Wanda Brewer's journey through grief leads her to an unexpected love: 60-second soap opera dramas on Instagram. These bite-sized vertical shorts, featuring mafia bosses and werewolves, are captivating millions. The podcast delves into their rise in America, exploring the lucrative industry behind them and their emotional appeal to younger audiences. As viewers binge on cliffhangers and romance, the show examines how this format reshapes entertainment consumption, relationship dynamics, and the industry challenges faced by creators.
The rise of vertical shorts, originating in China, showcases a new entertainment model driven by rapid consumption and subscription-based revenue streams.
Despite their popularity, vertical shorts face industry challenges such as low production quality and inadequate compensation for creators, impacting storytelling potential.
Deep dives
The Rise of Vertical Shorts
Vertical shorts, a burgeoning genre within the film industry, originated in China during the pandemic and have rapidly gained traction worldwide. Characterized by their short format, typically lasting between one to two minutes, these dramas often revolve around themes of romance, fantasy, and family conflicts. By 2024, the vertical short market in China was projected to be worth nearly $7 billion, with a staggering number of production companies and streaming platforms facilitating their widespread distribution. These platforms lure viewers in with free trial episodes but subsequently require subscriptions or in-app purchases for continued access, creating a lucrative business model that capitalizes on rapid consumption.
The Audience and Appeal of Vertical Shorts
Contrary to initial assumptions that vertical shorts cater primarily to older women, research reveals that their audience is predominantly younger, aged 17 to 34, and more educated than expected. This demographic enjoys the quick entertainment provided by vertical shorts, which serve as a brief escape from their busy lives filled with fragmented schedules. They deliver instant gratification through captivating storylines that blend romance, fantasy, and emotional connection, often exploiting familiar tropes like vampire lovers or wealthy protagonists to maintain viewer engagement. The intimate viewing experience reinforces a sense of closeness to characters, making them particularly appealing for those seeking comfort and escapism.
Challenges in the Vertical Shorts Industry
Despite the popularity of vertical shorts, the industry faces significant challenges, especially regarding production quality and crew compensation. Many creators working on these projects receive minimal pay and lack job security, with budgets vastly lower than traditional film productions. This has led to frustration among industry professionals, who often feel their creative potential is stifled by the prioritization of quick profits over meaningful storytelling. However, the success of vertical shorts may also influence future content creation in Hollywood, indicating a shift in consumer preferences and the potential integration of short-form narratives into mainstream film.
Wanda Brewer was grieving. After losing her brother, she found comfort in an unexpected place: a soap-opera-esque story on Instagram told in 60-second increments. The story? A mafia boss torn between power, family and love.
Wanda’s not alone. Millions are bingeing these bite-sized, ultra-dramatic vertical shorts, where sexy werewolves, ruthless billionaires, and love triangles unfold one minute at a time — hooking viewers with cliffhangers and high-stakes drama.
From China’s multi-billion-dollar booming industry to your TikTok feed, these soapy, over-the-top dramas are changing the way we watch — and pay for — entertainment. This Valentine’s Day, Endless Thread explores the rise and Americanization of vertical short dramas.
Show notes:
“Werewolf Billionaire CEO Husbands Are Taking Over Hollywood” (Rolling Stone)
“Minute-Long Soap Operas Are Here. Is America Ready?” (The New York Times)
“2024 Short Drama Overseas Marketing White Paper” (TikTok)
Credits: This episode was produced by Cici Yu. It was co-hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson. Mix and sound design by Emily Jankowski and Paul Vaitkus.
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