Execs Explore Micro-Drama Opportunities & Challenges at MIP CANCUN

Today at MIP CANCUN, Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari, editor of TV Latina, moderated the session Micro Drama, Mega Audience, featuring FlareFlow’s Shawn Wu, Inter Medya’s Can Okan and The Mediapro Studio US & Canada’s Juan “JC” Acosta, who discussed the rise of micro-dramas and their impact on global content.

The conversation opened with Wu, VP of globalization at COL Group’s FlareFlow, who spoke about the early steps of the platform, launched in April of this year. “It’s a young product, but we’ve had a bit of a competitive edge because it’s not the first time the group has produced micro-dramas,” he noted. “In terms of performance, I’d say it has exceeded everyone’s expectations. There’s a lot of data I can’t disclose, but I can share this: we launched in April and, during our first month, we generated around $500,000 in revenue. The growth potential is enormous. We’re currently available in 177 countries with more than 11 languages, both dubbed and subtitled, allowing us to reach a wide range of audiences.”

Recently, Inter Medya—led by its founder and CEO, Can Okan—announced its entry into micro-dramas with a new vertical series. “As you know, we produce several Turkish dramas ranging from 19 to 125 episodes per season,” he explained. “After doing some research, we thought: why not produce Turkish vertical shorts as well? Turkish content performs extremely well worldwide, and we’re very proud of that. The country has the ability to produce episodes up to 135 minutes long, practically with the same production values as a feature film. So why not apply that same quality to vertical format—just faster, more efficiently and with a premium look?”

Meanwhile, Juan “JC” Acosta has led The Mediapro Studio’s operations in the U.S. and Canada since May 2024, with a focus on English-language content. Bowen-Tombari asked him about the opportunities micro-dramas present and their long-term growth potential.

“The Mediapro Studio, as many know, is a company that invests heavily in talent, content, production infrastructure, distribution and intellectual property—and IP, as we all recognize, is essential,” he emphasized. “We currently have over 14,000 hours of content, 180 series and 80 films. This IP is fundamental as we expand into micro-dramas.”

He added: “To that, we also bring a truly global infrastructure. We operate on four continents and produce around 100 shows per year. So, our question is: what is our place within the micro-drama ecosystem? We’ve distilled our approach into four core strategies.

“First, our IP. We’re exploring how to leverage our extensive library to determine which titles can adapt to the micro-drama format, always keeping in mind differences in audience behavior and consumption patterns. Second, we can support commissioners who want to produce micro-dramas using our global production infrastructure. With our studios, equipment and mobile units already established in multiple markets, we can function as a plug-and-play partner. Co-production conversations—already common for series and films—now extend into micro-dramas. How do you structure a co-production between a studio and a platform in this space? Third, strategic partnerships. As we evaluate different markets and identify leading players, we ask: How can Mediapro, with its global presence, support a new platform entering a region? Through global talent deals, production services and our distribution division, we can become the strategic partner they need to establish and scale quickly.”

Bowen-Tombari then asked the panel what factors they believe are driving the rapid growth of micro-dramas. “They’re very accessible and easy to watch,” said Okan. “You can invest a good amount of time in these productions without having to engage in deep thoughts or emotions.”

“When you look at the data, the picture is pretty clear. Instagram Reels generates an annual run rate of about $50 million, YouTube Shorts produces more revenue per hour than long-form content and TikTok’s growth is extraordinary—around eight times what it was in 2021,” Acosta noted. “The scale is enormous, and the addictive nature of micro-dramas reflects trends we see in other forms of content consumption. From a production and studio perspective, there’s also the advantage of how relatively fast these projects can be made. Not necessarily easy—but fast. We all know traditional development processes can take forever. Micro-dramas, on the other hand, can be developed, produced and most importantly, tested and refined very quickly. The format allows experimentation, quick learning and real flexibility.”

When asked about the impact of mobile content consumption and how micro-dramas fit into that environment, Wu said: “To answer that question, I should start by saying that, unlike the content experts here, my background isn’t in storytelling—it’s in tech and the internet. So I’ll approach it more philosophically. The question I ask is: why do micro-dramas exist? We already have Netflix, movies, TV series, streaming platforms, TikTok, YouTube Shorts—so why are people willing to pay more for content produced with lower budgets? That’s the real question we must answer.

