S2E6 | Forum 25Q3 — From Boys’ Love to Pride & Prejudice: UK’s On Set Octopus Leads Europe’s Vertical Wave

In this episode, we feature a conversation from the Short Drama Forum 2025 Q3 Edition with Emma Wang, Executive Producer and Head of Content, and Ben Pengilly, CEO and Founder of On Set Octopus.

Emma Wang is the Executive Producer and Head of Content at Onset Octopus, where she leads the project-based writer team and oversees the full process from development to release. As an award-winning screenwriter, she has created multiple hit vertical dramas and brings strong bilingual expertise in both storytelling and execution.

Ben Pengilly is an award-winning bilingual producer with 15 years of experience in film and media, now specializing in English-language vertical dramas. As a leading figure in the UK short drama scene, his hit titles include Mafia Lover, Virgin’s Addiction, and Pride and Prejudice, known for delivering high-impact stories with efficiency and scale.

Together, they share insights on:

• Why short dramas are the “next step” in filmmaking, as addictive as social media itself.
• How genres like BL, Mafia, forbidden love, and British period dramas are reshaping the landscape.
• The differences in directing, acting, and scriptwriting for vertical content compared to traditional film.
• Why the UK and European markets are wide open and poised for massive growth in vertical storytelling.