In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital entertainment, Ruijia Wang has emerged as one of the creative forces shaping how audiences consume stories.
A film and television producer with eight years of experience across China and the United States, Wang serves as a full-time creative producer at TapStory/Good Short, a leading platform for innovative vertical content. Her expertise spans production management, financing, and creative strategy, but what truly sets her apart is her instinct for audience behavior in a time when the smartphone screen has become the new stage.
Redefining Storytelling for the Vertical Screen
Wang’s latest project, Straight Until He Kissed Me, exemplifies the explosive potential of vertical storytelling. The series became a viral success on the Good Short platform, sparking fan pages, influencer reactions, and social media discussions across TikTok and Instagram. “We live in a fast-paced world, thanks to technology like the internet and smartphones,” she explains. “People are exposed to so much information that they naturally turn to the most accessible format: vertical video. It’s the most convenient way to share content directly with audiences.”
For Wang, this shift isn’t just about format, but about how stories are told. “Since the pacing is faster, every episode needs strong hooks,” she says. “You can’t rely on wide shots because of the frame’s limitations, so the storytelling becomes more intimate and direct. It really forces you to boil a story down to its essence.” This challenge has, in her view, pushed creators to think differently about structure and emotion.
Despite its brevity, Wang believes short-form storytelling can deliver emotional depth equal to traditional film or television. “The emotions are more direct and more dramatic,” she says. “Because it’s easy for audiences to switch off, the feelings have to be engaging enough to keep them watching. With Straight Until He Kissed Me, we balanced feel-good emotions with themes of staying true to yourself. The actors brought so much sincerity that it became addictive to watch.”
Creativity, Connection, and Audience Engagement
The vertical format, Wang adds, also opens new creative doors for producers. “It allows direct engagement with the audience, even giving them choices in how the story progresses,” she says. “It’s a very creative way of involving people in real time.” She also notes that audiences have developed a higher tolerance for melodrama, which she embraces as part of the medium’s expressive potential. “In Straight Until He Kissed Me, our lead actors Evan and Greg delivered performances that were both comedic and heartfelt. Their chemistry turned the show into a cultural phenomenon. As a producer, that level of engagement is the dream outcome.”
While short attention spans are often cited as a defining trait of today’s viewers, Wang approaches that challenge as an opportunity to sharpen her craft. “Whether it’s long or short-form, you always have to capture attention quickly,” she explains. “In vertical, you have about ten episodes. roughly fifteen minutes, to hook your audience. Every second counts. You cut everything unnecessary until only the essential story remains.”
Her views on technology are grounded in balance rather than disruption. “Coming from a classic film background, I firmly believe that productions are still done by people,” she says. “AI should play a supportive role, helping with productivity, pre-visualization, or proofreading, but the essence of storytelling is human. You need that emotional touch to capture what makes people care.”
The Future of Vertical and Female Leadership in Film
Wang also notes that short-form and vertical formats are transforming the economics of entertainment. “Vertical content has a very unique cash flow dynamic,” she explains. “Each episode costs less, and the return on investment can be very high. Production cycles are shorter at around four weeks, including pre-production and shooting, so it’s common to have multiple shows in a month. That efficiency allows more experimentation and creativity.”
Looking ahead, she sees vertical storytelling not as a stepping stone to traditional media, but as a medium finding its own identity. “As long as there are smartphones, there will be vertical content,” she says. “It fills a specific need for quick, accessible entertainment with real narrative quality. I think we’re witnessing the beginning of something extraordinary. This format is still young, and there’s so much room for it to grow.”
Wang’s work at TapStory/Good Short exemplifies that growth, blending artistic storytelling with smart production strategy and global perspective. As a strong female voice in a male-dominated industry, she also uses her platform to advocate for diversity and inclusion in entertainment. Her approach merging creativity, technology, and purpose, captures exactly where the future of storytelling is heading: fast, intimate, and deeply human.