chaotic early sets to today’s professionalized workflows, and why she writes and produces projects that champion diversity, safety, and strong female characters. We also talk about acting technique in exaggerated formats, emotional hooks, audience connection, the evolution of Western verticals, and where she believes the future of the genre is headed. Let’s dive in.---📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 135-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — f— designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI Future Playbook: China’s Short Drama Ecosystem and Insights for Global BusinessChina is not just the largest short drama market—it’s the most advanced one.If you understand how China’s short drama ecosystem works today, you’ll understand how short dramas will evolve in your own country tomorrow.👉 Full Edition: https://payhip.com/b/jBRKF👉 Amazon Light Version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FX5QBY3Y
Today’s episode comes from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum, featuring Celia Xavier — an award-winning vertical writer, producer, actress, and a Top 6 Visionary Award finalist in the ReelShorts Vertical Series Competition. Celia shares how she transitioned from traditional filmmaking into vertical microdramas, the experience of producing her own 10-episode series, and what she learned about hooks, pacing, and emotional impact through the editing process. We also talk about audience behavior, character design inspired by real life, and where new genres — like thrillers, action, and horror — can push the boundaries of the vertical format. Let’s dive in.---📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 135-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — f— designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum with Isabel Dréan — a produced vertical-series writer with a #1 show on Vigloo, and the creator of the Vertical Series Masterclass and Vertical Incubator. In this interview, Isabel talks about what makes vertical stories work—from archetypes and emotional intensity to the “espresso shot” pacing of short dramas. She also shares insights on adapting long-form scripts into mobile-first storytelling, why horror and thrillers are perfect for vertical formats, and how writers can unlearn traditional screenwriting to hit the emotional bullseye. Let’s dive in.--📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 135-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — f— designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum with Bethany Thomson — the Creative Lead at Sea Star Productions, one of the UK’s leading vertical drama studios. In this interview, Bethany shares how she scouts and works with writers, how Sea Star collaborates with major platforms, and what makes vertical storytelling different from traditional TV and film. She also talks about the growing UK & European market, the tropes that still work, what new genres have breakout potential, and how she evaluates scripts, hooks, and characters for mobile-first audiences.---📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 135-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82ozFuture Playbook: China’s Short Drama Ecosystem and Insights for Global BusinessChina is not just the largest short drama market—it’s the most advanced one.If you understand how China’s short drama ecosystem works today, you’ll understand how short dramas will evolve in your own country tomorrow.👉 Amazon Light Version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FX5QBY3Y 👉 Full Edition: https://payhip.com/b/jBRKF
Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum with Liyanne Marie — a Casting Director (CDA) and Head of Casting at Onset Octopus, working across film, TV, commercials, theatre, and especially vertical dramas in the UK and internationally. In this interview, Liyanne shares how casting for vertical dramas differs from traditional screen work, what she looks for in actors in a fast-paced mobile-first format, and why authenticity and emotional clarity matter more than ever. We also talk about:· how vertical dramas are reshaping casting pipelines,· the rapid demand for new talent across global platforms,· and the skills actors need to succeed in this emerging format. If you’re a creator, producer, or actor navigating the vertical-drama space, her insights offer a clear, practical look at how the industry is evolving behind the scenes. Let’s dive in.---📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 135-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — f— designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode comes from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum,featuring director Jen Yeuroukis, who works across Los Angeles and Europe in micro-drama and vertical drama production. In this conversation, Jen shares how she transitioned into vertical directing, what makes short-drama storytelling unique compared with film and TV, and why emotional clarity and structure matter so deeply in a 2–3 minute episode. We also discuss common script issues she encounters, how she thinks about pacing and emotional arcs, and her insights on portraying female characters without falling into harmful tropes. Let’s dive in.---📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 135-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — f— designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode comes from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum, featuring Judah Ray — founder of Butterfly and an ex-MGM development executive who has worked across more than 100 productions. In this conversation, Judah breaks down how he approaches Westernizing short-drama IP, what makes vertical storytelling fundamentally different from traditional filmmaking, and why formulas, retention mechanics, and data matter more than genre or style. He also shares insights from shadowing major platform shoots, what he learned directly from Chinese teams, and his candid thoughts on the future of vertical drama in the U.S. Let’s dive in.---📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 135-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — f— designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum with Cassandra Yang — CEO of RisingJoy, one of the most active global licensing hubs for micro-dramas, now connected with 50+ platforms across 20+ countries. Cassandra explains what truly defines micro-dramas, why mobile-first storytelling requires emotional hooks over logic, and the biggest misconceptions traditional film/TV professionals still have about the format. She also breaks down global demand trends, the rise of English and Korean short dramas, and the challenges of adapting Chinese content for international markets — from music rights to cultural context. Finally, we talk about the next frontier: co-productions, format licensing, and why the global short-drama market is still at “Level 1” compared to China’s five-year lead. Let’s dive in.---📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 135-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz
Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum with Kristen Brancaccio — a writer-director who has created 16+ vertical dramas across major U.S. platforms, and one of the emerging creative voices shaping the fast-paced directing language of vertical storytelling. In this interview, Kristen shares how she transitioned from TV pilots and YouTube into vertical formats, why pacing and emotional turns matter every 10–15 seconds, and how she balances genre tropes, production realities, and performance direction to craft addictive mobile-first stories. She also talks about working across platforms, adapting romance, mafia, and fantasy tropes for Western audiences, and why she believes vertical dramas open new doors for female creators. Let’s dive in.--📘 Future Playbook: China’s Short Drama Ecosystem and Insights for Global Business(35-page Light Version) — Available on Amazon💰 Future Playbook: China’s Short Drama Ecosystem and Insights for Global Business(Full Edition) — Available here:https://payhip.com/b/jBRKF
Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum with Cypress Bai — founder of Storypod Studio, former Head of Content & Production at DramaWave, and one of the key writer-producers shaping the English-language vertical drama landscape. In this interview, Cypress shares how she first entered the vertical space, how she approaches adapting Chinese and English web novels, and why structure, rhythm, and emotional clarity matter even more in short dramas.We also talk about character design, cliffhangers, book-to-series adaptation, and how Hollywood’s three-act storytelling translates into vertical formats. It’s a sharp, practical conversation for anyone writing, producing, or studying micro-dramas. Let’s dive in.--📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 126-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — Short Drama Writing 101 for Everyone — designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum with Jeebok Park — the founder of the global micro-drama platform Shortime and Shortime Studio. Jeebok talks about what makes short dramas fundamentally different from film and TV, why emotional engagement matters more than any metric, and how BL/GL fandoms became the foundation of their global growth. We also discuss how Shortime works with creators around the world, what types of stories travel best, and why he believes micro-dramas will become a mainstream global entertainment format. Let’s dive in.---📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 126-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — Short Drama Writing 101 for Everyone — designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum with Cypress Bai — founder of Storypod Studio, former Head of Content & Production at DramaWave, and one of the key writer-producers shaping the English-language vertical drama landscape. In this interview, Cypress shares how she first entered the vertical space, how she approaches adapting Chinese and English web novels, and why structure, rhythm, and emotional clarity matter even more in short dramas.We also talk about character design, cliffhangers, book-to-series adaptation, and how Hollywood’s three-act storytelling translates into vertical formats. It’s a sharp, practical conversation for anyone writing, producing, or studying micro-dramas. Let’s dive in.--📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 126-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — Short Drama Writing 101 for Everyone — designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode comes from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum,Featuring Jen Cooper — founder of Vertical Drama Love, a global vertical-drama advocate, media commentator, and one of the most influential community-builders in the space.In this conversation, Jen shares how she entered the industry as a fan and became a bridge between creators and audiences worldwide. We discuss fan behavior, global viewing trends, the rise of vertical-drama awards and festivals, and how fan feedback is shaping what gets made.She also talks about shifts in storytelling, concerns around violence and AI-generated content, and why she believes women — and viewers who actually watch vertical dramas — have unique advantages in this ecosystem.Let’s dive in.📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 126-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — Short Drama Writing 101 for Everyone — designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum,with Mauricio Osaki — filmmaker and creative director of Lupi Films, where he develops original short dramas and leads localization for multiple global platforms. In this interview, Mauricio shares how he first entered the vertical-drama space, what makes mobile-first storytelling fundamentally different from film and television, and why he believes the essence of short dramas is a modern, mobile version of the soap opera. We also talk about the craft behind directing: fixing cultural mismatches in localization, choosing actors who can carry emotional intensity in one-minute scenes, and shaping pacing through table reads and post-production. Mauricio offers practical advice for new actors and writers entering the industry, and discusses which genres — from sports to military to horror — are emerging beyond CEO romance. Let’s dive in.---📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 126-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — Short Drama Writing 101 for Everyone — designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode comes from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum,featuring Max Jiang and Joy Quinn, co-owners of 9:16 Productions, one of the most organized vertical-drama teams in the U.S. In this interview, they discuss how they approach performance, pacing, casting, and localization for mobile-first audiences—and why new genres like horror and thriller may be the next frontier in vertical dramas. Let’s dive in.📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 126-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — Short Drama Writing 101 for Everyone — designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum,with Monika (Whitney) Dalman — a Casting Director, industry consultant, and producer who has worked on more than 80 vertical microdramas across multiple global platforms. In this interview, Monika breaks down how vertical casting really works, what production teams often overlook when adapting film/TV workflows to microdramas, and why performance, safety, and communication matter even more in this fast-turnaround format. We also talk about talent pipelines, the challenges of working with new vertical platforms, and how she supports productions from casting through delivery. Let’s dive in.📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 126-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — Short Drama Writing 101 for Everyone — designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode comes from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum, featuring Lucas Zhang, CEO & Founder of Daogu Entertainment and co-founder of Dramago. Lucas has been at the forefront of China’s short-drama evolution — from live-action vertical series to AI-powered motion comics — and his teams have worked across the full pipeline: writing, production, post, distribution, and long-tail monetization. In this conversation, he breaks down:what truly differentiates short dramas from traditional film & TVthe rise of AI motion comics and their global potentialfuture opportunities for creators, platforms, and IP owners Lucas also shares candid insights on user acquisition, long-tail revenue, translation markets, and why AI is becoming an essential tool — not a threat — for short-drama creators. Let’s dive in.------ 📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 126-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — Short Drama Writing 101 for Everyone — designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum with Kasey Esser — an actor and producer recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the breakout stars of the vertical drama industry. Kasey shares how he entered the U.S. vertical-drama space early on, what he’s learned from starring in viral hits like Fated to My Forbidden Alpha and Love in the Shadows, and why pacing, romance, and emotional clarity matter so much on a mobile screen. We also talk about the rise of action-adventure verticals, how to hook viewers in the first few seconds, and why he believes fan feedback should directly shape the next generation of micro-drama production. Let’s dive in.📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 126-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — Short Drama Writing 101 for Everyone — designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
From the Short Drama Forum 2025 Q4In this episode, we share a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum with Jenny Rosen —Junior Development Executive at DramaBox, vertical drama screenwriter, and traditionally published author.Jenny’s vertical dramas and web novels have generated over 70 million views across ReelShort and Wattpad/WEBTOON Studio, with her work featured in The Guardian, The Times, ITV, and Der Spiegel.In this interview, Jenny discusses:How she approaches writing for mobile-first audiencesThe differences between web-novel logic and vertical-drama structureWhy pacing, hooks, and emotional beats matter more than plot complexityHow DramaBox works with writers and evaluates story potentialThe future of genre innovation beyond CEO romanceThe rising importance of fan feedback in shaping story developmentIf you want to understand how top creators craft stories for the fast-growing vertical drama ecosystem, this conversation offers invaluable insight.Let’s dive in.📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 126-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?Try my online course — Short Drama Writing 101 for Everyone — designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI
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