-- On October 26, 2025, on a fall Sunday afternoon in New York, the independent multicultural nonprofit platform PINEASE joined with Fordham University’s Global Chinese Advancement Association (GCAA) and Journey Entertainment to host an in-person forum in Manhattan focused on short-form drama and cross-cultural storytelling. In a relaxed yet substantive setting, filmmakers, university communities, and emerging creators gathered to examine the current state and future direction of Chinese-language short dramas in North America.
Photo Credit: Gumi Lu
The event was mainly coordinated by PINEASE’s volunteer team. Frank Tian—director and founder/CEO of Journey Entertainment—opened with his path from food-delivery work to directing in North America, describing how he entered the industry and sought narrative space across China and the United States. He noted that the appeal of short dramas is not merely their length but the demand to deliver an emotional core in very little time: “Short dramas aren’t movies compressed into minutes; they are a new rhythmic language. Within thirty seconds, you must show the audience why they should care about this character.” The response in the room was strong, as attendees recognized the industry’s real pressures, career pivots, and creative drive behind his account.
Photo Credit: Gumi Lu
The subsequent panel discussion—moderated by Journey Entertainment founder & CEO Frank (Gaofeng) Tian and producer Ethan Zhang—featured core team members Ying Xiao (Co-Founder, Chief Director), Jackie (Shijie) Xing (Director), Ziva (Tianyang) Shi, and Aster (Zixiang) Wang. They addressed key themes: finding shared emotion in cross-cultural work rather than relying on cultural symbols alone; collaborating under compressed production schedules; and how new technologies are reshaping image-making. Speaking from roles spanning direction, writing, producing, and technical leadership, the panel examined the North American ecosystem for short dramas—covering casting systems, shooting pace, on-set decision-making, and delivery in post. The discussion made clear that this emerging field is not a simple “traffic factory,” but a maturing content pipeline built on team collaboration.
Building on those insights, an open Q&A brought a more direct exchange. Questions clustered around five areas: personal journeys and development; how directors and actors sustain creative drive under pressure; the impact of AI tools on film and short-form work; fundamental differences between short dramas and traditional features in language, rhythm, and structure; how Chinese-language content builds resonance with North American audiences; and how young creators can enter the field. Asked what moment pushed him from delivery work to directing, Tian avoided triumphalism and spoke of responsibility toward his employees—ensuring that every team member has a stable income and opportunities for growth—while also emphasizing his responsibility to the Chinese community in the North American film industry, aiming to elevate the status of Chinese talent through a professional, scaled-up short-form drama company and secure greater recognition and opportunities for the community as a whole. At this critical moment of the company's transformation, he is committed to formalizing and scaling up the company while driving industry innovation rather than focusing on success formulas. He added that in collaboration he values consensus over mere compliance—especially when resources are limited and timelines compressed—emphasizing the balance between efficiency and expression. He must take responsibility for the quality of the work while also being financially prudent: generous when it comes to artistic creation, but careful with costs, making sure every dollar is spent where it matters most.
Photo Credit: Gumi Lu
On how Chinese-language short dramas reach overseas audiences, speakers stressed a common point: cultural exchange is not mere “export.” What keeps viewers engaged is the universality of emotion—character desires, trapped circumstances, choices to resist or remain silent. These stories, with their emotions and details, transcend language and cultural boundaries to resonate with audiences around the world. This shared human experience is the key to bringing culture to the global stage. They view short dramas as a new cultural vehicle: distribution runs at social-media speed, while emotional density can still approach cinema.
By early evening the program shifted to open networking. Guests and attendees continued conversations on craft, study abroad, career paths, and real job opportunities, moving from the formal stage to small circles across the room.
Photo Credit: Gumi Lu
PINEASE is a New York-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to building an open, multicultural platform through the integration of arts, music, humanities, and technology. Since 2024, it has staged concerts, talks, and community programs to foster direct dialogue between a new generation of Chinese-language creators and local audiences. GCAA is a New York–registered nonprofit that connects Chinese students and young professionals worldwide, fostering their academic, career, and cultural growth. Journey Entertainment, founded in New Jersey by director Frank Tian and producer Ying Xiao, focuses on short-form content creation and production, representing a cohort exploring Chinese-language storytelling in the North American market.
This gathering was neither a routine industry briefing nor a commercial pitch. It revealed how creators, in real working conditions, talk about storytelling itself: whether short dramas are merely a business model or a fresh expressive form; whether Chinese-language work in North America simply caters to demand or reshapes it; and whether collaboration under pressure is just division of labor or a shared ethic of responsibility.
As one attendee put it, the forum made clear—perhaps for the first time in tangible terms—that “cultural export” is not a slogan but the work of individuals who keep telling stories despite real-world constraints.
Contact Info:
Name: Yi Guo
Email: Send Email
Organization: Pinease Association Inc.
Website: https://pinease.us/
Release ID: 89174189
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