1.2.1 The Operational Logic of Vertical Screen Microdramas------A Complete Analysis of the Operational Process

Shooting Phase: Low-Cost and Fast-Paced Production

So, how does this mini-program operate? Let me break down the operational logic of mini-program microdramas for you. Basically, it can be divided into a few key parts. First and foremost, you have to produce the drama. You might have heard about the 400,000 budget—yes, that’s accurate. In the early days, the cheapest ones were around 100,000, and now some are approaching nearly a million as production costs gradually increase. Generally speaking, most fall within the range of 300,000 to 600,000, or more commonly, 400,000 to 600,000.

Some of you might wonder, why are the production costs so low? Well, let me explain. Typically, a mini-program microdrama is shot in just 6 to 10 days, with most wrapping up in about 6 to 7 days. Those of you familiar with filming know that 6 to 7 days isn’t enough to shoot many episodes. Usually, it’s around 10 episodes or so. Then, a major scene might cover the key 30 to 40 episodes of the drama. Why? Because mini-program microdramas often have around 100 episodes, each about a minute and a half long, totaling over 100 minutes. More than half of the scenes are shot in a few primary locations, and the entire crew is kept under 40 people, excluding actors—around 40 or fewer. So, it’s all about low cost and quick turnaround. That’s why the first step in mini-program microdramas is always to produce the drama itself.

Material Editing: From Highlight Moments to Complete Clips

Next, the second step is selecting material from the drama. What kind of material? Promotional material, usually edited into short videos. You’ve seen those on platforms like Douyin and Kuaishou—where one scene hooks you into watching the whole series, right? Or a character draws you in to finish the drama. Those short videos are essentially clues, or you could say, advertisements. They extract highlight moments or representative scenes from the drama. This part has evolved too. Those in the industry will know what I’m talking about—we’ll dive deeper into this later, but for now, this is just an overview. So, first, you make the content, then you edit the material.

Placement Strategy: Multi-Channel Precision Targeting

Once you’ve edited the material, a crucial task is placement. Whether you’re placing ads on Jùliàng (like Douyin), WeChat, Baidu’s system, other platforms, or key accounts—it’s all part of placement. Of course, the main focus now is on short video platforms, specifically Douyin, where you run ads with the edited material.

Conversion and Delivery: From Interest to Payment

After placement, some people get interested, right? They watch a free segment and become hooked, leading to conversion. Essentially, they're redirected to the mini-program, where delivery happens. That's the basic operational logic.