The short drama track is still in a period of rapid rise, whether it is on the sidelines or has already entered the game, the partners are very concerned about the layout of each platform in the micro-short drama, and the pits and precautions for entering the micro-short drama, today Hurricane Jun will help you summarize it, it is recommended to collect!
First of all, the reason why micro-short dramas have exploded recently is that they conform to the needs of the overall consumption downgrade of society. From Pinduoduo to mini games, they are all beneficiaries of this wave.
Low-cost, short-cycle, quick payment, and can move users' emotions with high frequency, micro-short drama is a new form of content for mobile Internet. Compared with literary and artistic works, it is closer to a commodity.
01
The layout of micro-short dramas on each platform
From Youai Teng to Doukuai, whether it is long videos or short videos, and even shelf e-commerce platforms are stepping up the layout of micro-short dramas, no one wants to miss this outlet. This further expands the market space for micro-short dramas, and also ushers in a new round of competition between platforms.
The layout of long and short videos is slightly different from that of micro-short dramas. Short video platforms represented by Douyin and Kuaishou are more based on account logic, encouraging creators to carry out a series of traffic conversions such as brand orders and live streaming. At present, the long video platform is still mainly account-sharing.
quick worker
Kuaishou is the earliest platform to lay out short dramas, and it is also the first platform to operate short dramas with brands and schedules. Since Kuaishou launched the entrance of "Kuaishou Small Theater" in 2019, according to the data released by Kuaishou itself, nearly 1,000 films have become members of the [100 million-level club] on the Kuaishou platform, and by 2023, 11 will even exceed 500 million, and 2 will exceed 1 billion.
In 2020, Kuaishou launched the "Kuaishou Starlight Project", proposing the concept of "short dramas" and support policies on the site, encouraging creators to create micro-short dramas, and shouting out the goal of producing 1,000 high-quality micro-short dramas.
Kuaishou has adopted a closed-loop strategy for vertical screen short dramas, and Kuaishou officially said that from December 22, advertisers can gradually migrate to Kuaishou Mini Programs and Kuaishou's self-built links for delivery to achieve a closed-loop in the station.
At the Golden Drama Awards in January this year, Kuaishou proposed that in the future, short dramas can develop to a state where "users love to watch, creators love to do, and brands love to vote".
Recently, at the Xinbang Short Drama Conference, Kuaishou announced the "Xingmang S+ Short Drama List" in cooperation with MCN institutions and head talents, as well as the "Xingmang Star Drama" in cooperation with famous director teams and star artists, and revealed the new trend of Kuaishou in 2024, planning to explore the in-depth cooperation of [Short Drama + Paris Olympics] and develop the [Drama Shine] section.
Tik Tok
Douyin is actually the biggest player in the micro-short drama market. Relying on a large number of users, Douyin has earned 80% of the revenue of the short drama market.
In 2023, the key direction of the development of Douyin short dramas is to strengthen users' minds to follow dramas and continue to produce influential hits. Judging from the film list recently announced by Douyin, the keywords of its micro-short drama section are diversity, high quality and IP.
Douyin also launched the Chenxing Project with ten leading film and television labels, including Changxin Media, Ningmeng Film and Television, Noon Sunshine, Huace Film and Television, Perfect Film and Television, Beijing Wonderful, Yitong Production, Dengfeng Pictures, Linghe Culture, Xiaonianqing Studio, etc., aiming to solicit creative short films from young creators on Douyin.
WeChat is also an important carrier of vertical screen short dramas. Many streaming companies will choose WeChat Mini Programs as the undertaking page, first, there are many WeChat users, and second, the payment habits are relatively mature, which can reduce the loss of users. WeChat search for short dramas, there is already a very standardized collection page.
WeChat Mini Program will charge 10% of the technical service fee, and part of the advertising money will be returned, but for the streamer, this part of the fee will further reduce their gross profit margin.
iQIYI
Although iQIYI tested the waters of micro-short dramas in 2018, the formal layout was late, and at the end of last year, iQIYI released a micro-short drama account-sharing cooperation model, which is regarded as the beginning of its horn.
At present, on the iQiyi app, the short drama has been navigated, and the business model is also paid to unlock and watch, but it has not yet been connected to the long drama membership system.
The micro-short drama is synchronously distributed on the iQiyi APP, PC, TV, etc., and provides a full set of services for the promotion and distribution of streams: providing one-stop efficient distribution and full-process marketing services for the drama party: providing the AIGC service platform "Qilin" to produce streaming materials efficiently and with high quality.
