China's largest studio backlot Hengdian World Studios is leveraging its resources to capitalize on the booming vertical drama trend sweeping the country, attracting an increasing number of vertical drama crews with an optimization of its sets tailored for the genre.
The backlot has welcomed more than 600 vertical drama crews in the first quarter this year, more than half of last year's total 1,100 crews.
Huaxia Cultural Park, a production base for costume dramas in Hengdian, now hosts dozens of vertical drama crews every day.
"Both the sets and our costumes are becoming increasingly refined. The industry is clearly maturing toward higher production quality," said actor Xia Jinmu.
"Hengdian [now] offers more supporting services and access to massive pools of extras and crew. It's truly a treasure trove for short-form production," said a vertical drama director named Gao Bo.
Huaxia Cultural Park has dozens of specialized sets for various vertical drama genres, and it plans further upgrades to meet growing demand.
"Beyond our costume and modern sets, we're seeing growing demand for virtual production stages. We'll be investing in virtual sets for vertical dramas in the second half of this year," said Shen Tuhang, staff of Huaxia Cultural Park.
China's largest studio backlot adapts to vertical-screen trend amid micro drama booms
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
