EXCLUSIVE: An L.A. microdrama studio has launched with what its founders say is one of the first SAG-AFTRA vertical video projects.
Former Freddy Wexler Company exec Matthew Ko and microdrama producer Chris Crema have launched Knockout Shorts, which comes with a “slate of fully completed original microdramas,” the company said.
The pair are producing what has been termed one of the first ever SAG microdramas, and a different one with an Oscar-nominated actor, with more details on the SAG project and the identity of the star coming soon. SAG Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said Knockout is “proving that new formats can deliver top-tier creative work while upholding strong labor standards.” The union launched its first microdrama deal late last year.
Knockout Shorts launches with financing and collaborations with distributors, studio partners and global platforms in place, the firm said. They are attempting to treat vertical video as a “creative medium” in its own right rather than “retrofitting film or television models,” it added.
Ko most recently led scripted and unscripted projects for The Freddy Wexler Company and previously worked for Ace Entertainment and A24. Crema has spent the past two years producing microdramas, meaning he is an early mover in the space. Microdramas exploded onto the Hollywood scene from Asia last year, with Fox, Cineverse and Access Entertainment all now invested. Last month we brought you insight into the growing wave of microdrama creators in Europe.
Ko said Knockout Shorts is for creators who “see this space as a new canvas, not a compromise,” while Crema noted that the indie will “reflect the lessons learned” from his experiences producing microdramas independently.
The global microdrama market is expected to make billions of dollars for years to come.
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