Micro drama, short drama, vertical drama, mini drama: what each term means
How to write one: micro drama script format, template and example.
The terms side by side
| Term | What it stresses | Where you hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Micro drama | Very short episodes | Industry and press in English |
| Short drama | The format as a genre; from Chinese duanju | China-origin apps and their audiences |
| Vertical drama | The 9:16 phone frame | US apps and creators |
| Mini drama | Short episodes, a small production | Some apps and South Asian markets |
| Web series / webisode | Online-first, any length or frame | Older usage; usually horizontal |
| AI micro drama / AI short drama | Made with generated video | Creators and tools |
What makes a micro drama a micro drama
- Episode length: about one to three minutes; many apps settle near 60–120 seconds.
- Frame: vertical, 9:16, watched one-handed.
- Structure: conflict inside the first few seconds, a turn about every 30 seconds, a hook at the end of every episode.
- Volume: dozens of episodes per title rather than a handful.
- Genres: romance, revenge, billionaire, werewolf and family drama lead. Genre guides.
- Money: usually free first episodes, then pay or watch ads per episode.
The audience is large and growing: Sensor Tower data reported by TechNode put average daily use of short-drama apps at 25 minutes worldwide in April 2026, up 85% from January 2025.
Micro drama vs a TV series or a film
| Micro drama | TV series | Film | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode | 1–3 minutes | 20–60 minutes | One piece |
| Frame | 9:16 vertical | 16:9 | 16:9 or wider |
| Pacing | A hook every episode, fast turns | Arcs over an episode and a season | Three acts |
| In SceneMixer, step 1 Type | Short Drama | TV Series | Film |
The Type in step 1 shapes how the script is cut into episodes and how long they run. Short drama, series or film.
What changes when it is made with AI
An AI micro drama keeps the format and replaces the shoot: a script is read into a cast, locations and an episode outline; each character is drawn once as a reference image; every episode is storyboarded shot by shot; and the shots are generated as video, with the lines spoken on screen, and joined into one file per episode. The hard parts move from the set to the page: faces that stay the same across 80 episodes, and rooms that stay the same rooms. How to make an AI short drama · How consistency works · What a micro drama costs.
FAQ
What is a micro drama?
A scripted series of very short episodes, usually one to three minutes each, framed vertically for a phone, with a hook at the end of every episode and often dozens of episodes per title.
Is a vertical drama the same as a micro drama?
Almost always. Vertical names the 9:16 frame and micro the episode length; in practice both words describe the same app-distributed format.
What is the difference between a short drama and a micro drama?
Mostly where the word comes from: short drama translates the Chinese duanju, micro drama is the English industry term. The format is the same.
What is a mini drama?
Another name for the same short-episode format, used by some apps and markets.
How long is a micro drama episode?
About one to three minutes; many apps settle near 60 to 120 seconds.
What is an AI micro drama?
The same format made with generated video: the cast, sets and shots are generated from a script instead of filmed.
Can I make a micro drama myself?
Yes. In SceneMixer, pick Short Drama and 9:16 Portrait in step 1, paste a script or a one-line brief, and each episode is storyboarded, generated and joined into one video.
Updated October 20, 2026