You obviously had some ideas about what the experience of filming a microdrama would be like before you started. How closely did reality match your expectations?

Morgann Book: I'd say it was quite close. I've been lucky enough as a creator to visit a bunch of film sets over the last couple of years, usually just for a day or two.

So I understand what it's like to be on set. I know that when they call "Action," you don't move a muscle or speak.

I knew how a set flowed. I also knew that when Maggie and Jamie, the founders of Rommi, reached out to me last year, they were very clear that they were romance fans. They said they understood the landscape of vertical series and the microdrama slate, and they wanted to do something different. They wanted to make something for romance readers.

That was my expectation going in, and that's what we achieved on set. Every decision, from the script development process through production and post-production, came down to this question: How does this benefit romance readers? What do romance readers want?

That was super fun for me because Gen Z, which is my generation, will be consuming this series.

The one thing I didn't realize was how quickly things would move on set. We used many of the same locations for different scenes. We didn't have massive movie budgets, unlimited time, or lots of actors. We had two main actors and a couple of supporting characters.

Everything moves very quickly, so it's helpful when every actor knows their lines, the crew knows what they're doing, and the cameras are set up. Every minute is important, just as it is on other film sets.

I think being a producer on this project really allowed me to feel that.

Rick Ellis: From what little I've seen, it seems like a more traditional approach to romance. Looking at some of your Instagram posts, I remember one where you were watching a movie and crying because it had moved you. So you obviously have a romantic side.

That's different from a lot of the microdramas out there. Many of them claim to be romance, but it's really just, "Here, let me rip my shirt off. Cut. Okay." There's not much romance; it's more sexually oriented. It sounds like you're taking a different approach.

Morgann Book: We really are. Historically, vertical series have relied on sex appeal, massive cliffhangers, or taboo topics. That's okay; those exist for an audience that wants to watch them.

I've watched the occasional vertical series in the past because some stand out for their good actors and scriptwriting. But our goal from the beginning was to do something very different. We wanted to appeal to romance fans.

I think you can still include certain elements found in other vertical series. We have a scene where you see the main character's abs when he comes out of the bathroom and says he doesn't have pajamas. But we approach it in a safe, comfortable, romantic way.

We also use romance tropes: a road-trip romance, forced proximity, a secret identity, and the one-bed trope.

Leveraging those tropes was another way we wanted to do things differently, both in the series itself and in how we marketed it.

We also work closely with authors. Drive Me Mad isn't an adaptation; it's an original concept by romance author Ali Rosen. The idea came from her notes app, which made it really special to develop with her.

I think collaborating with a romance author has so many benefits. They understand romance and know who's going to be consuming the series.

Team,

As we look to the future, our priorities are clear: deliver great storytelling, maximize the value of our programming, franchises and brands and strengthen our connection with audiences. The excellence and scale of our entertainment, news and sports businesses, combined with the talent and expertise across our organization, position us well for the road ahead.

While each of us has a distinct role to play, our success will depend on all of us working together at every level, sharing expertise and leveraging the full strength of our portfolio. I’m a firm believer that a collaborative culture generates strong creative and business results.

Today, I’m excited to announce the Skydance TV leadership team. Reporting to me, these accomplished leaders will work together to advance our strategy and help shape the next chapter of our division.

Skydance TV Studios

Channing Dungey will continue to lead the Warner Bros. Television Group and its portfolio of scripted, unscripted and animation studios. Warner Bros. TV Studios is home to the Emmy Award-winning series THE PITT and an impressive slate of acclaimed series. She will also oversee the combined Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery cable roster of 50+ brands such as HGTV, Food Network, TNT, BET and MTV. For cable channels outside the U.S., Channing will report to me for programming and to JB Perrette for operations.

David Stapf will continue to lead CBS Studios, which is home to NCIS, the world’s #1 television franchise, including the recently launched NCIS: NEW YORK, the #1 new series of the broadcast season. The Studio also produces hits such as SHERIFF COUNTRY and popular streaming series like “Little House on the Prairie” and “Murderbot.” See It Now Studios will operate as a label within CBS Studios.

Matt Thunell oversees Paramount Television Studios, home to premium series for streaming and broadcast, with blockbuster franchises including “Reacher,” its spin-off “Neagley” and the Taylor Sheridan universe that spans DUTTON RANCH, LANDMAN and LIONESS on Paramount+ and MARSHALS on CBS.
Skydance Sports Entertainment will be part of the Skydance TV Studios Group with details to follow.

Global Sports Group

David Berson leads Skydance’s Global Sports Group, with oversight of our live sports portfolio, led by CBS Sports, TNT Sports and WBD Sports, across all platforms and in partnership with JB and the International team for outside the U.S. Combined sports rights for the new division include the NFL, UEFA Champions League, NHL, MLB, March Madness, PGA Tour, The Masters, WNBA, NASCAR and college football, among many others.

Entertainment

Amy Reisenbach leads CBS Entertainment, a cornerstone of our multiplatform strategy and home to the most-watched primetime schedule on television that consistently delivers the biggest new hits year after year – including this season’s Rotten Tomatoes 100% Certified Fresh drama CUPERTINO.

News

Tom Cibrowski will continue to oversee operations across CBS News’ broadcast, streaming and digital businesses, while leaning into his deep experience in morning television to bolster CBS MORNINGS, and sustain the ratings momentum at CBS EVENING NEWS.

Skydance TV

The following leaders will support our broader Skydance TV organization as we bring together and grow our group:

Bryon Rubin will be our Chief Operating Officer (COO) working with all divisional leaders on strategic and operational matters while maintaining his leadership of CBS’ domestic syndication. Bryon will expand his remit to include oversight of the CBS Television Stations group, working closely with division president Jennifer Mitchell, who will also have a dotted reporting line into me and will be part of my Skydance TV SLT.

Laurel Weir will oversee research and programming insights across Skydance TV broadcast, cable and studios. She will work closely with creative and marketing leaders in all areas to help shape our strategy through a deep understanding of audience insights and consumption trends. Laurel will continue to oversee her content strategy, scheduling and content acquisitions teams for the Paramount cable networks while we work through integration planning.

Mike Benson will lead marketing across our portfolio, bringing our talented teams together to strengthen our brands, elevate audience discovery and eventize and promote our programming launches through all forms of traditional and emerging media. Mike will have a dotted reporting line to Rebecca Mall, Chief Marketing Officer, Skydance.

Chris Ender will oversee all communications and publicity. He will serve as the spokesperson for Skydance TV and lead best-in-class comms teams in each division that will shape our narrative, elevate brands and programming and help define the voice of our combined group. Chris will have a dotted reporting line to Melissa Zukerman, Chief Communications Officer, Skydance, and support JB Perrette on any Skydance TV business and operations topics.

What happens next

I know many of you have questions about our structure and what comes next. We will continue to share more information when possible.

We’re still early in this journey and process, but I’m confident in the strength of this team and in the extraordinary talent and capabilities across our business. As I’ve said, the work ahead is significant, and so is the opportunity. Together, we’ll build on our strengths and shape an even stronger future.

Thank you for everything you do.
More to come.
George