In 2020, entertainment mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg launched Quibi, a short-form app for phone-addicted viewers. It collapsed after eight months amid public ridicule. Six years later, short-form mobile narrative entertainment is the fastest-growing streaming form worldwide, per Bloomberg. These "microdramas" or "verticals" are TV shows for phones, with episodes under two minutes. Born in China around 2018, their revenue there now exceeds the conventional film industry. In the U.S., the format is on track to take in $1.5 billion by year's end.
Microdramas are hypersexual, over-the-top soap operas for Gen Z, designed to short-circuit rational thought. Each episode opens with a hook and ends with a twist, dragging viewers through seasons the length of a feature film. Production values vary, and dialogue is often A.I.-translated from Chinese and lightly localized. Chinese companies still dominate U.S. production, but Hollywood is moving in. Last month saw the launch of Twist, founded by former Showtime and NBCUniversal executives. Anthony Zuiker, creator of "C.S.I.," told The Guardian the form will supplant streaming at the "forefront of consumption." The Hollywood Reporter declared a "gold rush," while Variety heralded the "vertical revolution." The medium is minting stars, total unknowns popular within their online niche.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing