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Indie films, live gigs, fun events: How she’s giving audiences a ‘mental breathing space’
The co-founder of independent cinema The Projector, Karen Tan, champions an inclusive hub where Singaporeans can escape the everyday and engage in shared experiences
Wanting to fill a gap in Singapore’s cultural landscape, Ms Tan and her team transformed the former Golden Theatre at Golden Mile Tower into a thriving hub for indie cinema.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
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Every October, audiences in costume, armed with rice grains and water pistols gather for the annual Halloween screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at The Projector. The event is raucous, fun and a hit with film-goers seeking an alternative to the mainstream cinema experience.
Says co-founder Karen Tan: “It's silly and entertaining, and such moments of freedom are precious because life in Singapore can be quite stressful. I think about it as a counterpoint or ‘mental breathing space’ in a highly polished and planned city.”
From the start, Ms Tan, 43, envisioned The Projector as a way to fill a gap in Singapore’s cultural scene, bringing alternative content together for diverse audiences in an inclusive, fun and relaxed environment.
“It's important for us to be inclusive, and have different interest groups come together and feel at home in the same space,” says Ms Tan.
This concept has been realised in The Projector’s eclectic programming, which includes anime, documentaries, foreign language films, cult classics, ballets and operas.
Watch this video to learn more about Ms Karen Tan's journey:
One of the standout moments in The Projector’s history was the screening of Plan 75, a controversial film about euthanasia that drew an unexpectedly large and varied audience.
“It was an unexpected and huge success in 2022, with 600 seats sold out for a post-screening Q&A session with the film director. The audience included students and retirees from all walks of life who were curious about the taboo topic, and the film gave them a forum to engage with those issues,” Ms Tan recalls.
Inspiring you to find your spark
On Sept 26, gain valuable insights from leading women entrepreneurs including Ms Karen Tan, founder of The Projector; Ms Oh Chu Xian, founder of tech start-up Magorium; and Ms Wendy Foo, founder of Ryan’s Grocery, as they share their personal stories.
Jointly organised by DBS and Her World, the event will feature a panel session, networking opportunities and insights into how DBS can support your business journey.
Entry is free.
Carving out an alternative space for Singaporeans
Now in its 10th year, The Projector is a testament to Ms Tan’s dedication and perseverance. At age 30, she left behind a cushy job in real estate investment in search for something more fulfilling.
Together with her sister Sharon and former colleague Blaise Trigg-Smith, the trio founded Pocket Projects, a creative development consultancy and management company that conceptualises and manages niche urban development projects.
With the encouragement of a friend, they saw an opportunity to revitalise the historic Golden Theatre at Golden Mile Tower – which eventually became The Projector’s flagship theatre.
Ms Tan recalls: “We had no background in film nor knowledge in consumer operations, except a perfect blend of youthful energy and naivete that led us to do it anyway.
“For us, it was really about restoring this theatre into something that would invite Singaporeans back to discover this heritage architecture and this heritage space.”
Over the years, The Projector has evolved to a cultural hub offering live performances, music gigs, comedy nights, and even gourmet food and artisanal beer.
Even with its pop-ups like Projector X: Riverside at Riverside Point in 2021 and Projector X: Picturehouse at The Cathay in 2022, much thought went into how each space could be designed to facilitate multiple uses that engage people.
Navigating challenges, daring to experiment
The journey has not been without its challenges. Knowing little about the cinema industry, she and the team initially faced a steep learning curve in procuring films from distributors.
However, their persistence paid off. Ms Tan says that now an independent film will sometimes do better at The Projector than it would at a commercial cinema “because we’ve ‘built’ the audience whom we know will want to see it.”
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the team quickly adapted by launching an online streaming platform, offering films that were not easily available elsewhere. This nimbleness and willingness to experiment have been crucial in weathering the storms, which include the recent fire at Golden Mile Tower’s car park, which forced the cinema to cancel screenings.
One of the biggest challenges has been securing a second business location, especially with the looming risk of Golden Mile Tower going on an en bloc sale.
The recent collaboration with Golden Village, which saw The Projector open a new location at Orchard Cineleisure late last year, marked a significant milestone.
“For the first time, the business has the security of a long-term lease, which allows us to plan longer term for growth,” Ms Tan explains.
Riding the highs and lows of running an indie cinema in Singapore is like hanging on to a roller coaster ride, she says. And it is about striking a fine balance between being “a pragmatic idealist” and “an idealistic pragmatist”.
“You kind of have to be both because you have to dream, but you also have to play in the real world and see the real world as it is,” she explains.
Desperation, she quips half in jest, keeps her inspired, as do thoughts of mortality. “I want to look back on my life one day and be able to say I took some risks and made a difference. I gave it my best shot – with no regrets.”
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