Bump's 20 to 30 simultaneous projects target 45-minute microdramas
Japanese and Turkish executives at TCCF detailed production timelines and audience metrics for short-form video series.
By Rafael Delgado ·
Bump, a Japanese short-form drama platform, is currently filming 20 to 30 projects at the same time. Sawamura Naomichi, CEO of emole Inc. and founder of Bump, shared this production volume during a session on microdramas at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest in Taipei. The platform has surpassed 4 million downloads and has generated more than 7 billion social media views. These figures were cited in company information provided for the event.
Sawamura described a rapid production cycle that compresses traditional development timelines. The company spends approximately two months developing a project before receiving script approval. Filming and post-production then take about 30 days. A series consisting of 25 episodes with a total runtime of 45 minutes can be completed in just four days of shooting.
The format relies on specific narrative structures to retain viewers. Sawamura identified four popular genres in Japan: female rivalries, hidden identities, infidelity and revenge, and lightly suggestive dramas for men. He noted that female rivalry stories depend on sharp dialogue and characters who are easy to mock but remain endearing. Hidden-identity stories delay the protagonist's reveal to maintain suspense. Infidelity and revenge plots establish conflict quickly, giving viewers an immediate reason to watch for the protagonist's retaliation.
Bump tracks audience behavior closely to refine its content strategy. The company monitors drop-off rates in the first 30 seconds of an episode. It also measures whether viewers proceed to the second episode. A strong opening must establish emotional stakes, the central conflict, and the anticipated payoff. Sawamura emphasized that making a villain's behavior sufficiently infuriating drives the audience's desire to see the character punished.
Ilkin Kavukcu, founder and CEO of Turkish studio İki Dakika Creative House, presented a different approach to audience engagement. Her studio focuses on moments of emotional recognition that prompt viewers to stop scrolling. İki Dakika distributes its work on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. The studio aims to build longer-running stories around characters rather than relying on one-off plot twists. Kavukcu said audience sharing serves as a key indicator that a series has connected with viewers.
İki Dakika has worked with around 30 local and global brands. The studio's business model involves integrating these brands into the creation of the story world. Brands help shape the fictional world and its economic model rather than simply appearing as product placements. Kavukcu is currently developing co-productions with Italy, a choice she linked to shared cultural themes such as family and tradition.
Both executives addressed the potential for extending microdrama intellectual property into other formats. Kavukcu stated that her studio can shoot in both vertical and horizontal formats if the production schedule allows. She noted that companies in Turkey, including Disney, are interested in trying this approach. Sawamura said Bump is developing examples of IP adaptation, with manga and animation being particularly suitable formats.
Sawamura cited the Gundam franchise as a benchmark for market potential. He stated that Gundam represents a market worth JPY500 billion to JPY600 billion, or $3.2 billion to $3.8 billion. Because Bump functions similarly to a manga app, the company sees a direct path to adapting microdramas into manga or animation. Bump has also tested co-productions in the U.S. and South Korea, using local partners to shape scripts around cultural context and social media trends.
