Micro drama is moving fast and Samantha Sun thinks the UK is only just waking up to what is already a mature, multi-billion-dollar ecosystem elsewhere.
Sun, a producer at ReelForce, joined Justin Crosby on TellyCast to unpack how vertical-first scripted series are being built for specialist apps, how audiences are monetised through micropayments and subscriptions, and why Hollywood’s struggles in long form television are accelerating investment in short-form drama.
“I told my investor at the time, I said, this is the next big thing we need to get involved,” she said, describing her early decision to pivot into vertical storytelling.
Since 2023 Sun has worked across more than ten micro drama series, including some of the first UK-produced vertical projects. She believes the format’s growth mirrors patterns seen previously in mobile gaming. The aim is not simply to entertain but to create addictive viewing loops that pull audiences deeper into paid ecosystems.
Micro drama apps typically release series made up of dozens of one to two minute episodes. The first instalments are seeded on social platforms through paid promotion. Viewers who get hooked are then directed to download an app where later episodes are unlocked through subscriptions, coin systems or pay-per-episode models.
“Once you convert the audience to the app then you are more than halfway to succeeding,” Sun said.
It is why the first episodes matter more than anything else. Sun explained that producers spend disproportionate time and budget on opening chapters to sharpen performances and polish production values.
Behind the data dashboards, she insists, are real people making real spending decisions.
“Behind the data there are real people. The real people are paying their real hard earned money.”
Sun pointed to independent research into vertical audiences which shows viewers skewing female and often juggling work, childcare or limited leisure time. The appeal is not novelty but convenience. Twenty minutes in bed scrolling through cliffhangers can replace a forty minute television episode.
Production itself is brutally compressed. Shoots that would traditionally take weeks are completed in eight days. Actors are sometimes given scripts just days before filming. Speed is non-negotiable.
Each ninety-second episode still follows classical dramatic rules. Three acts, an emotional turn and a cliffhanger are mandatory. Sun compared it to soap opera grammar distilled to its most concentrated form.
“You end with the hook. That is a must.”
The stakes can be melodramatic. Slaps, surprise kisses and rooftop jumps in wedding dresses are all fair game.
“It might be corny but it works,” she said.
Money is what has drawn global attention. Platforms release dozens of shows a month, most of which fail. But one runaway hit can recoup the cost of everything else and then some. That dynamic has attracted major US investors and helped drive what Sun calls Hollywood’s pivot towards vertical.
“Hollywood’s turning to micro drama,” she said, noting that traditional film and television have been under financial pressure while audiences are spending more time on small screens.
Sun also outlined how producers can structure deals. Some self-finance and license shows to platforms. Others share profits after marketing spend is recouped. Rights can be windowed or sold non-exclusively, but ownership remains a key lever.
“As long as the IP is yours you can do whatever you want,” she said.
Casting is where Sun becomes more outspoken. She criticised early vertical platforms for prioritising narrow beauty standards at the expense of diversity.
“Vertical drama has a problem that I am not afraid to say out loud. The lack of diversity is incredibly horrible.”
She said she has tried to push platforms to broaden representation, arguing that UK audiences in particular do not reflect the stereotypes some commissioning algorithms still rely on.
AI is another line she is cautious about crossing. While ReelForce uses automation in post-production, Sun said she is firmly against replacing actors or creative teams.
“I am highly against that using AI to replace real actors.”
She worries that fully synthetic productions would hollow out the industry long term and make it harder to sustain a professional talent base.
Looking ahead, Sun expects genre expansion beyond romance, which currently dominates. Thriller, sci-fi, comedy and sports are all being tested as platforms seek to widen appeal and avoid fatigue.
For Sun, the message to British producers is clear. Vertical is not a side hustle or a curiosity. It is already a fully-fledged digital-first business with its own grammar, economics and audience behaviours.
The danger, she implied, is waiting too long to treat it seriously.
