On the afternoon of December 22, 2024, the International Short Drama Association successfully held a year-end short drama creation sharing event at the headquarters of Hantian TV in Pasadena. This event attracted numerous outstanding producers, investors, and industry guests from the short drama industry in Los Angeles and internationally. They conducted in-depth discussions on the current situation and future of the short drama industry, injecting new impetus into the industry's development and internationalization exploration. This grand event is not only a sharing of industry experience, but also a feast for ideological convergence and resource sharing.
The event invited famous actors Li Yixiang and his wife as special guests, and their attendance added stars to the event. Li Yixiang expressed his joy at the rapid development of the short drama industry in his speech, and admitted that if given the opportunity, he would also be willing to try short drama performances, challenge new characters, and bring more surprises to the audience.
Also in attendance were several important figures in the short drama industry, such as Steven Liu, Chairman of ATIF, a Nasdaq listed company in the United States, Yuan Changhui, Chairman of Dongze Investment LLC in the United States, well-known investor Deng Ming, as well as May May Miller, CEO of Avo Media with extensive experience in short drama production, and his team of directors Shi Tanxuan and Lu Zihao. Guests such as producer Bai Shanshan and senior film producer Li Xian from Shanghai Rongshu Film and Television Communication Company also participated in the event, showcasing cross-border communication and integration from different fields in the short drama industry. This event also gathered active actors and other industry practitioners in the short drama industry, with over a hundred guests gathered on site to discuss the future development of short drama. The lively discussion and free communication ignited the atmosphere of the entire event, with applause and laughter intertwined on site, injecting infinite expectations for the future of the short drama industry.
1. Short drama operation and market: the core engine driving industry development
The evening party kicked off with a themed forum, hosted by musical actor and film producer Liu Chen, and engaged in in-depth discussions with four industry heavyweight guests on the theme of "Operation and Market of Short Drama". The forum focuses on key issues in the operation and market, payment models, and platform development of the short drama industry. James Yutao, an independent producer of short dramas, based on his rich experience in the field of short drama production in the United States, shared the challenges and opportunities of the international market for short dramas. He pointed out that the user base of short dramas in the US market has not yet formed a scale, and the problem of insufficient cultural adaptability makes it difficult for short dramas to reach more potential audiences. He emphasized that the core advantage of short dramas lies in their high-frequency and short-term content forms that fit the fragmented consumption habits of modern audiences. However, to achieve successful globalization, it is necessary to strengthen the precision of cultural localization and deeply explore user needs. For example, in the process of remaking short dramas, it is necessary to fully consider the local cultural context and value recognition.
The disconnect between content and operation
Eno, founder of Dreamood Pictures and short drama producer, emphasized the current disconnect between production and operation in the short drama industry. She pointed out that the production team focuses on content creation, but lacks understanding of market demand; The publicity team may not fully understand the core values of the work, resulting in the highlights of the work being unable to accurately reach the target audience. He suggested that the industry needs to introduce the role of a "brand producer" to coordinate the relationship between production and operation, making creativity more compatible with marketing strategies. At the same time, he proposed that the short drama industry needs to establish a standardized methodology that is in line with the characteristics of short dramas, break free from the limitations of traditional film and television logic, and adapt to the diverse aesthetic needs of current audiences.
The improvement of industry ecology
Mobking founder arbitrarily talked about the establishment and improvement of the short drama industry ecosystem in his speech. He believes that short dramas, as a new form of content, are profoundly changing people's consumption habits and brand marketing strategies, especially the increasing demand for "short, flat, and fast" content among young audiences, which has brought huge development space to the short drama market. He mentioned that the total revenue of the short drama market in 2024 has exceeded the box office revenue of movies, indicating that short dramas have the potential to redefine content consumption. However, compared with mature platforms such as Netflix, the time accumulation of China's short drama industry is still short, and further efforts are needed to build platforms and improve mechanisms.
The possibility of capitalization
Shawn, a capital market expert and founder of PH8, analyzed the sustainable development potential of the short drama industry from a business model perspective. He said that the essence of short play is an "Internet product in the guise of film and television", and its core value lies in rapid production and efficient communication. Compared with traditional film and television, short dramas have more flexible business models and can achieve a balance between input and output in a short period of time. However, currently capital's attention to the field of short dramas is still limited, with only a small amount of funds entering. He suggested that the short drama industry needs to attract more capital attention by improving the industry chain and optimizing profit models, while accelerating the connection with the capital market to achieve efficient integration of resources.
