Welcome to the Actor's Guide to the End of the World Podcast, Episode 91!
This is a must listen if you're an actor - the Vertical Micro-drama boom has taken a turn...
China just produced 50,000 completely AI-generated shows in a single month — more than all of 2025 combined — and it's already gutting an industry that is supposed to be Hollywood's next big thing. We break down the current status of an industry that's estimated to be 4 billion in the US by 2030, and whether the same demise is coming for American sets next.
Also, the World Cup last month left us with a lot of feelings, mostly E-Kan, the ignorant and new football fan. Rían, football player and fan, gives his perspective on what E-Kan calls a "classless" final, and how he didn't sleep the night of the World Cup final.
And of course, we tease The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan's monstrous hit that we can't wait to talk about, until Rían can finally get an IMAX ticket in Los Angeles. Stick around and you'll here which is the very best theater in Los Angeles to see it.
Keeping culture alive in a ever changing entertainment landscape, welcome to the party.
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@ekansoong @ríansheehykelly
Show Links:
Previous episodes on Vertical Micro-dramas -
Episode 66 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaQ5fYktOK8
audio - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/%2426-billion-taye-diggs-and-the-vertical-drama-takeover/id1776516950?i=1000747822418
Dante Rusciolelli Vertical Drama video -https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ_AFBOyS3W/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
The Wrap makes a spoof vertical drama for $150-
https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/tech/off-campus-ai-microdrama-see-the-results-storeel/
Vertical Dramas used AI to put actors in sexual situations -
https://www.businessinsider.com/actors-sexualized-fake-ads-promote-micro-dramas-tiktok-meta-2026-5
Hidden Gems:
Matt Kallish photographer - @mattkallish
Emily Wilson's The Odyssey translation- https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393089053?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback
Time Stamps:
(00:00) Intro
(01:24) The World Cup Drama
(07:41) The Odyssey
(08:49) The best theater to watch The Odyssey in LA
(10:17) Launching The Odyssey Book Club
(11:50) The Vertical Drama might... bust?
(13:12) SAG Contracts for the Verticals are a problem
(19:05) Shows are putting their actors in sex scenes using AI
(19:40) China produced 50,000 shows using AI in one month
(20:49) Famous Chinese actor leaves industry to sell vegetables
(23:31) The industry is becoming unsustainable
(24:48) Reporter makes a micro-drama for $150 using AI
(27:00) Hidden Gems