In terms of cooperation models with copyright owners, it includes IAP streaming of new hit dramas, IAAP incentive video sharing of old dramas, and theater APP attracting new streams.
Youku
Among the four major platforms of Youai Tengmang, Youku has always been considered to have more micro-short drama genes, as early as 2013, Youku had popular short dramas such as "Never Expected".
In 2019, Youku began to lay out short dramas, and in 2021, it launched the "Fuyao Plan" to build a bridge between short drama producers and IP platforms, and participate in the project in the form of investment + account sharing.
In 2022, Youku will put forward the "Pioneering Plan" and "Good Story Plan", focusing on the investment, financing, incubation and R&D of online dramas, micro-short dramas and online movies.
Tencent Video
At the end of 2021, Tencent Video launched the short drama label Shifen Theater, which covers comedy, national style, interaction, suspense and other dramas, but this is not actually what we call a micro-short drama.
At the end of 2022, Tencent Video released an upgrade to the investment rules for micro-short dramas, announcing that partners in account-sharing dramas can receive up to 80% of the revenue sharing.
Interactive drama is the feature of Tencent Video's micro-short drama, which is known by the industry as the fourth new track in addition to horizontal screen short dramas, vertical screen short dramas, and small program short dramas.
Mango TV
At the end of 2022, Damang Project Studio reached a strategic cooperation with Tomato Novel and Minimum Aperture Pictures, and it is reported that Damang Project Studio and Tomato Novel will jointly create 10 short dramas.
In 2023, the "Damang Project" will be launched, focusing on female-oriented themes, adding elements such as script killing, fast wear, and infinite flow to create differentiation and freshness.
E-commerce platforms
Shelf e-commerce platforms Taobao, Jingdong, Pinduoduo, etc. have also opened the layout of short dramas.
Taobao has opened a short drama section "Small Theater" on the secondary page of "Shopping", and the page presentation is similar to Douyin and Kuaishou.
Unlike Taobao, JD.com and Pinduoduo's short dramas do not have separate sections, but are mixed in the information flow of short videos and recommended to target users through big data.
Pinduoduo needs to search for the keyword "short drama" in Duoduo video, and you can see a large number of short drama slices. At the same time, many of these slices also come with product links, and high-quality short drama products have been successfully spelled for 1 million +.
Jingdong's current popularity of short dramas is not very high, and the release of short dramas is mainly focused on merchants, and it is more about brand promotion or commodity delivery for merchants.
Judging from the current situation, Taobao, Pinduoduo, and JD.com have different investments in short drama content and future layouts. JD.com focuses on merchant videos, Pinduoduo relies on users to disseminate short drama video slices and carry product links, and Taobao has entered the short drama production market and is currently the shelf e-commerce platform with the deepest involvement in the micro-short drama industry.
However, in general, compared with social e-commerce, the shelf e-commerce platform does not have a high fit with short dramas, and the user's mind is not strong. In the future, more resources need to be invested to find a more suitable business model.
02
How to do a good short drama?
Listen to the different voices of the parties
Liu Yuyan, deputy general manager of the drama point, believes that paid vertical screen short dramas are trial products, and it is difficult for the audience to like to watch and pay. He made four suggestions:
First, for the vast majority of creators, what should actually be practiced is the "evil way exercises". Fast effect, mass production, no talent, the sword goes sideways, and strives to find new themes and eat theme dividends.
Second, the "newness" of the new subject matter is only the relative "newness". It is also very risky to completely detach from the trajectory, and this is the degree of innovation that must be mastered.
Third, work hard to brush the material, find a popular material you like, and do visual and structural reversal or upgrading. Try to write a breaking point and get it through. We may shoot a drama because of a certain explosive point, and this is the streaming point, so that the audience can watch it.
Fourth, find your comfort zone and never leave. Don't be fooled by the escape from your comfort zone advocated by Chicken Soup for the Soul, every drama wants to be innovative and constantly try new directions. For the vast majority of screenwriters, the most cost-effective option is to find their comfort zone and stay in their comfort zone until death. So that you can become an expert in this field, at least proficient. For yourself, it is the most cost-effective choice.
"In my opinion, there is no such thing as a bad subject, only people who can't do it well. When you think the subject is the most suitable for you, you should do it thoroughly, don't think that the subject on the market is good, just do this theme, and ask yourself which theme is most suitable. ”
Chen Ruiqing, chairman of Dianzhong Technology, believes that in 2024, we should strengthen investment in high-quality products, promote strong compliance of content, and focus on the layout of "micro-short drama + cultural tourism", "micro-short drama + brand", etc., which can also be combined with military, medical, education and other fields to become a cultural and content carrier, using micro-short dramas to tell stories, using stories to carry culture, and using culture to drive the economy.
