How Runyu Li Maintains the Momentum of ReelShort’s Vertical Dramas - MovieMaker Magazine

      Vertical dramas thrive or falter in the interval between episodes. A poorly timed subtitle, an inconsistent sound mix, or a sluggish post-production handoff can disrupt the flow that keeps viewers engaged.

      This pressure falls on teams involved in editing, color grading, sound design, visual effects, subtitling, and final delivery. With numerous episodes in progress simultaneously, maintaining consistency is just as crucial as speed.

      Runyu “Martin” Li is central to this process.

      As a post producer at Crazy Maple Studio, which is responsible for ReelShort, Li orchestrates the efforts of creative and technical teams across a diverse lineup of mobile-first dramas. His position integrates scheduling, quality control, vendor management, and creative review, all aimed at one objective: ensuring that each episode appears polished, clear, and prepared for the small screen.

      His work provides insightful insight into what vertical storytelling requires once filming concludes.

      Building Post Around the Phone Screen

      Vertical dramas are designed for upright displays and brief viewing periods. Their framing, pacing, subtitles, and episode conclusions must be easily interpretable on a phone.

      MovieMaker has highlighted that vertical drama production is characterized by emotional momentum and swift episode transitions. ReelShort's official catalog illustrates how this approach spans genres such as romance, fantasy, suspense, and family drama.

      For Li, this format presents a practical production challenge. Many episodes must traverse editing, sound, color, visual effects, subtitles, and final delivery while remaining coherent as a single serialized narrative.

      Li has managed post-production efforts across over 100 productions. He oversees concurrent schedules, coordinates internal teams and external vendors, and evaluates completed work based on creative and technical specifications.

      He summarizes his role by stating, “My expertise focuses on post-production leadership, cross-functional project management, workflow optimization, and quality control for serialized digital content.”

      Setting Standards for a Young Format

      Li entered the vertical post-production realm while many external vendors were still adapting to the unique requirements of this format.

      The challenge was more than simply urging established teams to accelerate their work. Delivery standards needed to take into account vertical framing, subtitle positioning, mobile playback, episode structure, and a significant volume of repetitive assets.

      Li collaborated with internal departments and external partners to clarify technical specifications, delivery expectations, and review processes. Iterative testing and revisions helped the teams pinpoint common issues and enhance the communication of notes between departments.

      His experience suggests several best practices for filmmakers venturing into mobile-first production:

      - Establish aspect ratio, audio, subtitle, file-naming, and delivery standards prior to editing.

      - Assign a clear owner for each creative and technical approval.

      - Maintain revision notes within a single shared tracking system.

      - Evaluate episodes on the types of phones and tablets the audience is likely to use.

      - Document recurring mistakes and revise vendor guidelines accordingly.

      This advice is applicable to smaller productions collaborating remotely as well.

      Quality Control from the Viewer’s Perspective

      Vertical dramas compete not only with each other but also with every other app on a viewer's device. Minor technical issues can easily lead to viewer drop-off.

      Li scrutinizes visual continuity, dialogue clarity, sound effects, color grading, subtitling, and episode transitions to ensure a seamless final product. Achieving consistency across numerous installments can be challenging, as color, audio, subtitles, visual effects, and transitions must align.

      “Exceptional ideas only resonate with audiences through disciplined collaboration, efficient workflows, and a steadfast focus on quality,” Li notes.

      This perspective positions post-production as an integral part of the audience experience rather than a technical phase occurring after the creative work has concluded.

      Managing Scale and Recognition

      Several of the projects overseen by Li have garnered substantial viewership.

      As of July 31, 2026, My Sister Is the Warlord Queen had amassed over 416 million views, Step Aside, I’m the King of Capital surpassed 168 million views, and If Loving You Is a Sin, Then I’ll Go to Hell reached over 144 million views.

      The size of these audiences reflects the expanding reach of vertical drama and the demands placed on post-production teams to deliver high volumes of content while maintaining consistency.

      Li has also contributed to projects that received industry accolades. Kissed by Claw and Fang secured a Silver Telly Award, whereas We’re Your Parents received a Bronze Telly Award in the Online Drama category.

      For Li, these achievements highlight the importance of the systems underpinning the final product. Sound concepts depend heavily on meticulous scheduling, clear communication, and thorough quality control. Every episode must be delivered punctually and align with the overall series.

      The Work Behind the Momentum

      Li's journey into post-production was sparked by a general interest in how media engages audiences. He studied communication at Trinity University and later earned a master’s degree in public relations and advertising from the University of Southern California. His earlier experience in entertainment news, visual media, public relations, and digital campaigns equipped him with insights into how creative decisions are influenced by transitions between teams, platforms, and audiences.

      This background now