Shenzhen forms micro-drama industry association

Shenzhen, Guangdong province, launched its first micro-drama industry association on Friday to streamline resources across the production chain and cater to the surging global and domestic demand.

Located in Pingshan district, the Shenzhen Micro-Short Film Industry Association has already attracted nearly 100 member companies. Among these are industry giants like Tencent and ReelShort, a vertical TV streaming platform by Crazy Maple Studio, as well as the DataEye platform. The association encompasses IP ownership, content production, international platforms, technology enhancement, and traffic operations.

"We are at a pivotal moment in the development of the micro-drama industry, with a crucial mission to advance the standardization, consolidation, and high-quality growth of Shenzhen's micro-drama sector," said Wang Xiangbin, founder and CEO of DataEye, who heads the association.

Chinese micro-dramas range from a few seconds to over 10 minutes per episode and cover a variety of genres, such as romance, revenge, and sci-fi fantasy. These dramas are known for their engaging cold opens and cliffhanger endings, which have captured widespread attention.

A report by Soochow Securities forecasts that in-app purchase revenue in the international short drama market is expected to reach $3.8 billion by 2025, marking a dramatic 153 percent increase from 2024.

In China, the micro-drama industry is thriving, with over 100,000 related enterprises employing approximately 690,000 people and producing around 3,000 dramas monthly. According to Hu Yifeng, deputy director of the Theoretical Research Office of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the country's user base has reached roughly 700 million, covering over 60 percent of internet users.

Pingshan, a suburban district in Shenzhen, is positioning itself as a key player in this burgeoning industry by hosting the association. The district boasts a leading 3,000-square-meter virtual digital studio and a 12,000-square-meter cutting-edge soundstage.

With diverse filming locations such as Maluan Mountain landscapes, Hakka houses, modern cities, and tech parks, film crews can shoot scenes from different eras without traveling to other cities.

The district government has announced the construction of a 5,000-square-meter micro-drama base within the Shenzhen Pingshan International Movie City. Additionally, a 200,000-square-meter commercial space has been developed specifically for the micro-drama industry.