AI Microdramas Flood Apps, Undercutting Hollywood's Phone-soap Niche

AI-generated vertical microdramas are flooding mobile apps, deflating Hollywood's phone-centric soap scene that had kept underemployed cast and crew in work. These short, vertical videos, often produced with AI tools, are now abundant on mobile platforms, offering a low-cost alternative to traditional productions. As a result, the niche market for phone-based soap operas, which had provided steady roles for many below-the-line workers, is shrinking.