Recently, the topic of cat-xe of short film actors has continuously caused a stir in Chinese public opinion. Figures such as "30,000 CNY/day" (115 million VND) or "income of tens of millions of CNY per year" are spreading strongly.
Many people are surprised that the remuneration of some top short film actors is said to have surpassed many second-rate stars in the traditional entertainment industry. However, behind this glamorous picture is the increasingly obvious income differentiation.
At the peak of the pyramid, leading short film actors are benefiting greatly from the market boom. The popular cat-xe ranges from 30,000-50,000 CNY (115-185 million VND)/day, even in some cases up to 80,000 CNY (294 million VND)/day.
With a short filming time, only about 5-7 days, the income for a project can exceed 200,000 CNY (742 million VND). Ke Chun - a prominent face of this film genre - once revealed a salary of 20,000 CNY (74 million VND)/day, equal to many second-rate actors in long-running TV series.
Thanks to his works reaching billions of views, along with shared revenue from platforms, advertising and livestreaming, his annual income exceeds the milestone of 10 million RMB (more than 37 billion VND).
The income boom also comes from new money-making models. Many platforms apply the "minimum guarantee and lifetime revenue sharing" mechanism, helping actors become content partners instead of just receiving fixed cat-xe.
Some people can earn millions of RMB from just one short film, not to mention revenue from advertising and e-commerce. The rate of salary increase is also very fast: some actors only receive 8,000 RMB/(29 million VND)/day in 2024 but in 2025 it increased to 25,000 RMB/(92 million VND)/day thanks to a successful role. Working conditions such as high-class hotels, private crews gradually became the standard for this group.
Conversely, second-tier actors in the Chinese entertainment industry face many difficulties. After the remuneration limit regulations were applied, their incomes decreased significantly. The number of television film projects decreased, working hours in the year were shorter, while advertising fees were also cut.
Many resources once reserved for traditional stars are now switched to short film actors with low costs but high commercial conversion capabilities. As a result, the income of many leading short film actors has surpassed second-rate stars.
At the bottom of the pyramid are thousands of popular actors and mid-range actors struggling to make a living. Popular actors only receive about 80 CNY for 9 hours of filming, meaning less than 9 CNY (34 thousand VND) per hour, monthly income rarely exceeds 3,000 CNY (11 million VND).
Meanwhile, mid-range actors, although earning a daily salary of 5,000-8,000 CNY (18-29 million VND), often face late payment, lack of clear contracts, and work intensity lasting up to 18-20 hours per day.
The income polarization in the short film industry reflects the too rapid development of the market while the management mechanism has not kept up. However, positive adjustment signals have appeared, from working hours regulations to measures to protect the rights of actors.
Only when the efforts of all workers in the industry are paid fairly can the short film fever develop sustainably, instead of only benefiting a few people at the peak of the pyramid.
