Taye Diggs is making his mark in the vertical drama industry, a sector that is rapidly growing and focused on producing content specifically for viewing on smartphones. CandyJar, the first microdrama streaming platform in the U.S., has announced Diggs as both the star and executive producer of a new series titled “Off Limits & All Mine.”
This move by Diggs is significant as he may be one of the first high-profile actors to venture into this niche. Vertical dramas have already proven to be lucrative in other countries, particularly in Asia, due to their low production costs. In the American microdrama industry, actors typically earn around $500 a day. However, CandyJar is hoping that Diggs’ involvement will elevate the format and attract a wider audience, given his popularity from films like “The Best Man,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” and “Rent.”
“Off Limits & All Mine” is a romantic series that follows Diggs as a widower who takes in his best friend’s rebellious daughter, leading to a transformative connection. The show will feature a predominantly Black ensemble, with CandyJar aiming to showcase Black-led romantic dramas as a central part of the microdrama trend. The series is being produced in partnership with Freeli Films, a production company based in Atlanta that has worked with major networks like BET, Starz, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video.
Filming for “Off Limits & All Mine” is set to begin in Atlanta in February, with J. Carter serving as the lead producer, Troy Brookins as executive producer, and Alexandria Collins as the director. Inkitt, the parent company of CandyJar, is known for using AI technology to identify potential franchise-worthy stories from user submissions. These stories are then adapted into microdramas for CandyJar or featured on the Galatea app, a pay-to-read platform. Inkitt boasts of a high success rate, with a million-dollar hit being produced every seven days and CandyJar averaging 70 million episodes streamed per month.
According to Lily Darragh Harty, the director of production at Inkitt, microdramas are no longer considered experimental. Projects like “Off Limits & All Mine” demonstrate that this format can support ambitious storytelling, high production values, and top-tier talent. CandyJar is striving to push the boundaries of microdramas and establish itself as a leader in the industry.
