The news: TikTok is partnering with Sundance Institute on a microdrama development program that will train emerging talent on creating effective short-form series, Sundance announced.

The partnership entails a live, four-week online course that emphasizes scriptwriting for microdramas, “designed to equip creators with the tools, frameworks, and industry guidance to develop serialized, story-driven content.”

The microdrama boom: TikTok is capitalizing on the massive surge in microdrama content.

• US microdrama viewership will more than double between 2026 and 2028, per our forecast.
• Microdrama production is similarly skyrocketing. Projects on microdrama app ReelShort grew 2.7 times between 2024 and 2025, and 2.4 times on app DramaShorts, per Los Angeles Times.
• Microdrama apps command more US daily mobile viewing time than Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+, per an Omdia analysis of Sensor Tower data.
• Despite the popularity of dedicated microdrama apps, short-form native apps like TikTok still stand to gain from the microdrama boom. Social networks are the main advertising channel for microdrama apps, per Sensor Tower; TikTok already accounts for 19% of US microdrama ad spending, only below Facebook (25%).

How brands are tapping in: Microdramas are opening up advertising and branding opportunities as the format gains traction.

• Brands like Shein are experimenting with microdramas; the retailer is featured in scenes throughout ReelShort drama “Betraying My Billionaire Husband.” App DramaBox is also developing a product placement offering.
• Branded microdramas, when companies create their own series to engage audiences, are on the rise; Instagram has a microdrama series aimed at Gen Z, while KFC has experimented with producing its own microdramas.
• Microdramas also offer standard ad placements, allowing marketers to reach viewers directly in the app environment.