He said, "After the high-quality project about traditional content is made, it will tell more stories, make content more dramatic, and combine it with emotional value or traffic passwords, I believe it will enter 2.0, and it will break the circle of users and reach new heights." There are too many good stories in China, and how big we can do it depends on whether we really empower the industry. For example, our parents don't go to the cinema, so create more good works for them to make them feel happy and happy, and bring ideological and literary things to young people, and micro-short dramas can completely do it. ”
He Yunchang, chairman of Malt Media, said that in the future, the organization will build a cultural system suitable for content creation under the high-quality content ecology of account IP, human IP and drama IP, and promote the iterative upgrading of team creativity.
The strategic decision of Malt ALL IN skit, and the results of the skit, they summarized three reasons:
First, a closed-loop ecosystem. There are 1,000 people who specialize in the short drama track, from script, screenwriting, photography, production to packaging, filming, delivery, and operation, the entire closed-loop link is done by themselves.
Second, organizational management. The company's internal incentive system, corporate culture, and management system are all based on the content.
Third, gene superposition. Use your own talent advantages to empower short dramas.
On how to do a good job in cultural tourism short dramas, Zhu Linli, the chief screenwriter of Mingbai Culture, put forward four points:
First, what cultural tourism needs is not advertising, but stories.
Second, it is necessary to meticulously craft the content and take the route of high-quality and diversification.
Third, realize the effective linkage between online dramas and offline tourism, and stimulate the consumption potential of the cultural tourism market.
Fourth, it is necessary to build a full-link short drama business including IP creativity, film and television drama production, finished film distribution, and user growth, and build a closed loop of sustainable growth of content and traffic.
03
Do you want to do a short drama?
What are the pitfalls of micro-short dramas?
Although micro-short dramas are good, not all brands are suitable for entering micro-short dramas immediately, and the co-founder of Xika Group provides several judgment criteria for whether to do micro-short dramas:
First, the stage of brand development determines whether it is suitable for short dramas. Short dramas are suitable for breaking the circle, and non-early brands may be of limited help. Skits are ripening agents, making big brands bigger, not from small to big.
Second, whether the brand has mature explosive products is the key to entering the short drama. Blindly following the trend of the most popular short drama is unreliable, and it is necessary to clarify the goals and strategies.
Third, the ability of the brand to undertake is the key. Large-investment short dramas need to be bundled with sales channels, and refined operations and real-time adjustments are required.
Good content is not necessarily a good short drama, and the short drama needs to take into account both traffic and commercialization. Excellent traffic content requires creativity and insight, such as brands that only show products quickly, which may lead to ineffective exposure and no conversion.
After deciding to enter the micro-short drama, you should also pay attention to the following pitfalls:
Zhang Yang, director of "It's Over! I'm Surrounded by Beautiful Women!" and the person in charge of the short drama of Youhao, said:
First of all, don't shoot if the script is not good. This is a more responsible attitude towards the platform, the producer, and the investor. Second, don't make your budget particularly tight. From the script to the budget to the on-site execution, all the work must become refined and regularized, so as to ensure stable output, and only when the output is stable can there be data for reference.
Liu Hui, co-founder of Ding Ding Culture, pointed out two pitfalls for making micro-short dramas from the perspective of content:
First, whether it is a short drama or a long drama, it is becoming more and more formal, if you have the idea of doing a quick business or rubbing the edges, then don't do this business. Long-termism and positive content must be the trend of the future.
Second, it may take 7-15 days to complete a short video, but the cycle of a short drama starts at least a month. It is important to have a reliable team with experience and a sense of responsibility.
Zhang Chi, Growth Director of Naturetang Group, pointed out two points that need to be paid attention to as a brand:
One is the cooperation of the various teams in each chain. We cannot rely on external vendors to complete the execution of the entire link, and we need to run through the entire link internally.
One is the issue of production ratio. The cost of skits is indeed getting higher and higher, but low cost is likely to bring inefficient returns, so what we need to do is not to unilaterally reduce costs, but to improve efficiency.
Epilogue:
Finally, Hurricane Jun wants to remind that doing skits is very important to one's own positioning, and those who don't understand what they want and what they can do should not come in, and those who are impatient should not come in, it will be a waste of time.
Finally, if it is to make quick money, the micro-short drama industry is no longer worth entering, there is no money for poor information, and the information of the entire industry is becoming more and more transparent. The next competition is the real strength.
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