Today’s episode comes from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum,

featuring director Jen Yeuroukis, who works across Los Angeles and Europe in micro-drama and vertical drama production.

In this conversation, Jen shares how she transitioned into vertical directing, what makes short-drama storytelling unique compared with film and TV, and why emotional clarity and structure matter so deeply in a 2–3 minute episode.

We also discuss common script issues she encounters, how she thinks about pacing and emotional arcs, and her insights on portraying female characters without falling into harmful tropes.

Let’s dive in.

---

📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?

Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 135-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.

👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz

🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?

Try my online course — f— designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.

👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI

Today’s episode comes from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum, featuring Judah Ray — founder of Butterfly and an ex-MGM development executive who has worked across more than 100 productions.

In this conversation, Judah breaks down how he approaches Westernizing short-drama IP, what makes vertical storytelling fundamentally different from traditional filmmaking, and why formulas, retention mechanics, and data matter more than genre or style.

He also shares insights from shadowing major platform shoots, what he learned directly from Chinese teams, and his candid thoughts on the future of vertical drama in the U.S.

Let’s dive in.

---

📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?

Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 135-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.

👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz

🌿 Just starting out or curious about how short dramas work?

Try my online course — f— designed for grassroots creators and newcomers who want to understand short-drama storytelling in a fun, accessible way.

👉 https://payhip.com/b/oMALI

Today’s episode features a conversation from our 2025 Q4 Short Drama Forum with Cassandra Yang — CEO of RisingJoy, one of the most active global licensing hubs for micro-dramas, now connected with 50+ platforms across 20+ countries.

Cassandra explains what truly defines micro-dramas, why mobile-first storytelling requires emotional hooks over logic, and the biggest misconceptions traditional film/TV professionals still have about the format.

She also breaks down global demand trends, the rise of English and Korean short dramas, and the challenges of adapting Chinese content for international markets — from music rights to cultural context.

Finally, we talk about the next frontier: co-productions, format licensing, and why the global short-drama market is still at “Level 1” compared to China’s five-year lead.

Let’s dive in.

---

📘 Want to dive deeper into the storytelling logic behind global short dramas?

Check out my book — Short Drama Writing 101: From Industry Logic to Social Psychology — a 135-page guide for producers, writers, and platform strategists.

👉 https://payhip.com/b/K82oz