EAST network launches

EAST, a network for East and South East Asian (ESEA) creatives working in scripted television had its official launch on 22nd September at ITV in White City, supported by Pact.  

JT Wong (Three Tables Productions) co-founded the network with ESEA drama writers Emma Ko (1899) and John Jackson (Grantchester, Riviera), along with an advisory committee made up of Chloe Tucker, Chris Kam (Eleventh Hour Films), Judith Chan (Coutts Media Finance) and Wenying Li (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial).

JT Wong, MD of Three Tables Productions – a Pact Future30 company – tells us more about EAST: 
 

As people working in scripted, we naturally felt that a good starting point was helping change representation through stories.

EAST was set up with the aim of improving the representation of BESEAs both on and off screen in scripted TV. We’re initially focused on the development phase since we’re all volunteers and that’s the bit we know best. 

EAST’s network consists of writers, directors, producers and distribution executives, who are all actively working in the sector. We want to create a safe space to share experiences and give each other support. As an under-represented minority, and one that sometimes gets forgotten, we felt it was important to create that.  John, Emma and I came together with this mission over the pandemic when, what started as anti-Chinese sentiment, seemed to morph into anti-(East) Asian hate. For me, it wasn’t as if this should have been news to anyone, but having my daughter come home from school at the sharp end of racist comments made me feel like I should really start doing something. Like so many other times in my life growing up in the UK, I always forget about racism until it slaps you in the face.

As people working in scripted, we naturally felt that a good starting point was helping change representation through stories. How ESEA people are portrayed on screen feeds into how people think about us, and how we feel about ourselves. In the media, there are so many negative tropes and stereotypes.  Things like the ‘model minority’ myth are often not even thought of as negative.
 

Everything we are doing is looking at practical skills, experience and opportunities.

As a team, we talk quite a lot about symbolic annihilation – the idea that you if you don’t see yourself in the media, you don’t think you’re important.  On UK television, there’s not that many lead characters and stories for ESEAs to look at and identify with. Part of that is down to a lack of ESEAs off screen.

Images from the EAST launch event

As a member of Pact’s Future30 scheme, one of the first places I talked to about EAST was Pact
and I was overwhelmed by the positive support. Discussing what we wanted to do with our launch, we were delighted that Pact, and particularly Anjani Patel (Pact’s Head of Inclusion and Diversity), were willing to help support it. For the launch, we organised speed networking sessions for EAST member writers to meet with producers and broadcasters. These included broadcasters BBC, ITV, Sky, Disney and Apple alongside several producers such as Kudos, Greenacre and Objective Fiction. The response from all of them was amazing. The speed networking was followed by a launch reception and there were such positive vibes from everyone. We were so grateful for everyone that turned up to engage and support what we’re trying to do. 

EAST’s focus for the coming year will be establishing and supporting the network. We’ll have a series of members events that help members develop and progress in their careers, including masterclasses and soft skills workshops. Everything we are doing is looking at practical skills, experience and opportunities. Since the launch, we’ve had some great opportunities to partner with companies and supporters, so we’re looking forward to continuing EAST’s mission. 

By JT Wong

Find out more about EAST and how to join the network here.
 

Anjani Patel, Head of Inclusion and Diversity at Pact, said:
Congratulations to JT and his team for a successful launch event.  Spaces where under-represented talent can be championed and supported are hugely important. We look forward to working with EAST to help them to grow their network and to create better access to the production sector.

Writer Jenny Takahashi Stark, winner of the All3Media New Voices TV Drama Script Award 2022 and member of EAST, said: 
"It was a fantastic, warm and inspiring event that made me feel so proud to be part of the EAST group. This was one of the rare times as a mixed-race woman where I felt that I wholly fit into a community that accepted and championed me for exactly who I was. I can't wait to see how EAST continues to change the industry for the better."