Shanghai's micro-drama filming studios are emerging as a production hub as the booming industry moves into a more professional and sophisticated phase.

These micro-drama studios have earned the nickname "Shudian", literally vertical studios. The term is a playful internet slang that parodies "Hengdian" (Hengdian World Studios), a major film and TV shooting base often called "China's Hollywood", as in Chinese "heng" means "horizontal" while "shu" means "vertical", highlighting the shift from traditional horizontal screens to the vertical format of short videos. 

Located in Jiading district, about 40 kilometers from downtown Shanghai, the Shanghai International Short Video Center has evolved from an internet advertising production base into a dedicated micro-drama studio complex.

Converted from a former manufacturing plant, the center spans about 50,000 square meters and contains more than 200 indoor sets, ranging from old Shanghai villas and European-style mansions to Mediterranean resort scenes and modern Chinese homes. These various sets allow multiple productions to film simultaneously.

Yu Yang, general manager of the center, said micro-dramas are no longer defined by low budgets and simple sets. As production quality rises, studios increasingly require more refined environments and flexible filming spaces.

The center hosted more than 300 production crews last year, with eight to 10 teams filming at the same time on an average day. It has also begun to attract international attention, accommodating 15 overseas production teams over the past year.

Xu Jian, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s School of Media and Communication, said China’s micro-drama industry has entered what he described as a "2.0 stage", marked by professional capital, standardized production processes, and more mature distribution and business models.

He said Chinese micro-dramas are increasingly well positioned to expand overseas and could eventually surpass online literature and games as the country’s most influential cultural export.

Source: Reference News