Compressed Time, Narrow Space: The Visual-Temporal Aesthetics of Mobile Microdrama on ReelShort

Abstract

The widespread adoption of digital platforms and mobile devices has significantly transformed audiovisual storytelling. Short-form mobile microdramas represent not only a new mode of distribution but also a narrative form that reorganizes cinematic time and space. While previous research has primarily focused on platform economies, audience engagement, and algorithmic circulation, the visual-temporal organization of mobile microdramas has received comparatively little attention from the perspective of quantitative film analysis. Addressing this gap, this study investigates how mobile microdramas reorganize cinematic form through temporal compression and spatial narrowing. A quantitative formal analysis was conducted on the first episodes of 10 ReelShort series representing different narrative tropes. The analysis examined average shot length (ASL), editing rhythm, shots per minute, shot-scale distribution, and the use of establishing shots. Shot boundaries were automatically identified using Adobe Premiere Pro's Scene Edit Detection tool, while shot scales and spatial indicators were analysed through qualitative coding. The findings show that an exceptionally short ASL of 2.31 s, together with the predominance of medium shots and the limited use of full/long shots and establishing shots, minimizes spatial exposition while privileging character-centred compositions and producing a dense visual rhythm optimized for smartphone viewing. The results suggest that ReelShort reorganizes cinematic form by simultaneously compressing cinematic time and narrowing cinematic space, extending long-term stylistic tendencies in film history while adapting them to the perceptual and technological conditions of vertically oriented mobile media.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Mobile Media & Communication, 2026 · DOI ↗