 |
|
|
|||||
In the entertainment industry, as in life, change is the only constant. It wasnt that long ago that streaming services such as Netflix were the outsiders making waves and altering the way audiences watched movies. Today, theres a new kid on the block rapidly growing in popularity. Vertical dramas, essentially a 90-minute soap opera broken down into one-minute episodes viewedyou guessed itvertically on smartphones, are here to shake things up even further. (I know this firsthand as an actor who has recently worked on some of these projects.) Joey Jia, the CEO of Crazy Maple Studios, is at the forefront of this movement. His content creation company was named one of 2024s TIME100 Most Influential Companies and has offices in Shenzhen, Beijing, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Canada, Mexico, and the Philippines. Under this banner, Jia created ReelShort in 2022, a short-form video-streaming app, when he realized there was an opportunity to marry growing romance book trends and Asian micro dramas. I noticed there is a trend, Jia told Fast Company. People started shooting short-form content, especially five minutes long, 10 minutes long. That inspired me to have this idea: What if we revamp the video industry? Jia decided to put stories into one-minute bite-size content, made specifically for mobile phones as a way of testing how the market would respond. Spoiler alert: It responded well. ReelShortss production on track to triple in 2025 as compared to 2024. While Crazy Maple Studios declined to share revenue figures, it says it’s seen impressive growth in monthly active users, from around 45 million in October to between 55 to 60 million monthly active users. Suffice it to say, it’s in demand, paving the way for a story format that might be the future of scripted entertainment. At the intersection of art and tech The growing popularity of vertical dramas could never have occurred without the proper technology in place. The first smartphone, the Simon Personal Communicator, was invented by IBM in 1992, but it would take 18 years before these devices made their way to everyones pockets. Apples iPhone, famously announced to the world by Steve Jobs in 2007, played a big role in spreading the adoption of smartphones. The next stepping stone to verticals was social media. When TikTok was first released in 2016, it further trained users to create and view videos vertically. Instagram strengthened this habit when the app released its similar Reels feature in 2020. The stage was set for professional creators to monetize this technology. How China got there first In 2019, the Chinese company iQIYI released a special feature on its app dubbed the Vertical Video Zone, which comprised 25 sets of video, all shot in portrait mode to be viewed on a mobile phone. Around the same time, the Chinese social media platform Kuaishou unveiled “Kuaishou Small Theatre” on its app. This comedy-centered, short-form content would lead to the “micro-drama” brand Xingmang Micro Drama. By 2023, the platform would have over 94 million paid users. That same year, the larger micro-drama industry in China brought in $5.3 billion, making it 70% as large as the countrys traditional film industry. According to DataEye, a Shenzhen-based research firm, micro-dramas out-earned domestic box office sales the following year, as the Los Angeles Times reported. The American company Quibi, led by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman, tried to put its own spin on this trend, launching in April of 2020. This app utilized turnstyle technology that allowed viewers to watch content both vertically and horizontally. However, its short-form videos were expensive to make, running about 10 minutes utilizing Hollywood stars. Just seven months after its creation, Quibi was forced to shut down due to low subscriber counts. ‘Emotion-driven stories,’ made for humans by humans Jia saw a potential opening in the American market and learned from Quibis failure. He attributes ReelShorts’s success to its focus on emotion-driven stories. Plot is the missing component,” he says, “So our job is to come up with a feel-good moment, feel-good stories, and we always have data to make sure we are on the right track. So our stories are evolving. Vertical dramas tend to use well-known, over-the-top storytelling tropes, such as enemies to lovers, Cinderella-type makeovers, and corporate revenge. Some even explore fantasy plotlines, such as werewolves and different historical eras. ReelShortss subscription service differs from traditional streamers because it is not a flat monthly fee. The first 10 or so episodes are free, but to see the story’s conclusion, users have to pay based on consumption. This forces writers to make sure their content is fast-paced but not so quick that the audience gets lost. There is a fine balance between the story beats and the emotions. So this is really tricky, Jia mused. Jia trains directors, producers, and screenwriters in-house and does not utilize artificial intelligence. I think of creativity coming from a human being, so I don’t trust AI, to be honest, Jia explained. He also uses simple, inexpensive sets and costumes, and unknown nonunion actors. What does the future hold? When asked if Jia thinks vertical dramas complement or disrupt the traditional movie and television industry, he replied: I think it’s a disruptor. I think mobile entertainment will become a brand-new industry in the next few years. It will coexist with a traditional film industry, but it will bypass and beat the size so it gets bigger and bigger. He thinks colleges will in the not-so-distant future add this format to its film school curriculum. As more and more people forgo traditional movie theaters while staying glued to their phones throughout much of the day, his predictions dont feel that far-fetched. Indeed, the average ReelShort user might surprise you. We initially thought the majority of our audience is like a teenager and younger demographicbut no, it’s full spectrum, Jia explained. Jia has already been approached by big-name studios but finds it difficult