EXCLUSIVE: Rivr Media, the company behind HGTV series Fixer to Fabulous, is getting on board the vertical video trend.
The company, which was founded by Cleveland Browns owner Dee Haslam, is launching a new vertical series division and is preparing its first original series, Dash of Fire, created by and starring Jackson Tiller.
The series follows Michelin-bound chef Troy Davenport (Tiller), who loses his restaurant, his reputation and his relationship overnight in a viral scandal. Forced to rebuild from scratch, he finds himself in the last place he’d expect: a struggling neighborhood kitchen run by fiercely independent self-taught chef Corrine Miller, played by Grace Swanson (I Wish It Were You). What begins as an uneasy alliance becomes a volatile partnership, then something more. Meanwhile, Troy’s ruthless ex-partner launches a calculated campaign to destroy them both, setting the stage for a nationally televised cook-off showdown that will force them to confront what they’re truly fighting for.
Dash of Fire, which is directed by Danny Farber, was shot across Knoxville. It also stars Rebecca Berg and Antonio Andrés Rosello.
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Tiller has starred in 38 vertical dramas including Dracula’s Kiss: Spellbound by a Doppelganger and From Contract Lover to the Billionaire’s Bride.
The series will premiere on vertical platform Shortical on June 1, 2026.
Jackson Tiller said, “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.”
Lori Stryer, CEO of RIVR Media, added, “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.”