In the context of more than 10 million university graduates each year making the Chinese labor market even more crowded, the "micro drama" short film industry is emerging as an important way out for hundreds of thousands of young people.
These series that are only a few minutes each episode, fast tempo and many climaxes not only compete with traditional box offices in popularity, but also open up stable job opportunities.
According to a report by Peking University, the micro drama sector is expected to directly create about 630,000 jobs in 2025, mainly for young workers. If including upstream and downstream related industries, the total number of job positions may exceed 2 million.
The authors of the report said that micro dramas have low investment, flexible production models and relatively sustainable job sustainability - a particularly important factor in the context of high youth unemployment rates in China.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the number of micro-drama films in China is currently about 3,000 sets per month, along with the increasingly clear formation of the labor division chain. If in the early stages, each production crew was only about 10 people, now a micro-drama crew usually has 60-90 personnel, including directors, cameramen, lighting, costumes, props and managers.
A short rotation cycle, usually only lasting from 5 to 10 days, allows the industry to maintain a high production pace and standardize processes. This creates a continuous job stream, attracting both long-term unemployed graduates, freelancers and a part of international students returning home.
Shutian Yu, graduated with a master's degree from the University of Sussex (UK). Before 2024, she did not have a stable job, but after participating in micro drama acting, her monthly income could reach 15,000 yuan (more than 56 million VND). She also invested 70,000 yuan (more than 261 million VND) in personal savings to self-produce a short film.
As the market expanded, more and more graduates from different fields, from finance to art, joined this field.
According to the China Television Film Industry Association, market revenue from micro dramas in 2024 reached 50.5 billion yuan (about 7.2 billion USD), exceeding the total national box office revenue and possibly increasing to 85.6 billion yuan, equivalent to about 12.34 billion USD in 2027. In 2024 alone, these short series attracted more than 660 million viewers.
Young human resources are increasingly struggling to penetrate the traditional film and television industry," independent film producer Guan Zhi said. "Meanwhile, micro dramas have exploded strongly in the past two years, quickly attracting audiences, while creating new investment and career opportunities.
