U.S.-based factual and lifestyle producer RIVR Media has entered the microdrama game, unveiling its new vertical series venture RIVR Films.
The new business launches with Dash of Fire, an original drama created by and starring Jackson Tiller, who has made almost 40 microdramas, among them Dracula’s Kiss: Spellbound by a Doppelganger and From Contract Lover to the Billionaire’s Bride. His slate has amassed over 1.5 billion combined views. Danny Farber, another experienced microdrama creative, serves as director. The series will have an exclusive window on Shortical beginning June 1.
Lori Stryer, CEO of RIVR Media, commented: “As a producer with decades of experience, we are entering this fast-growing space to build a serious, long-term production business. This means working across both scripted and unscripted genres, with platforms, and with talent. What makes RIVR Films’ debut so exciting is that Dash of Fire came to us as a fully formed vision from Jackson Tiller, a creator and actor with one of the most loyal followings in U.S. vertical drama. That kind of talent-originated project is rare, and it is a strong way to launch.”
Lior Sasson, head of U.S. operations at Shortical, added, “We’re excited to welcome RIVR Films into the vertical drama space. As a studio with a long-standing track record in premium production, RIVR brings a level of experience and discipline that will help elevate the category. Dash of Fire is a strong example of that, pairing proven creative instincts with a format built for today’s audiences. This kind of collaboration, where production expertise meets a modern, mobile-first distribution model, is what’s driving the next phase of growth in micro drama.”
Tiller noted, “RIVR Films offered something I hadn’t found before in the vertical drama space—a genuine creative partnership. I brought the story, the characters, the conviction; they brought proven production expertise and infrastructure. Dash of Fire started with a story worth telling, and I think it shows. I cannot wait for viewers to see it.”
RIVR Media was founded in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1999 by Dee Haslam, managing partner and CEO of Haslam Sports Group. Stryer came on board as a partner in 2019.
