Minidrama apps go mainstream with Fox and Dhar Mann

If you make story-driven content, here's the uncomfortable truth: the feed is slowly turning into TV. Not "Hollywood TV." Phone-first, cliffhanger-every-30-seconds TV.

And now a major studio is basically saying the quiet part out loud: creators aren't just marketing the shows anymore. Creators are the shows.

What happened

Dhar Mann Studios signed a multi-year agreement with Fox Entertainment to produce 40 narrative vertical series for My Drama, a minidrama app owned by Holywater (a tech company headquartered in Ukraine).

This isn't Fox dabbling. Fox invested in Holywater last October for an equity stake (the amount wasn't disclosed) and committed to building an ongoing pipeline of 200+ minidrama titles for My Drama. Dhar Mann's 40 projects sit inside that bigger push.

The new shows will debut with an exclusivity window on My Drama and on Fox Entertainment Global's distribution outlets. After that window? Nobody's publicly spelling out whether the series will land on YouTube, TikTok, or Reels.

One creator-friendly detail: the deal includes terms that keep Dhar Mann in control of his original work - ownership and creative independence are part of the package.

The slate is being led by Erin McFarlane, Dhar Mann Studios' Head of Vertical Content, who previously worked in vertical programming at SaltyTV.

Also worth remembering: Dhar Mann isn't "new" to vertical. He has a massive short-form footprint (including roughly 18M on TikTok), and his long-form YouTube engine pulls in eye-watering volume (reportedly over 200M views per month). This move is more like... formalizing what he's already built.

Why creators should care

This is the real signal: scripted vertical is becoming its own distribution lane, with its own budgets, exec attention, and - crucially - platform politics.

Minidrama apps (My Drama, ReelShort, DramaBox, ShortMax, FlexTV - pick your poison) don't behave like YouTube. They're closer to mobile gaming: episodic hooks, aggressive retention loops, and monetization that often leans on subscriptions or pay-per-episode unlocks. Different rules. Different winners.

So if you're a creator, this deal matters for three reasons:

1) Attention is shifting. People already watch vertical fiction in huge volumes. Now big entertainment money is chasing it. That usually means more inventory, more competition, and higher expectations on pacing and craft.

2) Distribution is getting... gated. An exclusivity window sounds harmless until you realize it can cut your audience off from where you're strongest. If your flywheel is "Shorts → YouTube → brand deals," a closed app launch changes your funnel.

3) Ownership is becoming the negotiation battleground. The notable part here isn't "40 shows." It's that a top creator got explicit protection around creative control. If you don't ask for that, nobody's going to hand it to you out of pure vibes.

Here's the mentor-ish part: if a platform needs you to be great, they'll call it "a partnership." If they don't, they'll call it "standard terms." Same contract. Different lipstick.

What to do next

Decide what business you're in. If you're building a fanbase you can move anywhere, prioritize platforms that keep discovery open. If you're building a studio, start learning how walled-garden apps pay and what they demand (deliverables, revisions, turnaround, exclusivity).
Practice the minidrama craft on your own turf first. Before you chase deals, run a 10-20 episode vertical fiction test on TikTok/Reels/Shorts with ruthless cliffhangers. Treat it like an R&D sprint. Your data becomes your leverage.
Get allergic to vague rights language. If anyone wants exclusivity, ask: how long, where, and what happens after? Can you repost clips? Can you do a "director's cut" on YouTube later? Can you keep character IP? Push for clarity like your rent depends on it. Because it might.
Build a "vertical writers room" workflow. Script templates, hook library, character bible, shot list conventions, a repeatable production pipeline. Minidrama isn't one great video. It's a factory that still has to feel human.
Watch Fox + Holywater like a trendline, not gossip. When big distributors start placing bets (equity stakes, multi-year slates), they're not doing it for fun. It usually means more buyers show up next - and the early creators who understand the format get first pick of the upside.