25Q4 | The 3-Hour Lesson from China That Changed How I Make Short Dramas
Description
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.
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