Short-form filmmaking embraces digitalization

In the vibrant world of digital media, Yongchuan Technology Studio in Chongqing is at the forefront of innovation. Recently, the studio was a hive of activity as a dedicated crew completed filming their latest short-form drama, The Lady Agent Who Tames All.

The show is now in post-production, set for a June release. Thanks to the studio's cutting-edge virtual filming technology, the team was able to drastically reduce both time and costs, finishing the drama in just six intensive 18-hour workdays. The Lady Agent Who Tames All is a 100-minute drama that tells the story of the Na family's heiress, who becomes a top assassin to avenge her mother's murder. Alongside her betrothed — an aerospace scientist — she battles spies and safeguards her family business.

Producer Fan Lin said the use of virtual screens in key scenes, such as an awards ceremony, which traditionally would require costly hall rentals, decorations and extras, costs were slashed by 60 percent.

The production supervisor managed a heavy workload, ensuring the drama was completed on schedule. Her responsibilities included coordinating the director's aesthetic demands, conducting screen tests, and arranging the accommodations and transportation for the crew, which was 71 people at its peak.

Located in Chongqing's Yongchuan district and spanning 84,000 square meters, Yongchuan Technology Studio has emerged as a hub for virtual productions since its first phase opened in 2023. It has been used for over 50 film projects, leveraging technology developed by locally-based Dawa (Chongqing) Imaging Technology.

In 2023, the country's largest single digital technology studio using virtual shooting technology opened during the First China Film Technology Innovation Summit. Last year, the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Film Festival took place at the studio, debuting as one of the largest LED virtual production systems in Asia.

The 3rd China Chongqing Science and Technology Film Week and the inaugural Chongqing International Animation Film Week will be held in Yongchuan next month.

The director of The Lady Agent Who Tames All, with 20 years' experience in the film and television industry, has embraced short-form drama productions. Drawing from his previous experience with Dawa Technology, he chose virtual filming for its efficiency and artistic impact.

"Initially, we were skeptical about short dramas because there were too many that were poorly made," said Li Chao, operations manager at Dawa. "But with increased budgets and improved quality, they are now advancing to a higher standard and becoming a major focus. This has led us to create the Dawa AI+ Virtual Filming Short-Form Drama Base near our technology studio, capable of producing around 1,000 short dramas per year."

The base opened in mid-May. According to Chen Liang, vice-president of Dawa Technology, the facility is the first in the country to deeply integrate AI-generated content, LED virtual filming technology and live-action shooting. This integration promises to unlock new possibilities for short-form drama content creation.

The popularity of vertical-format short-form videos and micro-short-form dramas has surged in China, becoming essential entertainment for many viewers. They perfectly fit fragmented time, offering "digital pickles" that provide instant gratification.

The industry has experienced explosive growth over the past two years. According to the China Netcasting Services Association, the market for bite-sized productions reached 50.44 billion yuan ($7.3 billion) in 2024 — up 34.9 percent year-on-year, surpassing the country's annual box-office revenue for the first time. Last year, the industry's total output value neared 90 billion yuan and its domestic viewer base reached 696 million people.

Last year's overseas market revenue was approximately $1.53 billion, with total app-related downloads reaching 730 million. Chinese companies dominate the market, accounting for 90 percent of the revenue among the top 20 apps.

Contact the writers at dengrui@chinadaily.com.cn