2. Short Drama Creation and Production: A New Path of Innovation and Globalization
Guided by Clara, the chief producer of the intangible cultural heritage documentary, five guests were invited to participate in the dialogue in this segment. They provided rich and profound industry insights on innovation of short drama content, market expansion, audience demand, and budget negotiation.
Target audience and profit model
Vanna Han, the production director from FlexTV, was the first to share her insights on the target audience of the short drama. She pointed out that if the short drama adopts a free model, its potential target audience size may reach tens of millions, especially among young people with broad appeal. However, the future of short dramas lies not only in attracting audiences, but also in how to help Chinese companies "go global" and achieve long-term commercial value and monetization capabilities. She suggested combining localized content and global business models in short dramas, while exploring new profit paths such as advertising, subscriptions, and IP development.
Homogenization and Innovation Breakthrough
Film and television producer Zhe Longlong focuses on the issue of homogenization in the content of short dramas. He pointed out that although short dramas have great potential in the sinking market, the audience's "leisure time is greater than cash flow" in these markets, which leads to limitations in the profit model of short dramas. He also analyzed the similarities in the dissemination mechanisms between short dramas and short videos, emphasizing that short dramas, like advertisements, accumulate audience memory points through high-frequency exposure, thereby achieving the conversion of traffic to commercial value.
Brand Collaboration and Budget Challenges
Angela Liu, short drama director and producer, explored the budget negotiation issues faced by short drama production and brand cooperation from a practical operational perspective. She pointed out that brand cooperation for short dramas requires more budget support and clear commercial goals. She also emphasized that the content positioning of the short drama needs to pay attention to the needs of different audience groups, such as male audiences who prefer "funny" and "horror" genres, which puts higher demands on the production team.
Content differentiation and technology integration
Peter Wu, founder of TikTok's popular short drama series, analyzed the underlying reasons for the homogenization of short drama content from a broader perspective. He believes that this problem stems from the homogenization needs of platforms, creators, and audiences. He specifically mentioned that the popularity of the "Ba Zong Theme" reflects the cultural resonance of the audience, and this phenomenon deserves further exploration. At the same time, he called for the use of AI technology to reduce production costs, but also emphasized the importance of maintaining the core position of creators.
In depth exploration and consensus: the future path of short drama creation
Through discussions on two forums, guests reached a consensus on multiple dimensions of the short drama industry. They unanimously believe that short dramas, as an emerging cultural and commercial form, face dual challenges of content diversity and profit models while attracting audiences. Host Clara summarized, "The future of the short drama industry is full of challenges, but also opportunities. Whether it is content producers, platform providers, or capital providers, they all need to work together to promote the prosperity and development of the short drama industry
3. Join hands to create a new future for short dramas: Association team appears
At the final stage of the Christmas Gala of the International Short Drama Festival, Li Ji, Chairman of Hantian TV and Co President of the International Short Drama Association, delivered a speech and officially introduced the core team members of the association. He stated that the establishment of the Short Drama Association is not only to build a platform for the industry, but also to unite industry forces and jointly promote the prosperity and development of short dramas. He emphasized that the short drama industry is facing unprecedented development opportunities, and the participation of every practitioner is crucial.
As the co president of the Short Drama Association, Party He pointed out in his speech that short dramas are not only innovative forms of entertainment, but also symbols of social progress. Short dramas satisfy the emotional and cultural needs of audiences in fast-paced life through concise and concise content forms. He specifically mentioned the important role of advertising in promoting the short drama industry, stating that advertising is the wings of the development of short dramas and can help them achieve larger scale dissemination and profitability. Looking ahead to the future, the Party predicts that there will be more independent producers emerging in the short drama industry, who will become the backbone of driving industry innovation and development. He also called for more talents to join the Short Drama Association and work together to create a diverse and vibrant short drama ecosystem.
