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Red’s Okwera tucks into Duck Soup role

UK indie Duck Soup Films has poached a script editor from Happy Valley producer Red Production Company to be its new head of development.

Jackie Okwera

Jackie Okwera will manage the prodco’s developing television and film slate while also seeking new project and relationship opportunities.

At Red, Okwera played a significant role in developing productions such as Sky detective drama The Five and the BBC’s Ordinary Lies. She has also worked on Law and Order: UK and Casualty.

Duck Soup MD Bekki Wray-Rogers said: “It is great to have someone with [Okwera’s] taste and experience come on board; someone who shares our passion for finding intriguing, authentic and contemporary voices from outside the mainstream that can excite and challenge audiences both in the UK and beyond.”

Okwera’s hire caps a flurry of business development for Duck Soup after X Factor producer FremantleMedia (FM) took a 25% stake in the company earlier this year to facilitate its expansion, as part of FM’s strategy to grow its scripted business.

Her exit is the latest departure for Manchester-based Red, which lost former exec producer Tom Sherry to BBC Studios in May. Sherry was also involved with Ordinary Lies.

Duck Soup was launched in 2015 by Wray-Rogers, Libby Durdy and Jessica Holyland, who previously worked together on episodes of Warp Films-produced This Is England ’88 and ’90 for Channel 4. The indie is currently developing a number of projects in drama, film and comedy and is looking to enter production on two projects in early 2018.

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