Vertical dramas are all over TikTok right now, and they’re making an astounding amount of money. Basically, vertical dramas are ad-supported micro shows made for a phone’s display dimensions.
Does watching a soap opera-like program split up into multiple parts sound like a good idea? Well, a lot of folks out there are into it. (R.I.P. to Quibi, you would have loved this weird entertainment environment we find ourselves in.)
You might not believe it, but millions of viewers are tuning in every week. Titles like The Quarterback Next Door or Revenge of the XXL Wife dominate the charts in the world of vertical dramas. China is largely credited as the hotbed for this kind of content. But, the appeal stretches worldwide. The Guardian reports that this market could be worth up to$14 billion by 2027. With money like that at play, is it any wonder that people are flocking to producing these modestly budgeted, extremely lucrative little shows?
One of the open secrets of the vertical drama space is how many bad actors are out there blatantly stealing content from other creators. It’s an epidemic encouraged by an environment where there haven’t been well defined rules yet. True gold rush vibes, with all of the sticky historical implications that phrasing implies. So, there’s a little something for every viewer in the world of vertical dramas.
Vertical dramas and virality
If you’re reading this right now, you probably know how a soap opera works. There are a sarcastic characters thrust into increasingly bizarre situations. These narrative beats draw them into conflict with their fellow cast members, and each person has their own motivations, dreams, and goals to capture. Bonus points if there’s romantic tension at every step along the way.
And, this is where vertical dramas really capitalize on the aforementioned soap opera formula. Tik Tok, and short form in general, rely on that quick hook to get viewers invested. Imagine a soap opera where there were five different dramatic twists in episode instead of the usual two or three. That’s the reality for these shows. People who love a narrative with attractive actors competing for romantic interest or success get hooked very early on. These folks also are very eager to open up their wallets to see how the story continues.
Vertical dramas serving specific niches
Once you see these kind of gangbusters numbers on vertical dramas it’s hard not to wonder about the internals of an operation like this. One of the leaders in this space, My Drama Studio sat down with Real Reel to discuss the burgeoning market. Sasha Tkachenko is the head of My Drama Studio. She says that vertical dramas are really just picking up old concepts that TV and film discarded. The key is that people still clearly want these stories.
“I believe vertical drama is one of the most effective formats for reaching audiences and delivering what viewers truly want,” Tkachenko told Real Reel. “That’s why it has become so popular. It introduces new concepts, but it also revives storytelling ideas that have been forgotten for a long time and that audiences are still eager to watch.”
An Underreported downside to vertical dramas
All of that checks out according to the tops of the charts at these kinds of marketplaces. There is no better place for you to hawk a micro budget soap opera or romantic drama than on Tiktok for people to watch while they’re waiting for the bus or their laundry to come out of the dryer.
However the secret underbelly of this whole enterprise is how heavily AI factors into the production process. It sounds like there’s a ton of shortcuts being taken using the technology. Despite consumer investment in AI as a whole being underwhelming in the United States, Tkachenko admits to using the tech in her workflow. The studio head offered a variety of AI boosterism in response to a question about using it.
Tkachenko said, “We do use AI in certain areas, but we do not rely on it completely. I do not believe AI will replace humans. Instead, it will replace those who refuse to adapt and learn how to use it. That is my perspective.”
How convenient for your business model and livelihood! So, that adds a thorny side to this conversation as well. The money is flowing and the morals are loose, how fitting for a genre that calls soap operas it’s calling card.
(featured image: Anna Barclay/Getty Images)
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