🎧 Today’s episode features director Mauricio Osaki, a Brazilian-Japanese filmmaker bringing Chinese-style short dramas to global screens.

Working with platforms like ShortMax (China) and Vigloo (South Korea), Mauricio directs both localized adaptations of Chinese hits and original stories inspired by the emotional pacing of vertical drama.

He shares how he rewrites scripts for Western audiences, softens over-the-top tropes, and focuses on emotional clarity over spectacle.

For Mauricio, short drama is a powerful new format — blending cinematic storytelling with cultural nuance.

Let’s dive in!

🎧 Today’s episode features a conversation from our YouTube channel, Short Drama Decode, with Jacqueline “Jaxx” van Eijk — a Netherlands-based talent coach and strategist known as The Vertical Godmother, guiding actors through the emotional and professional complexities of short-form drama.

In our conversation, Jaxx shares how a coaching request from an LA-based actor led her into the fast-moving world of Chinese-style vertical dramas. Drawing from years of experience in performance coaching, she now works with actors to overcome self-doubt, develop expressive tools like micro-expressions and voice, and navigate career choices in an industry where typecasting and cultural gaps can be real challenges.

We talk about the tension between platform data and audience psychology, why over-reliance on metrics can limit creativity, and how regional culture shapes what stories resonate. Jaxx believes vertical drama isn’t just about speed—it’s about emotional impact, cross-cultural nuance, and creating rewards for everyone involved.

Let’s dive in!

In this exclusive episode, Canadian director & producer Steph Tablizo brings us into the sizzling world of vertical short dramas. With 15+ years in the film and TV industry, Steph now crafts stories that blend romance, fantasy, and edge — all in under five minutes.

From mafia affairs and BDSM dynamics to queer empowerment and spicy CEO fantasies, Steph shares how she localizes Chinese short drama scripts for Western audiences, while keeping the heartbeat of the story alive.

💡 What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Her first steps into vertical storytelling (and why she stayed)
• Popular genres: why North America is ready for BDSM and queer plots
• How to create “urgency and intimacy” in 30 seconds
• The cultural nuances of adapting Chinese dramas for Western screens
• Why short drama is a format, not a fad — and who’s getting it right

🎬 “Urgency and intimacy — that’s the essence of short drama.” – Steph Tablizo

In this eye-opening episode of Inside Vertical Short Dramas, we sit down with Chris Wicke — a 25-year veteran of the film and TV industry and founder of U.S.-based short drama app Embr Entertainment.

Chris takes us inside the making of a $70,000 vertical short drama that helped generate over $10 million in app revenue, revealing the realities of cross-border production between China and the U.S. From adapting “dominant CEO” and “abuse-romance” scripts for Western audiences, to navigating cultural localization, ultra-low-budget filmmaking, and lightning-fast shooting schedules, Chris shares hard-earned lessons from the frontlines.

We also explore the untapped genres poised to break out, the potential of AI in short drama writing and production, and why Hollywood storytelling rules don’t directly apply to vertical dramas.

Whether you’re a producer, investor, or short drama fan, this episode delivers data-driven insights, production hacks, and a global perspective on the next wave of entertainment.

In this episode of Inside Vertical Short Dramas, actor Cayman Cardiff shares his journey from aspiring physician to a rising star in the fast-growing world of international short dramas and vertical short-form storytelling. Discovered through Instagram in 2023, Cayman has since acted in numerous microdramas produced by Chinese companies for global audiences.

Key topics in this interview include:

• Career Shift: From pre-med student to short drama actor, recruited via Instagram.
• First Roles: Collaborations with Chinese company Joy Reels in Toronto, starring in Santa Sent Me a Billionaire Husband and Rejected Heiress.
• Popular Short Drama Genres: CEO romance, werewolf fantasy (Alpha’s Fated Surrogate), mafia boy-love (My Mafia Pilot Boyfriend), military protection (Forever Begins Now), and comedy-drama (My Savage Alpha).
• Cultural Localization: How Chinese short drama scripts are adapted for Western audiences by changing expressions, cultural references, and storytelling style.
• Industry Trends: Rising demand for original stories, cinematic production quality, and genre diversification — including action, fantasy, romance, BL, and thrillers.
• Audience Insights: The power of escapism, female-centric fantasy, and emotional engagement in vertical dramas.
• Production Comparison: Differences between Chinese and international short drama productions, and praise for platforms like Vigloo and Drama Box.
• Future Plans: Cayman’s ambition to expand into writing, producing, and directing in the short drama industry.

🎯 Quote from Cayman Cardiff:

“Escapism. Viewers want to step out of their everyday lives and experience fantasy, romance, or thrill that they might not get in real life.”

Keywords: short drama, vertical drama, microdrama, minidrama, international drama, CEO romance, werewolf fantasy, BL, romance, fantasy, acting career, cross-cultural storytelling, Chinese short dramas, Joy Reels, Vigloo, Drama Box.

In our very first episode, host Maggie Han interviews Scott Brown — Emmy-nominated director, producer, and creative executive behind some of the internet’s most iconic content.

Scott has helped build online powerhouses, including:

• Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s YouTube channel
• MrBeast’s main channel
• Comedy projects with Kevin Hart
• Over 750 episodes of Larry King Now on Hulu

Now, he’s betting on vertical series as the next frontier in storytelling — a format he believes could rival traditional television in both scale and narrative sophistication.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why vertical series are more than just “short dramas”
• What Western creators can learn from China’s short drama boom
• How to balance data-driven production with creative originality
• The role AI could play in shaping the future of vertical storytelling

This is a must-listen for creators, producers, and platform leaders navigating the rise of shortform vertical content.