In a film, before the opening credits can even finish rolling, the heroine in the world of micro-dramas may have already lived a life full of ups and downs, rich experiences, and a sense of fulfillment. In today's fast-paced era, micro-dramas have quickly captivated a large audience with their short, impactful, and relatable content. Typically, each episode lasts between 1 to 15 minutes, making them easy to watch and extremely tight in pacing. The audience base is gradually expanding, and the growth momentum is rapid, with the upstream and downstream industrial chains quickly gathering and continuously improving and maturing. Their popularity rivals that of traditional film and television, as they are easier to consume, more effective at capturing viewers' attention, and perfect for filling the fragmented time of modern lives, thus becoming an emerging cultural industry. The government has also recognized the rapid growth of micro-dramas and has subsequently developed a series of policies to support matching the market's growth demands.

In June 2024, the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism released a document titled “Several Measures to Promote the Development of the Micro-Drama Industry in Shanghai (Trial)”. This document proposed nine supportive policies focusing on nurturing market entities, accelerating industrial clustering, leading with quality content, encouraging overseas expansion, and optimizing approval processes, in order to promote a high-quality development ecosystem for micro-dramas.

On September 14, 2024, the "New Content, New Scenes, New Technology, New Engines" Innovation Development Conference, hosted by the Shanghai Press Group’s The Paper, took place in Shanghai. The Paper signed a strategic cooperation agreement called the “Light of Drama” Quality Micro-Drama Co-Creation Plan with six parties, including Shanghai Film Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Yangpu Science and Technology Innovation (Group) Co., Ltd., Huaying Jiutian (Shanghai) Cultural Development Co., Ltd., Guangxi Yaoxiang Cultural Communication Co., Ltd. (operator of the “China-ASEAN Network Audiovisual Industry Base”), and Shanghai Qimao Cultural Media Co., Ltd. This initiative aims to create a comprehensive industrial service platform for the micro-drama industry that covers script creation, production and filming, review and approval, broadcasting promotion, funding, and financing, helping the micro-drama sector step into a high-quality development phase characterized by refinement and integration.

At the same time, The Paper announced that it will soon launch a micro-drama channel and initiate an exhibition of outstanding micro-dramas.

Research to Establish a Quality Micro-Drama Evaluation Index System

The “Light of Drama” plan encompasses several key areas. On one hand, it will research and establish an evaluation index system for quality micro-dramas, conducting multidimensional analyses based on script volume and quality, and further promoting the standardization and refinement of the industry to guide micro-dramas towards more positive and beautiful directions.

On the same day, The Paper released a public attitude survey report on micro-dramas. This report addresses audience feedback and data regarding themes, scripts, actors, production quality, demand for refinement, and demographics within the current micro-drama market. By analyzing 4,703 sample data points, it reflects the public's recognition of micro-drama content creation and industry ecology, as well as their expectations and suggestions for the future of micro-dramas.

Furthermore, The Paper’s upcoming micro-drama channel plans to initiate an exhibition activity for outstanding quality micro-dramas. In January of this year, the National Radio and Television Administration launched the “Travel with Micro-Dramas” creative plan, aimed at promoting innovation in micro-drama themes. Under this initiative, a large number of excellent works have emerged, showcasing the cultural landscapes and vibrant human experiences of various regions. Even before the micro-drama market gained significant traction, there had already been a series of positive, meaningful works.

Plans to Build a Comprehensive Industrial Service Partner Platform

Secondly, regarding the project development and expansion of micro-dramas themselves, the “Light of Drama” plan will establish a comprehensive industrial service platform in areas such as research, production, and review support.

The participating parties aim to gather advantageous resources and conduct research on the development of the micro-drama industry in cities like Shanghai from multiple perspectives, including policy support, industrial competition patterns, industrial chain layout, technological innovation capabilities, business models, internationalization, and the direction of refinement.

Ultimately, creating "quality" content is the undisputed way forward for micro-dramas, where quality represents a shift from emotional value to story value, requiring a deep understanding of audience needs and careful engagement. “Light of Drama” will align with the annual key creative topics released by the Shanghai municipal government, setting 20-30 priority projects for joint production, promoting themed creations such as “Travel with Micro-Dramas” and “Explore with Micro-Dramas”, and exploring comprehensive services for content creation, commercial operation, copyright, IP derivatives, and international expansion.

Additionally, the project also plans to leverage The Paper’s “Qingqiong” content risk control intelligent platform to enhance its capacity for project approval and final review services. The agreement also includes exploring the establishment of a micro-drama talent development base to cultivate professionals with innovative capabilities and practical experience.