At the heart of the Chinese mainland's booming short-drama scene lies Zhejiang—a province now home to one of the largest one-stop micro-drama production bases in the world. Here, creative teams can 'check in' with just their luggage and shoot an entire modern drama without ever moving location.
Building on film hubs like Hengdian and Xiangshan, Zhejiang's new facility has streamlined production like never before. Known as the 'Film Set of the Future', the campus features a seamless virtual production pipeline that blends real sets with cutting-edge CG, taking a script from storyboard to final cut in record time.
Data show that micro-dramas produced in Zhejiang can hit 10 million views within 48 hours—thanks to fast shooting schedules and trends that travel across borders. This industrial approach is reshaping how content is made and consumed on global streaming platforms.
CGTN's He Jingyi, on the ground in Zhejiang, reports that this fast-paced model not only slashes costs but also empowers young directors and actors to experiment with new formats. In a market hungry for bite-sized stories, the pipeline's agility turns local ideas into international viral hits.
As the Chinese mainland accelerates its short-drama exports, Zhejiang's micro-drama revolution offers a blueprint for emerging markets and digital nomads craving fresh entertainment. With virtual sets, integrated studios, and a culture of speed, this industrial engine might just be the future of global storytelling.
Reference(s):
Fast, viral, global: Inside China's short drama industrial machine
cgtn.com
