Hollywood celebs are getting into microdrama apps

Hollywood’s finest — the people accustomed to massive eight-figure checks and exotic movie sets — are now betting on something much smaller: microdramas. Microdramas are short, scripted series designed to be watched on phones. Episodes typically run just a few minutes, and often feature soap opera-style plots, dramatic twists, and cliffhangers designed to keep viewers…

Read More

Friend-focused photo sharing app Retro snags $21M

Retro, the friend-focused photo-sharing app built by former Instagram product engineers Nathan Sharp and Ryan Olson, has raised north of $21 million in Series A funding, according to an SEC filing. The fundraise is a testament to the enduring need for social apps that connect people with one another more directly, instead of through personalized algorithms…

Read More