Abstract
The increasing popularity of short videos on social networking sites has given birth to a micro-film model that supports mobile optimization, but the cross-cultural patterns of the latter have received less research attention. Using content analysis as the research technique, the current research comparatively examines 200 dramatic short videos on Chinese (Douyin and Kuaishou) and American (TikTok and Instagram Reels) micro-film platforms on content-related factors, formal structure-related factors, narrative-related factors, and circulation-related factors. The research shows that Chinese micro-film content follows a collective approach that centers around familial morality, linear narratives, moralistic interpretations, and high information density. The findings illustrate that individualistic content with experimental narratives and openness to interpretations prevails on American micro-film platforms. The research provides evidence that value-driven global micro-film platforms create disparate narratives rather than homogenized ones.