ABOUT
The company name “20K” symbolizes the $20,000 restitution payments paid by the US Government to each survivor of the Japanese Internment camps of WWII. The civil liberties act of 1988 shifted the ways in which we as a society view each other as human beings worthy of compassion and consideration. With each and every story we tell, we intend to protect and uphold the notion that all men and women are deserving of recognition and an opportunity to have their voices heard.
Our goal at 20K is to develop content that is representationally and ideologically inclusive both in front of and behind the camera, and provide a conduit for established and emerging talent to share their stories in an effort to further authenticate the ways in which real life is reflected on screen.
We want to tell timely stories that have yet to take center stage, driven by fully dimensional, complex characters that feel organic and specific. Stories that will have both domestic and international appeal by folding diversity into the DNA of the scripts being written and the actors being cast. We want to ensure that as artists and contributors, we continually address the more challenging conversations of our time.
WHO WE ARE
Ian Anthony Dale - Founder and CEO
In addition to serving as CEO of 20K, Ian Anthony Dale is an actor and director currently starring in HAWAII FIVE-0. Past TV credits include lead roles in CBS’s SALVATION, TNT's MURDER IN THE FIRST from Steven Bochco, and NBC's acclaimed series THE EVENT. Film credits include THE HANGOVER and Robin Swicord's WAKEFIELD. With nearly twenty years of industry experience and relationships to draw from, Dale is now focused on identifying and promoting the next generation of artists who are eager to redefine the television landscape. Dale is passionate about making 20K a home where people of all backgrounds can come to discover and develop their most authentic voice.
Charlton Blackburne - Partner
As Partner at 20K, Charlton is responsible for overseeing the day to day operation of the company as well as identifying new diverse voices skilled at telling global and inclusive stories. Charlton has over 18 years of experience managing leading actors of diversity and is highly respected in the entertainment community when it comes to talent representation in the US and internationally. Additionally, Charlton has worked with emerging writers in the development of several television projects, and most recently spearheaded an Indiegogo crowd funding campaign to produce a Spanish language short LOCAS adapted from a successful Spanish play that focused on the growing global issue of mental illness. Charlton's worldly experiences have helped him keep a fresh perspective on broadening the careers of his clients, and will allow him to identify some of the most exciting new voices in scripted television for 20K.
Vanessa Lee - Creative Executive
Vanessa Lee is a Creative Executive at 20K. She was previously a Creative Executive at Janet Yang Productions where she oversaw development of all film and television projects. She has also worked at ICM Partners, De Line Pictures, and Paramount Television Studios. An advocate of Asian representation, she is a founder of KIM, a group that aims to support Koreans in media. She has a B.A. from New York University and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.