Short Drama Alliance with Maggie Han

Inside Vertical Short Dramas

🎙️ Go behind the scenes of the global vertical short drama boom.

Hosted by producer Maggie Han, founder of the Short Drama Alliance, this podcast explores the rise of vertical short dramas through interviews with creators, producers, and industry leaders worldwide.

Featuring conversations from the Short Drama Forum and the YouTube channel Short Drama Decode.

Find us on Instagram, Facebook,X or threads — just search Short Drama Alliance.

Website

03 September 2025

S2E9 | Forum 25Q3 — From Hollywood to Vertical Hits: Chris Wicke’s Short Drama Pivot

Today’s episode features Chris Wicke, a 25-year veteran of the film and TV industry and the founder of Embr Entertainment. Chris has been producing vertical mini dramas for platforms like ReelShort and Salty TV, with hits such as Truth or Dare (which ranked #4 on Salty TV) and Married to the Assassin. Before founding Embr, he produced vertical dramas at Be Here Media and has since built Embr...

30 August 2025

S2E8 | Forum 25Q3 —Steph: A Canadian Female Director Behind Spicy Vertical Dramas

In this episode, we feature a conversation from the Short Drama Forum 2025 Q3 Edition with Steph Tablizo, a Toronto-based multi-hyphenated director and producer reshaping vertical storytelling with cinematic flair, emotional depth, sharp pacing, and a no-compromise approach to short-form drama.With nearly 15 years in film and media, Steph entered vertical dramas two years ago and has since worked...

30 August 2025

S2E6 | Forum 25Q3 — From Boys’ Love to Pride & Prejudice: UK’s On Set Octopus Leads Europe’s Vertical Wave

In this episode, we feature a conversation from the Short Drama Forum 2025 Q3 Edition with Emma Wang, Executive Producer and Head of Content, and Ben Pengilly, CEO and Founder of On Set Octopus.Emma Wang is the Executive Producer and Head of Content at Onset Octopus, where she leads the project-based writer team and oversees the full process from development to release. As an award-winning...

29 August 2025

S2E6 | Forum 25Q3 — Drama Shorts: Europe’s Challenger to China’s Vertical Drama Giants

In this episode, we sit down with Leonid (Leo) Ovdiienko, Co-Founder and CEO of Drama Shorts, one of the fastest-growing vertical drama platforms outside of Asia. Leo started with Alpha Novel, a marketplace for web novels, and quickly pivoted into producing short dramas based on popular IP. Today, Drama Shorts is ranked among the top 15 players worldwide, with an ambitious goal to break into the...

29 August 2025

S2E5 | Forum 25Q3 — Dana Protsyshak on Building LA’s First Vertical Drama Market

Today’s episode features a conversation from the Short Drama Forum 2025 Q3 Edition, where I interviewed Dana Protsyshak, a Los Angeles-based filmmaker, former screenwriter, and founder of VertIGo. After years of writing and producing vertical content, Dana is now shifting her focus to building bridges across the global vertical drama industry. In this episode, Dana shares her journey from...

28 August 2025

S2E4 | Forum 25Q3 —Kate HE on Female Storytelling in Vertical Dramas

Kate HE is a multidisciplinary storyteller born in Hangzhou and trained in both the U.S. and U.K., with a background in film, theatre, psychology, and mythology. She brings emotionally rich narratives to life across screen and stage, with recent short drama work including In My Sister’s Stead: The Reckoning.In our discussion, Kate shares her insights on how women are shaping the future of...

28 August 2025

S2E3 | Forum 25Q3 — Dan Jongma on Acting, Storytelling, and the Future of Vertical Dramas

In this episode, we talk with Daniel Jongma, the founder of @actingvertical, based in Sydney, Australia. Daniel actively explores performance in vertical storytelling, with experience spanning acting in lead and supporting roles, as well as casting, writing, and producing vertical dramas. In our conversation, Daniel shares his journey of entering the short drama industry and his insights on:· How...

26 August 2025

S2E2 | Forum 25Q3 — Inside MyDrama: How Vertical Dramas, AI, and IP Are Redefining Entertainment

In this special episode, recorded as part of the lead-up to the Short Drama Forum 2025 Q3 Edition, I interviewed Bogdan Nesvit, the co-founder and co-CEO of HOLYWATER — the tech company behind MyDrama, My Passion, and My Muse. HOLYWATER’s content ecosystem now reaches over 55 million users worldwide, empowering creators to produce high-quality stories, series, and books, distribute them to global...

25 August 2025

S2E1 | Forum 25Q3 — Roundtable #1：From Basics to Future Vision

「Roundtable」From Basics to Future VisionWhat defines short drama in today’s entertainment world — and where is it heading next? In this exclusive roundtable, we bring together four leading voices from Los Angeles, New York, and beyond to discuss the rise of vertical dramas, new storytelling formats, and how global creators are shaping the future of entertainment.Guests:• Anina Net —...

23 August 2025

S1E9: Short Dramas and Global Obsession | A British Fan’s View

In this episode of Inside Vertical Short Dramas from Short Drama Decode, we talk with Jennifer Cooper, a London-based entrepreneur and cultural analyst who unexpectedly became a devoted fan of Chinese vertical dramas.Jen shares her unique perspective on why these fast-paced, emotionally addictive stories are resonating with Western audiences. We explore how short dramas bypass cultural barriers,...