EAST Network Launches
VARIETY
By K.J Yossman, 17 October 2022
It was set up by three execs: JT Wong, Emma Ko and John Jackson (pictured above, left to right). Wong is the managing director and co-founder of Three Tables Productions while Ko (“1899”) and Jackson (“Grantchester”) are both writers.
EAST’s advisory committee includes former ITV drama exec Chloe Tucker, Eleventh Hour Films’ Christopher Kam, Coutts’ media finance director Judith Chan and Wenying Li of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial.
Last month the network held its first event, a speed networking session enabling EAST writer members to meet commissioners from broadcasters and producers including BBC, ITV, Sky, Disney, Apple, Kudos, Greenacre and Objective Fiction, among others. The event was supported by producers body Pact and hosted by ITV.
Last month the network held its first event, a speed networking session enabling EAST writer members to meet commissioners from broadcasters and producers including BBC, ITV, Sky, Disney, Apple, Kudos, Greenacre and Objective Fiction, among others. The event was supported by producers body Pact and hosted by ITV.
Future events will include masterclasses, soft skills workshops and ‘Ask Me Anything’ series with experienced ESEA creatives.
In a statement, the network explained the reason for its formation, saying: “Although there is no single East or South East Asian identity in the U.K., we find ourselves in a situation where several minorities are grouped together, whether by demographic grouping or simply perception. There is some irony to this, given that many of these ethnic and national groups have historically not liked each other much. But, since we are perceived and treated similarly, we share each other’s experience.