
Summary:
This week on Next in Media, Mike Shields talks with Erick Opeka, President & Chief Strategy Officer at Cineverse and board member at the startup Micro Co. Opeka breaks down how short-form âmicro-dramasââalready attracting hundreds of millions of daily viewers in Chinaâare taking shape in the U.S. and why they could become a $20 billion category.
He explains how Cineverseâs 22 streaming services, proprietary Matchpoint technology, and deep ad-tech stack position it to lead this wave. From Quibiâs missteps to AI-driven efficiencies, Opeka shares how the next generation of vertical video could transform storytelling, advertising, and the very idea of television.
â Key Highlights
- đĽ Cineverse 101: Operates a full-service film & TV studio plus 22 streaming platforms with under 200 employeesâpowered by its Matchpoint operating system.
- đĄ Tech meets storytelling: Built its own ad-tech stack (C360) and data tools to monetize efficiently while controlling creative output.
- đą Rise of micro-dramas: Already a $1 billion U.S. market and mainstream in China, drawing 600 million daily viewers.
- đ§ Why it works: Each 3-minute story triggers anticipation loops in the brainâmore rewarding than endless scrolling.
- đ Cultural crossover: Format expected to reach 13â15% of all video consumption at maturityâlarger than the entire U.S. theatrical market.
- đ§Š Creative power team: Lloyd Braun, Susan Rovner, and Jana Winograde join Opeka to build a U.S.-based micro-drama studio.
- đş Beyond romance: Expanding from steamy love stories to game shows, thrillers, and reality formats.
- đ° Business model: Starts with premium and pay-per-view, evolves toward ad-supported modelsâechoing the broader streaming trend.
- đ¤ Brand opportunity: Advertisers arenât yet in but white-space potential mirrors early anime and TikTok stages.
- đŽ Looking ahead: Launch slated for Spring 2026, combining platform tech + top-tier creatives to redefine mobile storytelling.
Â
đ Resources & Next Steps
- Follow Erick Opeka on LinkedIn đÂ
- Learn more about Cineverse â cineverse.com
- â Rate & Review to help more listeners discover the show
- đ§Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts
Â
âąď¸ YouTube Chapters
00:00 â Intro and Erick Opekaâs role at Cineverse
01:00 â How Cineverse runs 22 streaming services with Matchpoint
04:00 â Ad-tech integration and C360 audience platform
05:00 â The micro-drama trend and Chinaâs 600 million viewers
07:30 â Why micro-dramas hook audiences psychologically
09:30 â U.S. market potential and viewer behavior
11:00 â Genres evolving beyond romance
13:00 â Demographics and comparison to K-drama boom
14:30 â Business models: subscription vs ad-supported
17:00 â Early lessons from China and U.S. adoption curve
18:00 â Formation of Micro Co and the creative team
21:00 â Building a U.S. platform with better UX and production quality
26:00 â Quibi comparisons and why this time is different
29:00 â Timeline for launch and platform strategy
32:00 â Brand building and sustainable growth vs CAC race
34:00 â CTV integration and cross-screen potential
35:40 â Advertising ecosystem and brand interest
37:40 â TERRIFIER franchise and Cineverseâs studio approach
40:00 â Final thoughts on innovation and industry future
Altri episodi di "Next in Media"



Non perdere nemmeno un episodio di âNext in Mediaâ. Iscriviti all'app gratuita GetPodcast.