to work with established intellectual properties because of all the rules and hoops to jump through. Verticals are inexpensive to make and move quickly, with a movie essentially completed in about 11 days. That doesnt mean he isnt open to bigger collaborations. In the next five years, Jia aims to prove that this space has merit, saying he feels there is still very much a stigma attached to it. There’s wide opportunity here, he says. So the door is always open.” Jia is not alone in this space. Shelly Caldwell founded DramaBox, a mobile TV series company, in 2022. Similarly, ShortMax, a Chinese-based media company, was created in 2023 by Jiuzhou Wenhua. Other players in the game include FlexTV and LokShorts. Even Netflix is dipping its toe in the pool. It recently announced that for some select users, its app will begin testing a vertical video feed. Meanwhile, ReelShort is expanding into new genres, such as action. Undercover Prison King, the story of a private prison owner who poses as an inmate to reveal corruption, is performing very well. The recent in-person premiere of Wings of Fire: The Dragonslayer Is My Ex-Lover in Culver City successfully signaled verticals legitimacy to the larger City of Angels. Jia also recently launched ReelShort Publishing House, a new division that will novelize popular romance titles on the app, a full circle moment for the man who saw the desire for this content early on. With a distribution deal with Amazon already in place, audiences may soon find themselves asking which came first, the vertical or the novel? As the way we consume media continues to evolve, Jias foresight appears to have been the fulfillment of a prophecy of sorts. What direction is the future of entertainment going? It appears to be vertical.
Category:
E-Commerce
Ive served the NASA space program for many years as an adviser, research scientist, flight surgeonand astronaut. My career has encompassed both in-flight and non-flight contributions to NASA, supporting space missions, space medicine, and research in advancing human space flight. Space exploration encompasses a fair amount of uncertainty by nature. The space program’s early days were fraught with a number of crew losses, including the Apollo 1 mission, and the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle missions. The challenges of space flight were on full display during the Apollo 13 crew’s near-disastrous mission on the way to the moon in 1970. We all know those infamous words: “Houston, we have a problem.” But the determination of a mission control team led by flight director Gene Kranzmarked by the phrase “failure is not an option”ended in a successful mission. Anyone, though, can pick up smart leadership lessons from space travel, even if youre not headed to the moon yourself. Heres how the best leaders think like astronauts. Recognize The Power of Vision Every great leader starts with a vision. Whether you are leading a company, a team, or a personal endeavor, the ability to see beyond present circumstances and chart a course for the future is what separates extraordinary leaders from the rest. When I first dreamed of becoming an astronaut, I had no road map. The road ahead was full of uncertainty, doubts, and obstacles. After determining that doctors were needed in the space program, my pathway was set. My goal was to become a physician with the knowledge and skills to work in space. But I learned early on that its not about having all the answersits about having the courage to pursue a vision, adapt to challenges, and inspire others along the way. In business, just as in space exploration, those who succeed are the ones who remain focused on their mission despite adversity. Turn the Vision into a Mission The mark of a good leader is their ability to transform the vision into tangible goals and objectives for the mission. We accomplish this at NASA through extensive training and mission preparation. The flight crew and mission support team dedicate countless hours to training in simulators and facilities, preparing for every scenario, whether it’s smooth sailing or unforeseen challenges. They focus on identifying the critical factors for success, then conduct “nominal” training for ideal outcomes and “off-nominal” training to tackle potential setbacks. We have a saying in the Astronaut Corps: “Fly as you train.” Training reflects conditions similar to those of the mission so we’re best prepared for the unexpected. Once those conditions are clear, we set high expectations to drive high performance. People and organizations can achieve amazing things when they know what’s expected of them. The most successful leaders embrace challenges, set high expectations, remain adaptable, and focus on the greater impact of their work. Let High Expectations Drive High Performance Leaders who expect mediocrity will get just that, while those who challenge their teams to push beyond limits foster excellence. On my second flight, STS63 in February 1995, we had multiple challenges. During my spacewalk, my fellow crew member and I experienced unexpected extreme temperatures of -165°F at orbital night and +200°F during the day, which exceeded the temperature capability of the space suit. There were other malfunctions on the mission, like issues with critical equipment on the spacecraft that almost canceled our rendezvous with the Russian space station. NASA’s training program assumes that astronauts must be prepared for the unknown. The same principle applies in business. Leaders must prepare their teams for challenges that may not yet exist, setting expectations that encourage innovation, accountability, and excellence. If you want to see growth in your organization, ask yourself: Are you setting high-enough expectations? Are you fostering a culture where your team is encouraged to reach beyond what they believe is possible? Success is often the result of leaders who challenge their teams to think bigger, work harder, and embrace bold ideas. Buckle into Resilience in Challenging Times One of the most valuable leadership lessons is understanding that failure is not the