“My observation is that businesses that grow in the gaps left by major players usually succeed because they address a need that isn’t being met. This pattern repeats globally. If we look at series and films today, they’ve become more complex, more sophisticated, more ambitious. And that’s not a bad thing. But audiences also need content that’s faster, more emotional and easier to consume. When I was growing up, I watched series like Friends or Sex and the City: 20-minute episodes, easy to follow, without having to commit two hours to complete a story. Today, many series have become darker, more complex and often run an hour per episode. That’s a big shift. That’s where micro-dramas come in. They respond to audience needs that have always existed but are now less served as other formats grow more sophisticated.”

Bowen-Tombari asked Okan about the risks and investment involved in producing micro-dramas compared to the long-running series Inter Medya has developed over the years.

“If you ask me, they won’t negatively affect each other,” he explained. “On the contrary, both types of content can gain momentum. That’s how I see it. For example, we shoot all our content in real locations. We only use studios for specific scenes—prisons, hospitals, etc. So while we’re shooting a long-running series, we can use those same locations for micro-dramas. This creates a positive synergy for both formats.”

Okan added: “We’ve received very positive feedback from all our partners and potential clients after they watched the micro-drama we produced. We shot it in just four days, and post-production took about five. We started the project only two weeks before coming here, and by the end of the month, everything was done, including the post. So, I don’t think our production values for micro-dramas will decrease. And if there were any reduction, it would be minimal.”

Asia has been a pioneer in the micro-drama space, Bowen-Tombari noted. She asked Acosta about his experience in Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic market—and what would be required for these regions to become global hubs for micro-drama production.

“When we evaluate our markets—so rich in creativity and, in many cases, pioneers of the telenovela format, with its efficiency, daily episodes and constant cliffhangers—we see that there’s a lot we can replicate,” Acosta said. “But at the same time, we must remain open, humble and willing to learn what audiences really want today.

“These audiences have expectations shaped by social platforms. They expect high volume and high frequency. They have very little patience for slow-moving stories. They may be willing to invest more or upgrade a subscription, but what they want—at the end of the day—is drama. Whether it’s in a short-form series, an influencer’s content, or even their own social interactions. We know user-generated content revolves heavily around drama: YouTubers, their relationships, their personal lives. The question is: how do we translate that sense of emotional immediacy into fiction?”

Acosta continued: “In Latin America, when we look back at the streaming boom—where today there are around 30 platforms in the region—we must learn from the mistakes made during that expansion. We shouldn’t produce content just for volume. We must produce with the audience in mind. And our creators need a deep understanding of the platforms, the audiences, their consumption habits and the types of stories and genres they should lean into. All these factors are essential if we want to give ourselves a real chance at success.”

The conversation then turned to whether traditional streaming services would embrace the micro-drama format or whether it would remain primarily mobile. “I think the traditional streaming platforms will enter this business very soon,” said Okan. “What we’re experimenting with now is producing vertical-format series but shooting them in a way that allows us to edit both vertical and horizontal versions simultaneously.”

“Many platforms are already experimenting, and Netflix, for example, has a short-content feature on its mobile app,” Wu noted. “Of course, that’s different from micro-dramas—it’s more of a marketing tool. I think they’re interested in the space, but adopting micro-dramas would require a major decision because it represents an entirely different user experience.”

He added: “If they decided to move in that direction, they would need to significantly change their product format and move much closer to the micro-drama model. That’s a huge strategic decision—much more complex than simply uploading micro-dramas to their platform, because these are fundamentally different experiences. So yes, things can evolve, but this is a much deeper question than simply adapting content. Before making a decision, they’ll need a clear understanding of the role micro-dramas play.”

Bowen-Tombari asked the panelists about the reaction from writers and the challenges of developing stories that fit the micro-drama format.

“We’re putting together a writing team, a writers’ room, at our offices because our goal is to produce between six and 10 microdramas each month. Writing a microdrama isn’t easy, but we’re bringing together a group of young, talented writers to make it possible,” Okan said.

The conversation wrapped up with the panelists reflecting on the synergies micro-dramas can generate among companies like Inter Medya, The Mediapro Studio, and FlareFlow.

“I think this is exactly why we’re here,” said Wu. “We’re looking for partners to work with and to truly grow together. From my perspective, especially from a platform point of view, we benefit most when we co-create an entire ecosystem. That’s how the whole industry can rise collectively. That’s the synergy we’re really seeking—partnering and finding ways to take this industry to an entirely new level.”

Okan added: “Although we’re quite new in this field, we’ve received many co-production and partnership opportunities from various apps and platforms, so I believe there is a future in this business.”

Acosta concluded: “I fully echo both panelists: it’s all about partnership and capitalizing on the assets each partner brings to create that one-plus-one-equals-three effect. So it’s truly a pleasure to be on this panel, with all this valuable insight and to continue the conversation.”