Inside Vertical Short Dramas

Short Drama Alliance with Maggie Han
  • 0.0 (0)
  • FILM INTERVIEWS

🎙️ 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.

  1. 25Q4| Writing Vertical Dramas for MyDrama: A Screenwriter’s Real Experience

    5 DAYS AGO

    25Q4| Writing Vertical Dramas for MyDrama: A Screenwriter’s Real Experience

    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

    36 min
  2. 25Q4 | From Actress to Creator: Why I Stepped Behind the Camera in Vertical Dramas

    6 DAYS AGO

    25Q4 | From Actress to Creator: Why I Stepped Behind the Camera in Vertical Dramas

    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 Business China 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

    28 min
  3. 25Q4 | My First Vertical Short Drama: What Worked, What Didn’t

    26/12/2025

    25Q4 | My First Vertical Short Drama: What Worked, What Didn’t

    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

    26 min
  4. 25Q4 | Unlearning Film Writing: What Vertical Dramas Demand from Screenwriters

    25/12/2025

    25Q4 | Unlearning Film Writing: What Vertical Dramas Demand from Screenwriters

    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

    36 min
  5. 25Q4 | Writing Vertical Short Dramas: A UK Production Perspective

    24/12/2025

    25Q4 | Writing Vertical Short Dramas: A UK Production Perspective

    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/K82oz Future Playbook: China’s Short Drama Ecosystem and Insights for Global Business China 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

    26 min
  6. 25Q4 | Actors in the Vertical Era: Liyanne Marie on Casting, Performance, and the Rise of Vertical Drama

    22/12/2025

    25Q4 | Actors in the Vertical Era: Liyanne Marie on Casting, Performance, and the Rise of Vertical Drama

    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

    38 min
  7. 25Q4 | Short Dramas Are Candy: Why Vertical Stories Are Meant to Be Pure Fun

    21/12/2025

    25Q4 | Short Dramas Are Candy: Why Vertical Stories Are Meant to Be Pure Fun

    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

    34 min
  8. 25Q4 | The 3-Hour Lesson from China That Changed How I Make Short Dramas

    20/12/2025

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

    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

    1 hr
See All (42)

About

🎙️ 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.

Information

You Might Also Like