The Paper reporter: Li Zhimi, Ma Xiaotong, editor: Li Zhimi, color corrector: Jiang Yong, poster: Yu Fei, intern: Zhang Yixin (05:54)
Overlord, rebirth, counterattack, revenge... in the micro short In the world of the show, rebirth and revenge can be completed in one minute. The plots of these tyrants falling in love with me, White Lotus traveling through time for revenge, and my son-in-law being an invisible rich man made the audience "addicted". In just two years, micro-short dramas characterized by being "short, flat, fast, and refreshing" have experienced explosive development and have become the "electronic pickle" of many people.
According to the "2023-2024 China Micro-Short Drama Market Research Report", the size of my country's micro-short drama market in 2023 will be 37.39 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 267.65%. It is estimated that by 2027, the market size of my country’s micro-short dramas will exceed 100 billion yuan.
At the same time, many professionals in the traditional film and television industry have transformed into filming micro-short dramas. Micro-short plays have long gone from being "shoddy" in the past to being professional, high-quality, and artistic today. The popularity of the short drama industry has resulted in thousands of short dramas being released on the market every month, with serious homogeneity in themes. Behind this is a battle about traffic and survival. The crew of
micro-short film was filmed in Hengdian Film and Television City.
It was raining continuously in Hengdian Film and Television City in June, but the crews who came to shoot were still bustling. The "boiling" micro-short drama industry has caused Hengdian Film and Television City, which has a mature film and television industry chain, to gather many micro-short drama crews.
"The original goal of a short play is cost-effectiveness and speed." The crew of a micro-short play is usually small but well-organized. The crew of Yan Peiliang's short play only has about 20 people, excluding actors. The production department only has 5-7 days for pre-production preparation, 9-10 days for official shooting, and 3-4 weeks for post-production. From preparation to launch, this short drama team that specializes in "high quality" only needs 45 days at most.
At the Ming and Qing Palace of Hengdian Film and Television City, director Yan Peiliang and the micro-short drama crew are preparing for the new drama to be launched in two days.
On Guangzhou Street in Hengdian Film and Television City, Yan Peiliang and the micro-short drama crew are prepping for the new drama that will be launched in two days.
The production cost of a micro-short drama on the market ranges from 100,000 to hundreds of thousands, and usually does not exceed 1 million. Short plays filmed in a vertical screen only require some medium and close shots and less panoramic requirements, so the requirements for the scene are not too high, but there are higher requirements for the acting skills and persuasion of the actors in the script. With a low budget, tight schedule, and high requirements, the short drama crew must make the most cost-effective choice in the shortest time. The integration of resources, accumulation of contacts and efficient production capabilities have become particularly critical.
At the Hengdian Leisure Villa Hotel, the micro-short drama crew was taking makeup test photos for the actors.
At the Hengdian Leisure Villa Hotel, the micro-short drama crew was reading the script.
At the beginning of 2022, the micro-short drama market was beginning to take shape, and the quality of short dramas varied. Several short plays produced by Yan Peiliang's team have become hits. In 2023, they filmed 14 short dramas, 2 of which had recharges exceeding 100 million. It was also in this year that he gave up his career in the advertising industry for more than 20 years and switched to filming micro-short dramas. "Because there is money to be made. To put it bluntly, that's it."
Hengdian Film and Television City, the crew of the micro-short drama is filming on the set.
"I started getting into short plays at the end of last year. It should be considered the first short play with a female lead. It was very popular at the time." Actor Lu Benjuan filmed her first short play at the end of last year. This year is her ninth year in the film and television industry. Before that, she filmed many horizontal screen dramas and movies, but they were always tepid until she played the lead female role in a micro-short drama last year, which made her famous. She was popular for a while.
Actor Lu Benjuan is filming on the set of the micro-short drama.
htmlThis is the first time for 124-year-old actor Wang Dayu to act in a short drama. "If you can receive a good script, interpret a good character, and make the audience like it, short plays are not a good choice."
In the dressing room, actor Wang Dayu is trying on makeup.
“I just got the script the day before yesterday. I read it once the night before yesterday, and then read it around in the afternoon to get familiar with it again."Executive director Zhang Jian only joined the team three days before filming started. This is the third short drama he has participated in the production of. Previously, he was mainly involved in the production of online movies, documentaries, and promotional videos. "The short film I watched last year became quite popular. Then I saw more of them and became interested. "
On the micro-short drama set, executive director Zhang Jian is filming.
By 2024, more and more professionals will flock to the micro-short drama track, and thousands of new dramas will appear every month, with homogeneous themes. With the emergence of a large number of competing products, it has become more difficult to create hits. How can
survive in this industry? The nature of micro-short dramas determines that the production team must continue to provide emotional value to the audience. to test the needs of the audience.
At Hengdian Film and Television City, director Yan Peiliang discussed the issue of actors' costumes with the crew on the set.
Yan Peiliang's team came to Hengdian to shoot a costume mini-series. The script was adapted from a popular IP novel. It combines themes such as cute babies, revenge, and rebirth. "It's hard to say what genre it is." They describe it as "crossing the river by feeling for the stones."
This is a hot short drama market, and many are born quickly. , how quickly it dies. In a sense, it reflects the desires and anxieties of our time.
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