
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 āmicro-dramasāāalready attracting hundreds of millions of daily viewers in Chinaāare taking shape in the U.S. and why they could become a $20 billion category.
He explains how Cineverseās 22 streaming services, proprietary Matchpoint technology, and deep ad-tech stack position it to lead this wave. From Quibiās missteps to AI-driven efficiencies, Opeka shares how the next generation of vertical video could transform storytelling, advertising, and the very idea of television.
ā Key Highlights
- š„ Cineverse 101: Operates a full-service film & TV studio plus 22 streaming platforms with under 200 employeesāpowered by its Matchpoint operating system.
- š” Tech meets storytelling: Built its own ad-tech stack (C360) and data tools to monetize efficiently while controlling creative output.
- š± Rise of micro-dramas: Already a $1 billion U.S. market and mainstream in China, drawing 600 million daily viewers.
- š§ Why it works: Each 3-minute story triggers anticipation loops in the braināmore rewarding than endless scrolling.
- š Cultural crossover: Format expected to reach 13ā15% of all video consumption at maturityālarger than the entire U.S. theatrical market.
- š§© Creative power team: Lloyd Braun, Susan Rovner, and Jana Winograde join Opeka to build a U.S.-based micro-drama studio.
- šŗ Beyond romance: Expanding from steamy love stories to game shows, thrillers, and reality formats.
- š° Business model: Starts with premium and pay-per-view, evolves toward ad-supported modelsāechoing the broader streaming trend.
- š¤ Brand opportunity: Advertisers arenāt yet in but white-space potential mirrors early anime and TikTok stages.
- š® Looking ahead: Launch slated for Spring 2026, combining platform tech + top-tier creatives to redefine mobile storytelling.
Ā
š Resources & Next Steps
- Follow Erick Opeka on LinkedIn šĀ
- Learn more about Cineverse ā cineverse.com
- ā Rate & Review to help more listeners discover the show
- š§Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts
Ā
ā±ļø YouTube Chapters
00:00 ā Intro and Erick Opekaās role at Cineverse
01:00 ā How Cineverse runs 22 streaming services with Matchpoint
04:00 ā Ad-tech integration and C360 audience platform
05:00 ā The micro-drama trend and Chinaās 600 million viewers
07:30 ā Why micro-dramas hook audiences psychologically
09:30 ā U.S. market potential and viewer behavior
11:00 ā Genres evolving beyond romance
13:00 ā Demographics and comparison to K-drama boom
14:30 ā Business models: subscription vs ad-supported
17:00 ā Early lessons from China and U.S. adoption curve
18:00 ā Formation of Micro Co and the creative team
21:00 ā Building a U.S. platform with better UX and production quality
26:00 ā Quibi comparisons and why this time is different
29:00 ā Timeline for launch and platform strategy
32:00 ā Brand building and sustainable growth vs CAC race
34:00 ā CTV integration and cross-screen potential
35:40 ā Advertising ecosystem and brand interest
37:40 ā TERRIFIER franchise and Cineverseās studio approach
40:00 ā Final thoughts on innovation and industry future
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