Vertical screen short Web series producer Xinhua Tian briefly talks about casting

This year, vertical short dramas have taken the internet by storm, with multiple platforms launching hit series. Producer Xinhua Tian brings a wealth of experience and has unique insights into character work. Earlier this year, the vertical short drama platform Good Short prepared for the production of "The Alpha and His Contract Luna," and producer Xinhua Tian was involved in the casting and production process. The short drama quickly garnered widespread acclaim from audiences after its mid-year release, thanks to its unique theme and profound emotional expression.

Good Short has become the go-to platform for global audiences exploring diverse stories, offering a rich variety of original short dramas and films. Adapted from a novel, the short drama covers a wide range of themes to satisfy different audience tastes. As an outstanding representative of the platform, "The Alpha and His Contract Luna" has won enthusiastic responses from viewers due to its deep character development and genuine emotions. The story follows Lauren Turner, a werewolf, as she struggles with her inner conflicts and navigates the life changes brought about by her contractual marriage to Alpha Sebastian Ashford. This complex emotional entanglement and character conflict not only provide ample performance space for the actors but also present significant challenges. During the casting process, producer Xinhua Tian prioritized not only the actors' skills but also their spiritual connection with the characters. By deeply analyzing the characters' psychology and emotions, she ensured that the actors could accurately capture and portray their roles. Her casting strategy laid a solid foundation for the short drama's success.

Xinhua Tian noted that since this vertical short drama primarily targets the North American market, there are certain differences in aesthetic preferences between North American audiences and those in the mainland. Therefore, the casting process needed to take the audience's aesthetic perspective into account. She emphasized, "Within a limited budget, we must find actors who not only meet the character's needs but can also impress the audience with their outstanding performances, while also satisfying the aesthetic preferences of North American viewers." To achieve this goal, Xinhua Tian conducted thorough evaluations of each candidate, assessing not only their acting skills but also their availability, collaborative attitude, and understanding and investment in the script. Project producer Zhang Mimi also praised Xinhua Tian's casting efforts.

In this emerging field of vertical short dramas, producer Xinhua Tian adheres to the principle of "quality first, with cost considerations," selecting actors who fit the character profiles while also appealing to audience aesthetics. Her efforts not only met the project stakeholders' expectations for the characters but also satisfied the requirements of the Good Short platform.