Mark Valadez, known for his work on “Queen of the South,” has been announced as the showrunner for the upcoming series “Those Little White Lines,” a collaboration between Red Empire Productions in Brisbane and Organic Media Group in Taipei and Los Angeles.
The series is based on an autobiographical novel by Kaz Piper, a former insider in the rock music scene, and follows a woman navigating the music industry in the 1980s. The story is told through a dual-timeline structure, depicting her journey through a world of substance abuse, criminal networks, and personal danger before ultimately finding freedom.
Valadez expressed his excitement for the project, stating, “What drew me to âThose Little White Linesâ is the same thing that drives all great crime stories â a protagonist who survives by learning the rules faster than the people trying to control her.” He described the series as a visceral, dangerous, and deeply human drama that explores themes of power, addiction, ambition, and reinvention.
The producers are gearing up to pitch the project as a co-production between Australia and the U.S., highlighting the international collaboration involved in its development. Executive producer Steve Chicorel emphasized the global nature of the series, noting that creative voices, production, and audiences are now crossing borders seamlessly.
Production will take place in Wollongong, Australia, under the guidance of Red Empire’s Amie Casey, with filming locations catering to both contemporary and period settings. The executive producer team includes Shari Hamrick Grewal from Organic Media Group, who will oversee U.S. production and Taiwan casting, as well as author Kaz Piper.
Piper shared her personal connection to the story, stating, “This story comes from lived experience â the glamour, the danger, the cost of wanting too much freedom too young.” She expressed her excitement at seeing her world reimagined as a series, reclaiming her voice and sharing the truth behind the myth of the era.
Organic Media Group, founded by Kelly Mi Li and Steve Chicorel, specializes in developing scripted and unscripted content for international markets, with a focus on bridging Asian and Western audiences. Red Empire Productions, led by Amie Casey, is known for producing premium drama with an international appeal, collaborating with producers worldwide to bring Australian content to a global audience.
