TikTok Signs Second Major Microdrama Deal with Studio Built by Us

The News Follows a Social Media Platform's Deal with Hoora Isa Rai to Produce a Vertical Series That Led to the Popular Drama Screen Time

TikTok is deepening its commitment to the microdrama format with a new deal aimed at producing vertical stories featuring creators.

The company has signed a deal with Made By Us Studios, the production arm of original creator management company Made By All, to produce creator-led vertical series for TikTok and its microdrama app PineDrama. This is the social media company's second major micro-drama deal after it announced a partnership with Issa Rai's Hoorae Media to co-develop micro-series in April.

The deal was announced at MIPCOM, where TikTok unveiled the first two projects on the slate. Player is a romantic revenge thriller starring and co-produced by creator Hannah Stocking and additionally produced by Jonas Barnes. The series was written by Aaron Blair-Mangat and Chela Reina and directed by Louisa Zozias.

The Knock is described as a "genre microseries" (no exact genre yet) starring content creator Adam Rose and actress Zaria Simone (Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin). This movie is directed by R.H. Created and directed by Stavis and produced by Spooky Pictures (Watcher) alongside Moby's Little Walnut Productions. Mobi has also composed the music for this series.

"Microseries are pioneering a new language of storytelling," Dawn Young, TikTok's global head of entertainment and microseries, said in a statement about the deal. “We're excited to partner with Made By Us on boards that put makers at the center, alongside established producers and industry talent, to tell stories designed from the ground up for feed. This is an exciting step forward in our continued investment in the next generation of premium vertical storytelling on TikTok and PineDrama."

Tanya Cohen, CEO of Made By Us Studios, said in a statement that vertical series are the "next evolution" of creators. "The opportunity is not to make smaller versions of television, but to create an entirely new storytelling language based on the way audiences actually consume entertainment today," Cohen added. "TikTok understands this behavior on a global scale, and together we have the opportunity to build franchises with creators who already have an established audience, community and cultural connection."

TikTok's deal with Hoorae Media began earlier this year with Screen Time, a successful micro-drama about a creepy double date. This series stars Xavier Avila, Jasmine Lowe, Eric C. Lynch and Britney Jefferson, has garnered nearly 580 million views worldwide since it premiered in April.