This written summary provides a quick read of the LeaderSpeak podcast with Timothy Oh of COL Group Ltd, presented in a concise Q&A transcript format. It explores the rapid rise of micro-dramas and the “vertical video revolution” currently transforming the global media and entertainment sector.

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1. Vitrina: Can you provide a background on the COL Group’s evolution and how it led to the incubation of platforms like ReelShort and Flareflow?

Timothy: The COL Group is a publicly listed company in China that began 25 years ago by digitizing novels. We evolved from digital stories to audiobooks and eventually micro-stories delivered via telco subscriptions. In 2021, the company began launching micro-dramas in China to address the high costs and long production cycles of traditional TV. This led to the incubation of ReelShort in the US in 2022, followed more recently by Flareflow.

“We were producing movies and TV series and it cost a lot and it takes like five years to get one program out… The company started thinking, can we take these stories and tell it in the vertical format? Shorter storylines, faster pace… and it did [work].”

2. Vitrina: What defines the “micro-drama” ecosystem, and how does your company utilize technology like AI across its different departments?

Timothy: The company functions as a massive ecosystem where every department, including IT, is involved in micro-dramas. Our tech teams use AI to create realistic human characters and anime-style micro-dramas. We focus on creating strong IPs and stories told in micro-chapters, moving away from traditional formats to meet the change in consumer trends where the mobile phone is now the “first screen”.

“The whole company is thinking about it [micro-dramas], whichever department you’re in… they use AI to create micro dramas like realistic human beings.”

3. Vitrina: How does the monetization model for these vertical series differ from traditional OTT platforms like Netflix?

Timothy: Unlike regular TV or OTT platforms where you pay a flat subscription, this model is a hybrid influenced by e-commerce and gaming. While we offer weekly and monthly subscriptions, the core experience is gamified: users are enticed to watch and then use “coins” to unlock specific episodes. Users can also “earn” content by watching ads to get coins, essentially deciding whether to spend money or time to continue their viewing experience.

“The whole gamification model is what really works… you are enticed to watch it and then when you are hooked onto it, you use different methods to kind of continue watching the series.”

4. Vitrina: Can you explain your data-driven approach to storytelling and how you run hundreds of “creative experiments” each month?

Timothy: We tell stories using data rather than just traditional story arcs. We run approximately 400 experiments on our series each month, testing different versions of a scene to see which version holds the audience’s attention best. For example, if data shows viewers lose interest at a specific second in episode two, we can re-edit the series to include a major plot hook at that exact moment to react to audience behavior.

“We put up six versions and one version is where the female lead got into an accident right from the first two seconds… we are able to basically change the way the story is being delivered based on the user trends and habits.”

5. Vitrina: What are the typical production timelines and budgets for a micro-drama series compared to traditional media?

Timothy: Production is incredibly fast; a vertical series can be finished in about seven to eight days. We typically spend approximately $150,000 to $250,000 per series on production, but we spend four to five times that amount on marketing through mobile channels. Because the format is vertical and the frame is tighter, we can use fewer resources and smaller crews while still telling high-stakes stories.

“The ability for you to do things at a faster pace with lesser resources but then tell similar stories is just amazing… you could work with much lesser because it’s tighter in terms of frame.”

6. Vitrina: How is the COL Group expanding its global footprint in terms of licensing, distribution, and new studio infrastructure?

Timothy: We function through both B2C apps and a B2B distribution model, licensing our library of over 1,000 titles to new platforms starting in the space. We are also finishing a 10,000 square meter studio in China by the end of this year specifically designed to produce international dramas. This studio allows us to bring in international actors and use sets designed to look like the US, providing high production value at a much lower cost than filming in cities like New York.

“We’re building a studio in China and the studio… is going to be producing international dramas. We will bring the actors from the US over and then the set is designed like the US.”

7. Vitrina: What kind of content “formula” or genres are proving most successful, and how is the talent pool evolving?

Timothy: While romance and werewolf stories are mainstays, we are expanding into sci-fi, apocalypse, and alien genres. We don’t typically work with Hollywood A-listers; instead, we hire actors who are realistic and relatable, which helps maintain the viewer’s fantasy. Notably, we hire ad copywriters instead of traditional writers because they excel at telling stories and delivering hooks within the first five seconds to capture short attention spans.

“We hire ad copywriters, creative writers, because they are able to tell stories in five seconds… like an advertisement… you need to be able to tell that story right from the get-go.”

8. Vitrina: What specific opportunities exist for independent producers, financiers, and international partners to collaborate with you?

Timothy: We are actively looking for local production partners in expanding markets like Europe, Australia, Asia, and Japan. We also seek partners who are launching their own platforms and need to acquire a library of content rather than producing 100 series from scratch. We function as a consultant to these partners, using our platform data to advise them on where to start and how to monetize effectively.

“Instead of you going to produce a hundred and then coming back to say, my God, I’ve already spent millions on it… It’s actually a lot better to acquire some series, even IPs, and to get yourself started.”

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