enemycomplacency is. Some of the best business leaders I have met share one trait: theyre not afraid of failing. They see failure as feedback, as a necessary component of growth. I also had moments of uncertainty during my first flightSTS-55 in April 1993. As we were about to launch, one of the three main engines of the Space Shuttle Columbia failed 2.5 seconds before liftoff. Fortunately, the safety system worked, cutting the fuel to the engine while simultaneously putting out the ensuing fire. This event certainly got my attention, as we say when things don’t go well. Im lucky to be here today. During my astronaut training and missions, I faced countless setbacks. Physical demands of endless hours of spacewalk training underwater in the neutral buoyancy facility pushed me to my limits, technical challenges of microgravity simulation forced me to rethink strategies, and high-stakes flight simulations that exposed weaknesses I needed to improve. Had I let failure define me, rather than energize me, I would never have made it to space. Resilience is just as crucial for leadership in life and business. Markets change, competitors arise, and setbacks occur. The best leaders are those who are resilient and thrive to adapt, learn, and continue forward with an unwavering commitment to their goals. Maintain Confidence in the Face of Adversity Great leaders possess both confidence and humility. Confidence allows you to make bold decisions, take risks, and lead with conviction. But humility ensures that you remain open to new ideas, feedback, and growth. In my career at NASA, in venture capital, and as an entrepreneur, Ive worked with some of the most brilliant minds in science, engineering, and business. The leaders who stand out are those who strongly believe in their abilities yet understand they don’t have all the answers. They surround themselves with talented individuals, listen more than they speak, and remain adaptable in the face of change. In your leadership journey, have the confidence to make difficult decisions and the humility to recognize that leadership is a lifelong learning process. Build a Legacy of Impact After my time at NASA, I joined SpaceHab as an SVP and chief medical officer, contributing to one of the pioneering companies in commercial spaceflight. In 2002, I founded a venture capital firm focused on telemedicine and healthcare technologies. Later, I founded the Harris Foundation and Institute, which has been involved in math and science education for over 25 years. Leadership is not just about personal successits about the impact you leave behind. For business leaders, this means looking beyond profit margins and quarterly results. It means fostering a culture where employees feel valued, innovation thrives, and measuring success by long-term impact rather than short-term gains. Ask yourself: How do you envision the legacy you wish to leave as a leader? Are you investing in people? Are you creating a vision that extends beyond yourself? Leadership lessons from space Leadership is a journey of vision, mission, expectation, resilience, and confidence. The most successful leaders embrace challenges, set high expectations, remain adaptable, and focus on the greater impact of their work. As you lead your organization, your team, or even your own personal ambitions, remember that the key to success lies not in avoiding obstacles and uncertainty, but in using them as stepping stones to greater achievements.
Category:
E-Commerce
A year ago today, Microsoft unveiled what it believed would be the future of home computing. Copilot+ PCs, optimized to harness the power of AI, were introduced with the promise of revolutionizing how we interact with our laptops and desktops. The reaction, however, was far from enthusiastic. Critics mocked the addition of an AI button on the keyboard, likening it to the redundant action keys from late-1990s PCs. More concerning was the backlash to Recall, a feature designed to continuously record user activity to provide smarter assistance. Many found the idea invasive. Public alarm grew when it became clear that Recall stored this data off-device, raising serious privacy concernsparticularly with sensitive tasks like entering bank details. The feature was eventually, well, recalled. Copilot+ PCs are finally here. You dont want oneyet, read one scathing op-ed published in Computer World at the time. Fast-forward a year, and the landscape has shifted. AI adoption continues to grow, and the once-ridiculed concept of agentic AI has gained traction. That shift in sentiment has helped normalize features like Recall, which quietly returned in the April 2025 Windows 11 update. This time, its opt-in rather than opt-out, and stores screenshots locally instead of on the cloud. In the background, Microsoft has been refining its AI offerings. The companys updated Copilot+ strategy seems more measured, and after a year of growing accustomed to AI in our daily lives, users may now be more ready for what these devices offer. Microsoft says Copilot+ PCs accounted for up to 15% of premium-priced U.S. laptops during the 2024 holiday quarterthe first specific sign of market traction. Analysts at Gartner predict that by the end of 2026, every enterprise PC sold will be AI-equipped, with consumer adoption expected to follow soon after. Persistence also plays a role in adoption. Its become more and more prominent in Windows 11 in particular, says Catherine Flick, a researcher in AI and ethics at the University of Staffordshire. People who might otherwise be skeptical or not want to touch it, might just go in because it’s so conveniently there, she says. It doesn’t seem to cost anything at the moment, so yeah, basically people are going to use it. Every new user represents a win for Microsoft, helping to normalize AI as part of everyday workflows. While there may still be no single “killer app” that compels users to buy an AI-powered PC, growing familiarity can be just as powerful as clever marketing. With momentum building, the moment for Copilot+ PCs may have finally arrived.
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||