The increasing popularity of short format content and dwindling attention spans of audiences is leading studios and producers primarily known for long-format shows and films, to explore opportunities in the new space.
Film, television and OTT production houses are looking at creating micro-dramas, comprising multiple episodes lasting anything between two to 15 minutes for YouTube and Instagram while audio-centric platforms like Kuku FM have forayed into video storytelling with similar programming. Bite-sized content is a separate vertical for many content creation studios now.
Short format content drove digital-first creation via YouTube. It later gave way to long-form series, but there’s now a revival of short, character-driven micro-dramas for YouTube and social media, said Namit Sharma, chief executive officer at Arre Studios, a content creation company.
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Sharma said Indian audiences are already familiar with the micro-drama genre, thanks to Chinese apps that have infiltrated the market and their company is looking to capitalise on the same, currently with support from brands for monetisation. These could be shows with around 30 episodes per season with the first few attempts providing more clarity on which particular genres work.
From blockbusters to bytes
To be sure, entertainment industry experts point out that the boundaries between long-form and short-form storytelling are blurring, and both filmmakers and advertisers are adapting fast.
Even established feature film creators are embracing shorter formats, said Jitendra Hirawat – director, SoCheers Films, a digital agency, citing the example of Zoya Akhtar’s Tiger Telly that produced Nykaa Waali Shaadi, Nykaa’s first OTT release that premiered on JioHotstar and ads, like the one for Ranbir Kapoor’s ARKS sneaker brand.
“This trend reflects evolving consumption habits and the need for quicker turnaround times in content creation, especially given shrinking attention spans. The success of creators like Akhtar signals a broader industry movement towards shorter storytelling approaches,” said Hirawat.
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Production houses and brands are channelling investments into a few key areas. They’re building dedicated short-form teams—specialisd groups focused on scriptwriting, direction, and editing to create content that’s both impactful and high-quality, said Hirawat.
Next-gen content tools
AI-powered content repurposing tools like Descript and Kapwing allow long-form videos to be easily sliced into viral-ready shorts, ensuring brands stay relevant in the fast-paced world of social media, he added.
Content creators and production houses acknowledge the steady decline in attention spans, driven by an evolving entertainment landscape—shifting from cinema halls to television, and now to OTT platforms and beyond.
Vertical dramas or micro-dramas perfectly align with this evolving trend.
“We are very bullish on vertical dramas and genres within this. We have a lot of data around what works when it comes to privately consumed personalised content, thanks to Kuku FM, our audio platform. Hence, we are taking these learnings from our audio platform into Kuku TV (a vertical OTT platform, with serialised micro-dramas for mobile-first audiences),” said Vinod Kumar Meena, co-founder and chief operating officer at Kuku FM.
“Unlike watching a movie or on OTT, the consumption of vertical video is a very personalised experience,” said Meena.
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“People who consume vertical or short format content usually don’t share their consumption patterns with others. Hence, the genres here need to be tailored. We have seen that storytelling around themes like rags to riches, underdog stories, power struggle stories are very popular,” Meena added.
Binge boom
With changing audience preferences and the growing popularity of bite-sized storytelling, it’s only a matter of time before more long-format creators start experimenting beyond promotional content, according to Neena Dasgupta – Founder and CEO, The Salt Inc, an independent content and design agency.
Filmmakers like Anurag Kashyap and Dibakar Banerjee have explored short films as part of branded storytelling initiatives, such as Royal Stag Barrel Select’s Large Short Films.
There are also some challenges to the new format. Film producer and director Siddharth P Malhotra said while time and effort required to create short format content may be similar to films or shows, the revenue model is still unclear.
“One needs to have the bandwidth to look into it. This requires a different mindset and team. Many big creators are still busy creating long or semi long format. As and when this becomes binge-worthy, then even bigger names will start getting attracted,” he said.
