Singapore media firms to get micro-drama production support under IMDA-TikTok initiative
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The new programme comes under the $48 million Digital Content and Capability Development initiative launched by IMDA earlier in June.
PHOTO: AFP
SINGAPORE – Media firms in Singapore can apply for funding and training to develop live action and AI-generated micro-dramas under a new government-backed programme to help firms cater to fast-changing audience consumption habits.
The IMDA-TikTok Microdrama Programme aims to equip participants with storytelling techniques and skills such as creating content optimised for vertical viewing on phones and writing strong prompts for artificial intelligence tools.
The goal is to help companies produce 50 to 100 episodes that can go up to three minutes long each.
“As audience behaviours continue to evolve, strong characters, compelling storytelling and emotional resonance remain at the heart of commercially successful stories,” said the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and TikTok in a joint statement on Oct 1.
“Against this backdrop, the programme gives participants hands-on experience in developing and producing micro-dramas rooted in Singapore culture and perspectives, through mentorships, workshops and masterclasses.”
They said the global market for micro-dramas and short-form vertical video content is projected to generate US$150 billion (S$192 billion) in revenue in 2026, citing statistics from market research and consulting firm Owl & Co.
The new programme comes under the $48 million Digital Content and Capability Development initiative launched by IMDA earlier in June, which aims to support media firms in the creation of Singapore-centric content and experimentation with AI tools.
To tap the programme, companies will first need to be accredited by IMDA, which will assess their current content development capabilities, relevant experience and team structure.
As at September, around 270 media firms have received accreditation, including film production studio Clover Films, food review site Eatbook and entertainment agency Fly Entertainment. Among news sites, AsiaOne and MS News are accredited under the scheme.
Media professionals from 20 accredited firms will be part of the first run of the programme, which will span six to nine months.
TikTok and its partners will equip participants with skills such as creating content optimised for vertical viewing on phones, writing strong AI prompts, shot design and composition, and responsible use of technology.
Participants will be able to choose from two learning tracks, with the live action track focusing on content filmed with live actors, locations and sets designed for mobile viewing. They have the option of supplementing content with AI.
The AI-enabled animation track will focus on using AI tools to create anime- or comic-style animation, with training that extends to prompt engineering, creating consistent characters, visual effects quality review and the use of the advanced AI video generation model Seedance 2.5.