The Mole distributor Primitives moves into microdrama

The Mole and 99 To Beat distributor Primitives has struck a deal to sell a raft of microdramas to international buyers at Mipcom in October.

The Belgium-headquartered firm, which is best known for selling formats, has taken global distribution rights to an initial slate of 20 original microdrama series from Belgian media company Play Media.

The company launched vertical video streamer Play Shorts in June, offering scripted and unscripted content developed specifically for mobile viewing.

It has since generated more than seven million views in Flanders, a region of 6.8 million people, with average viewing time per session of 23 minutes.

The microdrama series typically consist of 50 x 90-seconds and span romance, fantasy and drama, with additional titles set to join the slate as Play Media expands its investment short-form content.

Lieve Vyverman, content director at Play Media, said: “Play Shorts is about building a new storytelling environment for mobile audiences. The response in Flanders has exceeded our expectations, and we’re excited to see our local stories now travel to audiences internationally.”

Katie Pike, director of sales and acquisitions at Primitives, added: “Microdrama is developing at remarkable speed, and Play Media has created an ambitious slate that combines strong European storytelling with a truly mobile-first approach.

“The early audience results show the potential, and we believe these 20 original series offer international buyers an exciting opportunity to enter this rapidly growing space.”

The deal comes after Primitives added German format Terrain: Battle of the Flags to its slate earlier this month. The show was created with German YouTuber Torge Oelrich (aka Freshtorge) and joins a catalogue that also includes The Ultimate Celebrity Car Park Showdown and The Expedition, the latter of which recently landed its first international adaptation with France Televisions.