TikTok has quietly launched a new standalone short film app called PineDrama in the US and Brazil. The app offers access to micro-dramas, which are essentially bite-sized TV shows that can be watched in a series of one-minute episodes. Think TikTok, but every video you come across is a short episode of a fictional story.
PineDrama is available at iOS and Android. It’s free and currently ad-free, although that could change in the future.
The news was first reported by Business Insider.
You can find content through the app’s “Discover” tab, where you can sort “All” or “Trending” dramas, or through endless vertical suggestions tailored to your taste. PineDrama has a variety of genres including thriller, romance, family and more. Examples of popular shows include “Love at First Bite” and “The Officer Fell for Me.”
The app has a ‘Watch History’ section where you can go back to the different series you’ve been watching. There is also a “Favorites” section where you can save the dramas you like the most. You can also share thoughts with other viewers in the comments section and introduce a full-screen viewing experience that will be free of the caption and sidebar.
The move comes as TikTok launched a “TikTok Minis” section on its app late last year where users can watch micro-dramas. With the launch of PineDrama, TikTok is acquiring popular micro-drama platforms like ReelShort and DramaBox. While the micro-drama industry hasn’t been all that popular until recent years, it’s on track to generate $26 billion in annual revenue by 2030, according to Variety.
The short story has not always been successful, even with notable support. In 2020, DreamWorks co-founder and former Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg launched a short-form streaming platform called Quibi with $1.75 billion in funding. The platform offered sub-10-minute episodes featuring popular Hollywood actors, but failed to gain traction and was shut down six months later.
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ReelShort and DramaBox succeeded where Quibi failed, because while Quibi tried to squeeze Hollywood TV into smaller episodes, ReelShort and DramaBox created low-budget stories that hook viewers within the first few seconds, followed by constant cliffhangers, with all the non-union talent. Additionally, they target fans of soapy romance and revenge thriller stories, while Quibi tried to target everyone.
TikTok is now trying to replicate that success with PineDrama. The company already dominates the short-form social media space and is now aiming to take on another media category.
