Leading Japanese Talent Agency Launches Short-Form Drama App

1 week ago 4

EXCLUSIVE: One of Japan‘s leading talent agencies is betting big on short-form drama.

Yoshimoto Kogyo, which reps some of the nation’s biggest comedians and actors, has joined with Fany Corporation on a new vertical short drama app titled Fany D – kicking off with 15 projects and targeting 50 per year.

Audiences can watch an initial set of one-to-three minute drama series for free but have to pay if they want to watch more. The app’s creators will seek to turn some projects into webtoons and longer TV dramas. Yoshimoto has tied with Fany Corp, NTT Docomo Studio, and Live Inc. and Minto Inc on the short projects.

Yoshimoto talent including Hoshida Hidetoshi, Cocorico Tanaka Naoki, Robert Yamamoto Hiroshi, Fruit Punch Murakami Takeshi, Hyokkorihan, Nelsons Wada Manju, Kawaretei Iwakura and Soitsu Doitsu Ichikawa Sashimi appear in the initial works.

Projects include the likes of Stolen Life: The Other Me, Immoral – the Real Identity of Popular Model is the Devil and Apparently I’m having an Affair… about an amnesia sufferer who can’t work out if he’s cheated on his wife.

Fany D comes four years after Jeffrey Katzenberg’s short-form bet Quibi shut down. The well-trailed platform made a range of short-form dramas and unscripted shows with talent like Idris Elba, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Lopez but failed to catch on, partly due to the unfortunate timing of launching as an on-the-go streamer at the start of the pandemic when the world ceased being able to travel. Four years on, Fany also said it is developing an AI technology that will allow it to create new original shorts inspired by comedians and localize them overseas.

The move could create an additional revenue stream for one of Japan’s oldest talent agencies. Yoshimoto CEO Akihiko Okamoto praised the “vertically integrated” nature of the Fany D app, allowing Yoshimoto talent the opportunity to star in short projects and for the agency to develop IP further down the line.

Okamoto recently spoke alongside Amazon international originals boss James Farrell at MIPCOM about LOL: Last One Laughing, the hit Amazon format that originated with Yoshimoto titled Documental. LOL: Last One Laughing is now in 20 territories including the UK, Ireland, South Africa and Australia, hosted around the world by the likes of Trevor Noah, Rebel Wilson and Graham Norton. Okamoto told us talks with U.S. buyers are ongoing. Yoshimoto is also behind slapstick gameshow comedy Freeze, a recent Deadline Global Breakout.