On August 9th, the vibrant summer season of short dramas on Douyin launched, unveiling a selection of 16 premium micro-series produced by the platform itself.
The new lineup for summer 2024 is categorized into four thematic areas: "Women's Empowerment," "Young Heroes," "Everyday Life," and "Innocent Youth." These series encompass a diverse range of genres including urban romance, comedy, workplace dynamics, school life, and realistic narratives, all set to debut on Douyin from mid-August onwards.
The Women's Empowerment category features "Rose at Dusk," starring and co-produced by Li Ruitong. Scheduled to release on her 58th birthday, August 16th, this series focuses on a full-time mother returning to work and a disheartened office worker supporting each other as they strive to realize their own value. It marks Li Ruitong's return to modern drama after a decade and her first foray into micro-series production. She shared that "Rose at Dusk" resonated deeply with her due to its compelling narrative, well-crafted characters, and the theme of starting anew in middle age.
Under the Young Heroes theme, we find "Princess, Please Come Home," a story centered around a giant panda's repatriation, along with two cultural heritage dramas co-produced by Douyin and CCTV: "Mr. Dongpo Takes the Imperial Exam" and "The Monkey King of Chinese Mythology." "Princess, Please Come Home" is a joint effort between Douyin and Mango TV, boasting a professional production team led by director Lin Yong and the cinematography crew from "Three Lives of Love." "Mr. Dongpo Takes the Imperial Exam" follows a liberal arts student preparing for college entrance exams who unexpectedly travels back in time to the Northern Song Dynasty, participating in historical exam scenes alongside figures like Su Shi. "The Monkey King of Chinese Mythology" leverages AIGC technology to create fantastical scenes, showcasing the potential for innovation in the film industry through cutting-edge technology.
The Everyday Life category highlights the rich tapestry of real-world experiences. "Let's Go, Boss!" is a collaboration between Douyin and Perfect World Pictures, chronicling the journey of a city-dweller to the grasslands where they find personal growth and love. The script development process involved cooperation with local tourism authorities to integrate authentic grassland scenery, marking an innovative blend of micro-series and tourism promotion. Another standout entry, "Time Loan," stars Douyin influencer "Huihui Zhou" as a corporate employee who discovers a magical device enabling them to borrow time, leading to a series of thrilling adventures in a sci-fi workplace setting, ultimately uncovering their true self.
In the Innocent Youth section, the rural healing drama "The Girl I Can't Hug" features Douyin personality Wu Xiafan. The plot revolves around a novelist grappling with an inability to love who seeks inspiration from a bed-and-breakfast owner with special abilities. Together, they breathe new life into the inn while discovering the true meaning of love.
Youth remains a perennial theme in cinematic storytelling, encompassing the pains and regrets of growing up, inspiring comebacks, and fantastical imaginings interwoven with reality. Micro-series offer a brisk and adaptable medium for exploring these themes, giving "youth" a distinctive voice.
This year, Douyin has continued to support high-quality micro-series content through its "Chenxing Project," launching themed theaters such as "Theater 9527" and "Rose Story Theater" to encourage professional filmmakers to enter the micro-series space. Under the "Chenxing Project," top creators can receive up to 5 million yuan in cash rewards and 100 million views in traffic support. This latest slate of productions under the project signifies further exploration into women's issues, urban life, comedy, and other genres, conveying the creators' messages of courage and passion while addressing current social issues, thereby enriching the narrative depth of micro-series.