Taye Diggs’ microdrama platform Microhouse Films will launch Tuesday with seven original series, TheWrap has exclusively learned.
Diggs — who was one of the first traditional celebrities to enter the microdramas space by starring in a vertical for CandyJar — dove headfirst into the format, putting a unique twist on the vertical-first platform. In addition to creating original content, Microhouse Films will allow filmmakers to produce, distribute and monetize their work all on one app.
“When we first introduced Microhouse Films, our goal was to create a platform where filmmakers could take ownership of how their stories reach audiences,” Diggs said. “We’re opening the doors with a group of filmmakers who represent exactly the range of voices and genres we set out to champion.”
The platform was built in partnership with Prashant Mody and Vetrai. The creator-first platform allows users to upload their own mobile-first films for audiences to view in minute-long, binge-able episodes.
Rather than monthly or weekly subscriptions, Microhouse Films uses a credit model: Three credits unlock one episode, and the platform sells users credits in bundles of 10, 25, 50 and 125.
Microhouse Films will launch Tuesday with seven original vertical series. BET writer-producer La Jill Hunt and filmmaker and activist Kimberly Latrice Jones’ microdrama “Love, Lust & Loyalty” will see media titan Lydia Bradshaw fight for her legacy as a shocking diagnosis upends her reality.
Gary Entin and Edmund Entin’s “Tides of Temptation” is an extension of the same cinematic universe as Lifetime original movie “Terry McMillan Presents: Paradise With You.” Diggs executive produced the series alongside Autumn Federici and Shelby Stone.
Horror filmmaker Shawn Robinson will bring a suspenseful thriller to the platform with “Episode 12.” Indie producer Cristian Parras’ true crime microseries “Beliath” will follow a small-town TV Crew uncovering a hidden cult.
Justin Sago and Ryan Matthews’ “Unmasking Monsters Below” will take microseries into the documentary genre, as divers and researchers uncover misconceptions about sharks in the deep sea.
The platform will attempt a comedy vertical with Tiffany Yvonne Cox’s “Unexpected Company”; three women’s staycation is interrupted when three men unexpectedly rent the same house as love and messy antics ensue.
Finally, Alivia Levie will premiere her coming-of-age drama “Tunnel Vision,” which follows a Bay Area family as every sibling gets a turn as hero and a turn as villain.
Microhouse Films will charge no subscription, upload or hosting fees for creators. Creators will be able to decide how they monetize their series with the platform’s ad-free, credit model, allowing them to control the pricing and release strategy for their content.
The app will be available to download Tuesday on the App Store and Google Play. New original series will be released regularly with more original content to be announced in the coming months, according to the platform.
