‘Queen of the South’ Producer Mark Valadez to Showrun ’80s Music Drama ‘Those Little White Lines’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Mark Valadez, the writer-producer behind "Queen of the South," has been tapped as showrunner for the new drama series "Those Little White Lines." The project is a co-development between Australia's Red Empire Productions and the trans-Pacific Organic Media Group, which operates from bases in Taipei and Los Angeles. The series adapts Kaz Piper's autobiographical novel, offering a raw look at a young woman's turbulent journey through the hedonistic 1980s music industry.

The narrative utilizes a dual-timeline structure to trace the protagonist's harrowing path through a landscape of addiction, organized crime, and personal peril, culminating in her eventual escape. Valadez expressed strong personal connection to the material, stating, "What attracted me to 'Those Little White Lines' is the core of every compelling crime saga—a central character who outmaneuvers those in power by mastering their corrupt rules ahead of them. Framed within the notorious excess of the 80s music scene, this is a visceral tale about ambition, dependency, and the painful cost of self-reinvention. It's precisely the kind of dangerous, character-centric drama I am passionate about creating."

The producers are positioning the series as an Australia-U.S. co-production for the international market. Steve Chicorel, an executive producer, highlighted the project's global creative synthesis. "Developing this series from Australia, Taiwan, and the United States mirrors the current reality of global filmmaking—where creative talent, production, and viewership seamlessly cross borders," Chicorel noted. "Markets like Australia and Asia are now integral components of a worldwide creative engine, not just destinations for finished content. This series embodies that shift while telling a potent, character-driven story with universal appeal." Industry analysts suggest such co-productions are becoming essential for securing financing and distribution in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

Physical production will be anchored in Wollongong, Australia, overseen by Red Empire’s founder, Amie Casey. The area’s diverse locations will double for both period and modern settings. The executive producer team also includes Organic Media Group’s Shari Hamrick Grewal, who will manage U.S. production and casting in Taiwan, alongside author Kaz Piper. Piper, a former insider from the rock era, shared that the adaptation feels like a long-awaited vindication. "This narrative is born from direct experience—the allure, the jeopardy, the price of seeking absolute freedom too early in life," Piper said. "For years, I was told this world was considered too chaotic, too feminine, and too brutally honest to be adapted. To witness it being reimagined by this talented team is not just an adaptation; it feels like reclaiming my narrative and revealing the hard truths behind that era's mythology."

The partnership leverages the distinct strengths of both production companies. Organic Media Group was founded by actor-producer Kelly Mi Li and musician-producer Steve Chicorel to develop scripted and unscripted content for international buyers, with a specialized focus on bridging Asian and Western markets. Its counterpart, Red Empire Productions, was established by writer-producer-actor Amie Casey with a mission to produce high-end drama for global audiences, often through collaborations with international partners to amplify Australian stories. This collaboration underscores a growing trend of leveraging localized stories with gritty, universal themes to capture a worldwide viewership.