Currently, in the global market, Chinese short dramas are constantly expanding their territory. In the single month of August 2024, there were 13 short dramas released overseas, and their in-app purchase revenue exceeded one million US dollars. For the entire overseas short drama market, it is estimated that the total amount of in-app purchases in this single month has exceeded US$100 million. Compared with the beginning of the year, this number has almost doubled, which fully proves that the overseas development of short dramas has changed from the initial "try and explore" state to the "key focus" direction of many Chinese digital content companies.
Why short plays can become the first choice for overseas travel
The short play production cycle is very short. A completed film can be completed in as little as ten days. Some small companies can even produce more than 20 short plays in a month. This is in sharp contrast to long-form dramas that often take months and require huge investments. For those Chinese companies that are eager to verify their business models in overseas markets, this "short-term, flat and fast" model can quickly test market responses to different themes, adjust strategies in a timely manner, and the cost of trial and error is much lower.
More importantly, the payment habits of overseas users are gradually forming. The iiMedia Consulting report clearly points out that in many countries, the proportion of potential users who are willing to pay for entertainment services has exceeded the current actual paying users. This in turn shows that the potential for paid conversion in overseas markets is extremely huge. Users tend to pay for high-quality content, and short dramas can provide the possibility of fast and high-frequency paid consumption, which is very attractive to companies pursuing commercial returns.
The main force going overseas has ranged from online content manufacturers to large manufacturers
Many of the players in the current global overseas market are manufacturers that have transformed from domestic online writing overseas. ReelShort, a subsidiary of Chinese Online, is a typical representative among them. They have a lot of IP resources in their hands, and they have the inherent advantage of being able to adapt online stories into visual short plays. In addition, major Internet companies such as ByteDance have also entered this field and launched overseas short drama applications in an attempt to copy the successful experience of domestic short videos and use short dramas as a new breakthrough in the pan-entertainment landscape.
The influx of competitors has caused the market to heat up rapidly. Those manufacturers have not only brought capital, but also mature domestic operating experience and payment models. Their goal is very clear, which is to use lightweight content such as short dramas to leverage the huge entertainment consumption market of overseas users. According to statistics, more than 95% of the respondents have watched or learned about China's overseas short dramas, and Chinese short dramas have already gained a high level of awareness overseas.
Localization transformation is not a simple translation
You can't just put domestic short dramas with subtitles and put them online to achieve success overseas. There must be other measures. ReelShort has built a local team in Los Angeles. From script creation to casting, we strive to pursue local aesthetics. In terms of themes, in addition to the common domestic romance and revenge genres, elements such as vampires and werewolves have been added for the North American market. It is this combination of "Chinese strategies plus local culture" that is the key to overseas users' addiction.
In the creation of short plays, it is also important to interpret local characteristics of the content. For foreign actors, being able to quickly understand the script and present it is the first step towards success in short plays. The team must truly understand the pain points, joy points and tears points of the local audience, so that they can create stories with high emotional value. At this time in November 2024, the work launched by ReelShort will win two awards at the American International Short Play Art Festival. It relies on this thorough and in-depth understanding of local content and high-quality presentation.
The wool harvesting model coexists with high profits
When overseas users watch short dramas, they often encounter situations where key plot points come to an "abrupt end". The platform provides a model where you can watch ads and unlock episodes for free, which is extremely tempting for users who want to "earn more". This model not only ensures high-frequency activity of users, but also brings considerable advertising revenue to the platform. At the same time, for those users who are eager to catch up on dramas, the platform also provides in-app purchase and payment options, achieving diversified monetization.
What is of great significance is the cost advantage. The production cost of short dramas is low and the cycle is relatively fast. However, the fees are not low in overseas markets. Such a scissor gap allows publishers to quickly accumulate profits. Many companies take advantage of overseas audiences’ curiosity about Chinese culture. As well as feelings of preference, after completing the creation in China, 16personalities tested it and then sent it overseas to further reduce costs. With the introduction of AI technology, production efficiency has been greatly improved with the help of AI to generate pictures, translate dubbing and post-editing.
Full-link capabilities build a content moat
Starting from IP incubation, through the script creation stage, to the filming and production process, and up to the distribution and promotion process, building full-link capabilities will become the core barrier for leading players. Chinese Online has been arranging short dramas since 2021, and now the ReelShort team already has a full set of capabilities in content editing, review, evaluation and production. Such an industrialized and standardized production process ensures the continuous and stable output of high-quality content and does not rely on occasional hits.
In this link, large AI models are playing a key role. The "Chinese Xiaoyao" large model independently developed by Chinese Online can assist in the generation of Chinese and English scripts, improve the efficiency of translation, and can also analyze audience preferences based on big data to guide content creation. Digital technology is now reshaping the film and television industry. For overseas short dramas that need to quickly seize the market, time means efficiency. Automation and intelligence make the flywheel of content production spin faster.
New actors and new themes inject new vitality
The rise of short dramas has brought fresh blood to the industry. Because the production cost and threshold are relatively low, a large number of young and energetic new actors have poured into this field. They have brought diverse images and performance styles to the short dramas, so that the protagonists of the short dramas are no longer the same faces, bringing more freshness and sense of substitution to the audience, and injecting new vitality into the entire industry.
What is also deepening is the diversification of themes. In addition to traditional favorites such as bosses and sadomasochism, genres such as suspense and fantasy have also begun to emerge. ReelShort's award-winning films "The Idol Crazy Beach" and "My Cold Alpha King" belong to the suspense and fantasy themes respectively. This shows that the tastes of overseas audiences are being satisfied by richer content. With the improvement of production technology and AI empowerment, Chinese short dramas are in line with international standards in terms of visual effects.
From your perspective, do you think there is hope for the future of short dramas in the overseas market? In your opinion, what kind of short drama has the greatest potential to attract overseas viewers? Feel free to leave a message in the comment area to share your views on the MBTI test , like the content and forward it, so that more people can participate in the discussion.
