Microdrama From Knockout Shorts Lands SAG-AFTRA Backing in New Frontier for Shortform Content

New vertical-first studio Knockout Shorts has set a landmark partnership with SAG-AFTRA for an upcoming microdrama project.

The studio is currently producing one of the first SAG-AFTRA-backed microdramas, starring an Academy Award-nominated actor who has yet to be announced. This partnership is a stark departure from much of the microdramas landscape, which depends on nonunion labor on- and off-screen.

“Knockout Shorts is helping define the future of storytelling in this rapidly evolving medium,” Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator, said in a statement. “As one of the first studios to produce a SAG-AFTRA microdrama, they’re proving that new formats can deliver top-tier creative work while upholding strong labor standards. We’re excited to partner with such an ambitious new voice as they elevate the vertical space and create meaningful opportunities for our members.”

Former Freddy Wexler Company executive Matthew Ko and microdrama producer Chris Crema co-founded the new venture, which has yet to launch on mobile platforms. The duo plans to enter the market with a “slate of fully completed original microdramas.” Their content aims to raise the bar for scripted verticals, according to the founders.

“Vertical storytelling is evolving faster than any other format in entertainment,” Ko said. “We built Knockout Shorts to support creators who see this space as a new canvas, not a compromise. There’s an entire generation of filmmakers experimenting with form and tone, and our goal is to give them the creative freedom and infrastructure to disrupt and do their best work.”

“Our focus is on elevating the craft and execution of vertical storytelling,” Crema added. “This format is far more demanding than people realize.”

SAG-AFTRA completed its first verticals agreement in October, covering members’ participation in microdramas that adhere to union standards.

The L.A.-based studio noted they have financing in place and collaborations underway across distributors, studio partners and global platforms. In addition to its slate, the production company has opened submissions for filmmakers and writers to pitch their own microdrama concepts. Knockout plans to select three creatives from the open call to finance and produce their projects.

The microdramas industry only continues to grow with analysts expecting the space to generate billions in global revenues.

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