Singapore’s media professionals will be given support to develop microdrama expertise across live-action and artificial intelligence (AI)-animated formats, under a new IMDA-TikTok Microdrama Program jointly launched by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and TikTok Singapore.
The program brings together IMDA’s commitment to strengthening local media talent with TikTok’s deep audience and market insights – helping media professionals build new production capabilities, create original intellectual property (IP), and develop strategies to commercialize their stories, IMDA said in a statement on Thursday.
As part of IMDA’s Digital Content and Capability Development (DCCD) program launched earlier this year, this new initiative will equip media professionals with the skills and tools to develop and produce 50 to 100 episodes, each one to three minutes long, taking their creative ideas from concept to market.
The first run will benefit media professionals from 20 accredited companies, with the potential to scale to a wider pool in future editions.
Microdramas and other short-form vertical video content are a fast-growing format, with the global market projected to generate $150 billion in revenue this year.
Today, 87 percent of people in Singapore aged 15 and above access top social media video sites such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook on a weekly basis, with an increasing share of that time spent watching and engaging with short-form content.
As audience behaviors continue to evolve, strong characters, compelling storytelling and emotional resonance remain at the heart of commercially successful stories.
Against this backdrop, the program gives participants hands-on experience in developing and producing microdramas rooted in Singapore’s culture and perspectives, through mentorships, workshops and masterclasses.
Over a span of six to nine months, participants will learn microdrama storytelling techniques from TikTok and their partners, such as vertical content production, shot design and composition, storytelling cliffhanger design and responsible use of technology, including AI.
Meanwhile, two training tracks will be available for their choosing.
Firstly, live-action track focuses on content filmed with live actors, locations and sets, designed for mobile viewing and with the option to supplement content using Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) or AI-assistance.
Secondly, AI-enabled animation track focuses on animated content such as anime or comic-style animation using AI tools. Training here will extend to prompt engineering, character consistency planning, visual effects (VFX) quality review, and the use of Seedance 2.5 – an advanced AI video generation platform by TikTok’s parent company ByteDance.
Capability development remains central to the IMDA-TikTok Microdrama Program, said the statement.
The program is designed to strengthen participants’ existing storytelling abilities while introducing new commercial and platform-specific capabilities, including prompt engineering, paywall strategies, and audience monetization, drawing on TikTok’s market insights and expertise.
Beyond the final output, participants will be onboarded onto TikTok’s wider content ecosystem, gaining access to the full content journey – from delivery and distribution to audience engagement – alongside bespoke consultancy to help their Made-with-Singapore stories reach global markets.
“IMDA is excited to partner with TikTok to equip our media professionals with the skills to create compelling Singapore-made microdrama for global audiences,
“With TikTok’s reach and insights, our talent and companies are well-placed to seize new opportunities on a global platform, harnessing new tech tools with the same care and craft they bring to any creative work. This partnership is an important step towards building a vibrant, globally competitive media sector,” said Yvonne Tang, Assistant Chief Executive at IMDA’s Media Industry Group.
Candera Chan, Public Policy Lead for Singapore and ASEAN, said TikTok is proud to partner with IMDA to grow Singapore’s microdrama ecosystem and equip our local media industry with the capabilities to capture new opportunities in this fast-growing format.
“By combining Singapore’s creative talent with TikTok’s global reach and expertise in short-form storytelling, we can help made-in-Singapore content reach audiences around the world. We look forward to deepening our partnership with IMDA and the industry to build a vibrant and globally connected creative ecosystem,” she added.
Ultimately, the IMDA-TikTok Microdrama Program combines IMDA’s commitment to building the capabilities of Singapore’s media ecosystem with TikTok’s influence as a global launchpad for media and entertainment talent.
This will help create opportunities for Singapore’s media professionals to better connect with audiences across formats, both locally and internationally, said the statement.
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