Russia's first messenger-based video series DevChaty will premiere on August 30, following the lives of four female friends entirely through mobile chat exchanges, the project's press service told Russian news agency TASS.
The vertical series centers on a shared group chat between four women at different stages of life. Round video messages, commonly known among users as video circles, occupy about 90 percent of the show's screen time.
Viewers watch the plot unfold through a combination of video notes, written text messages, voice recordings, photos and digital stickers. The central narrative focuses on female friendship, relationships, motherhood and growing up.
Focus on female friendship and modern communication
Valeria Krylova, the creative producer of the project, said the creators aimed to talk about female friendship, motherhood and family in the language their audience uses every day. She said that many of today's most important conversations no longer take place around a kitchen table, but rather inside a group chat.
Krylova added that shared chats are where friends send video notes at two in the morning, break news first, ask for advice, complain, laugh and seek emotional support.
The lead roles are played by actresses and bloggers Ekaterina Novikova, Ekaterina Shkuro, Alexandra Lukyanova and Nika Viper. Their characters discuss romantic relationships, pregnancy, family life, changes in personal appearance, self-doubt and attempts to preserve their own identity.
Short vertical format supported by digital initiative
The first season of DevChaty consists of 40 vertical episodes, each lasting between one and two minutes. Every episode is built around an individual life situation, while all episodes combine into a single overarching storyline.
The project was created with support from the Institute for Internet Development, an autonomous non-profit organization that provides funding for digital media content in Russia.
Short-form vertical video projects and chat-based formats have increasingly gained traction on mobile devices. The reliance on circular video notes reflects how smartphone users communicate in modern messaging applications.
