Issa Rae’s next project is coming to you vertically—and on TikTok.
Hoorae Media, the star’s media production company, and TikTok announced on Wednesday a partnership to bring free exclusive micro-series content to TikTok and its PineDrama app.
The collaboration launches later this April starting with Screen Time, produced by Hoorae Digital. This will be Hoorae’s first micro-drama series, with the media company co-developing a slate of additional micro-series with TikTok as part of the deal.
The partnership marks Rae’s return to her digital roots, she said at TheWrap’s Creator x Hollywood Summit on Wednesday. Her first digital series, “The MisAdventures of Awkward Black Girl,” began on YouTube in 2011.
Rae shared that her team designed Screen Time to align with how audiences watch content today—“more intentional, immersive, and story-driven.”
“I’m excited about the opportunity to tell stories in a way that feels premium and elevated, but is concise and available to audiences directly,” said Rae, in a statement. “TikTok has become a leader in discovery and supporting creator-led content so partnering with them gives us the platform to ensure our stories are seen and shared across the globe.”
TikTok launched PineDrama in January, allowing users to “immerse [themselves] in short dramas, anytime.” Entering the multi-billion dollar micro-drama industry gives TikTok more opportunities to engage with its audience through entertainment.
“TikTok is building a new model for micro-series, pairing creator-led storytelling with scaled distribution to reach audiences faster than ever,” said Dawn Yang, the platform’s global head of entertainment partnerships, in a statement.
What is ‘Screen Time’ about?
Screen Time follows two couples on a double-date movie night when a mysterious figure hijacks the TV, forcing the couples to confess their secrets or risk exposure. The incident threatens the characters’ relationships and lives.
The cast includes actors from shows Rap Sh!t, Queen Sugar, and Shrinking. In a statement, TikTok said the series is bringing together talent to reflect “the series’ authentic, culture-forward storytelling.”
The bright global future of micro-dramas
Micro-dramas began to appear around 2018 on Chinese apps Douyin (produced by ByteDance, the same company that owns TikTok) and Kuaishou around 2019. By 2023, the micro-drama industry in China brought in $5.3 billion, making it 70% as large as the country’s film industry.
In 2025, Sensor Tower, a market intelligence firm that tracks mobile app data, reported that in-app revenue from short drama apps reached approximately $700 million, nearly four times higher than in 2024. The U.S. was the top revenue-generating market while Latin America contributed to the most global short drama app downloads.
Micro-dramas, also known as vertical dramas, are a continuously growing competitive market.
Joey Jia’s app ReelShort is a market leader in the U.S. micro-drama movement. The short-form video-streaming app launched in 2022 when Jia noticed the opportunity to combine romance book trends with Asian micro-dramas.
DramaBox, a competitor to ReelShort, saw in-app revenues grow by 29% in 2025, reaching $120 million. In February 2026, it launched an academic course at Cal State LA focused on mobile-first storytelling, making the university the first in the U.S. to offer training in micro-drama production.
Micro-dramas are expanding in multitudes of ways—with TikTok making moves to ensure its spot in the thriving industry.