Wang Hui, co president of the International Short Drama Association, emphasized the importance of industry collaboration and unity in his speech. He pointed out that the prosperity and development of the short drama industry cannot be separated from the joint efforts of practitioners. From screenwriters, directors to producers, and even platform providers, it is necessary to strengthen cooperation and jointly expand and strengthen the short drama industry. He specifically mentioned the cooperation between the association and the investment industry, and introduced investors from Singapore's Temasek. He stated that through deep cooperation with international capital, the short drama industry will receive more resources and support. Wang Hui also mentioned that the association will provide more international platform resources for short drama creators, such as the AFM Film Festival, so that short drama creators can better showcase their works.
As the co president of the International Short Drama Association and the president of the International Cultural Exchange Association, Liu Xiaolin proposed the idea of establishing professional standards for the short drama industry in her speech. He proposed to establish an "Excellent Actor Hot List" to further enhance the production level and industry credibility of short dramas through a professional scoring system and industry standards. In addition, he also shared his cooperation with Chinese cultural projects, such as The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting. Liu Xiaolin stated that short dramas are not only entertainment content, but also important tools for conveying cultural values, providing clear direction for the professionalization of the industry and cultural dissemination.
James Wu, co president of the association, shared the original intention of founding the association. He mentioned that he has been engaged in public welfare for a long time and hopes to enhance the voice and status of Chinese people in various fields after coming to the United States. The collaboration with Mr. Liu Xiaolin has deeply impressed him with the potential and cultural significance of the short drama industry, which is highly in line with his philanthropic philosophy.
The co president of the association, Jiang Yanming, who was unable to attend, also sent congratulations, expressing his expectations for the future of the short drama industry and hoping that the association can create more opportunities for practitioners.
Other members of the association's management team also made appearances and delivered speeches at the meeting. They include Vice President Liu Tianyi, Vice President and China General Manager Wang Jin, Secretary General Li Ting, and Deputy Secretary General Huang Hai. These core members have played important roles in the daily operation of the association, providing full support for the construction and development of the short drama industry.
Liu Tianyi emphasized that the International Short Drama Association is a community that unites creativity and practice, and he particularly thanks every member and practitioner who has made efforts for the short drama industry.
Wang Jin stated that the next year will be an important period for the short drama industry to deepen international cooperation. She hopes to better convey Chinese traditional culture to global audiences by producing more localized and high-quality content. She also mentioned that short dramas are not only a commercial form, but also an important carrier for conveying love and spiritual civilization.
Secretary General Li Ting said in her speech, "As a member of the team, I deeply feel the charm and potential of the short drama industry. I hope that through the platform of the association, we can provide more support and services for short drama practitioners, and jointly promote the development of the industry
Deputy Secretary General Huang Hai provided a detailed interpretation of the design concept behind the association's logo. He mentioned that the dragon in the logo symbolizes strength and inheritance, while also reflecting the international perspective and innovative spirit of the short drama as a cultural bond.
The wonderful speeches of several guests demonstrated the enthusiasm and confidence of the International Short Drama Association in the future of the industry, and also painted a beautiful blueprint for the vigorous development of the short drama industry for the attendees.
4. Establishing an Industry Fund: Injecting Innovation Momentum into the Industry
The International Short Drama Association also announced the launch of an experimental industry fund with a target size of $100 million to support independent producers in creating high-quality content and promote the rapid development of the short drama industry. Bryan Zhang, the head of the International Short Drama Association Industry Foundation, said, "The short drama industry is not only a new opportunity for cultural development, but also an important platform for global cooperation and innovation. Through the establishment of the industry fund, we hope to inject more resources and vitality into the industry, and open up more possibilities for the future of short dramas
5. Closing Speech: Looking Forward to the Golden Age of Short Drama
Li Ji concluded that the short drama industry is entering a new stage of development. This stage requires not only the hard work of practitioners, but also the comprehensive promotion of capital, culture, and international cooperation. He called on more industry elites to join the Short Drama Association and jointly explore more possibilities for the future of the short drama industry.
The volunteer team members include students from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and supporters from multiple fields. Their hard work ensured the perfect presentation of every detail. He mentioned that the success of the event cannot be separated from the support of the volunteer team, whose dedication demonstrates the spirit of cooperation and future hope in the short drama industry.
The evening party came to a close amidst enthusiastic applause, but the future of the short drama industry has just begun. Driven by the emergence of more high-quality content, closer international cooperation, and the integration of capital and culture, the golden age of short drama is approaching. This Christmas party is not only a summary of the past year, but also a beautiful outlook for future development.