Innovative Approaches to Short Video Production

Abstract

In the era of information explosion, short videos have experienced explosive growth, broadly categorized into two forms: long videos and short videos, differentiated by duration and information content. Long videos generally carry a higher information load and have a longer duration, while short videos are characterized by their brief duration and relatively lower information content. As the industry has evolved, with both long and short videos becoming key entry points for traffic, videos have undergone a simplistic classification leading to a coarse differentiation of audience groups. Examples include platforms like Douyin, Bilibili, Youku, iQiyi, Tencent, among others. User-Generated Content (UGC), primarily in the form of short videos, serves as the main framework where users spontaneously create and upload content to platforms. These platforms utilize a "decentralized" algorithm to drive traffic, creating new entry points. UGC is characterized by low cost, down-to-earth content, authenticity, minimal information load, and strong interactive elements. However, with the emergence of competition, since 2019, platforms have witnessed the rise of a considerable number of "pseudo-UGC" production models through information flow advertising. Many Multi-Channel Networks (MCNs) have entered the scene, using "pseudo-UGC" methods for video marketing, giving rise to a new wave of "short video teams." These teams consist predominantly of internet dramas, variety shows, and spontaneously formed groups, shaping a diverse landscape of "innovative short video production methods."