With his directorial debut, content creator Mayiduo aims to kick-start ‘Singapore movies 2.0’
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Singaporean content creator Mayiduo at a meet-the-media session at Golden Village Suntec City for a media event on June 18.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
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SINGAPORE – Creating content is a faster way of making money than putting out a movie, according to local content creator, influencer and entrepreneur Kelvin Tan.
Still, that has not stopped the online personality, better known by his moniker Mayiduo, from making his directorial debut with Follow Aunty La, which opens in Singapore cinemas on June 27.
He also acts in the new comedy, alongside other home-grown content creators such as Charlene Huang and Xixi Lim. The script was written by local screenwriter Link Sng, but its storyline originated from Tan and Sng.
Tan hopes his project can encourage a new breed of creatives to inject fresh energy into the scene and “kick-start Singapore movies 2.0”.
“Anyone involved in film – be it as an actor, a producer or a director – needs to have passion. There is the bigger picture than just that small role (each plays),” he added. “And I definitely have plans for another film.”
At a press event at Golden Village Suntec City on June 18, he told The Straits Times that his media company Double Up Media hopes to contribute to the next generation of local comedy film-makers. Double Up Media, which he established with Huang in 2019, co-produced Follow Aunty La with local media entertainment and content company mm2 Entertainment.
Double Up Media aspires to follow in the footsteps of production house J Team Productions, helmed by veteran Singaporean film-maker and actor Jack Neo. Neo is behind local films such as Money No Enough (1998), I Not Stupid (2002) and Ah Boys To Men (2012), and parlayed these titles into franchises.
Double Up Media currently focuses on Chinese-language social media content creation, video production and talent management.
In 2022, a representative from mm2 Entertainment noticed Tan – who founded interior design studio SG Interior KJ in 2020 – creating content on social media and asked him what his end goal was.
Tan, who turns 33 on July 1, said: “I replied that hopefully, I can do my own movie one day.”
He eventually met Mr Melvin Ang, founder of mm2 Entertainment, and the pair decided to team up on the $1.3 million Follow Aunty La.
Mayiduo says his end goal in creating content on social media was to direct his own movie.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
The movie focuses on a fishball seller (Huang) who seeks revenge after a social media influencer (Regina Lim) steals her husband and business. To embark on this mission, Huang’s character endeavours to become an influencer herself.
Singaporean film Follow Aunty La stars (from left, facing camera) Xixi Lim, Mayiduo and Charlene Huang.
PHOTO: DOUBLE UP MEDIA
The character was inspired by 39-year-old Huang, who began posting on Instagram in 2020 under the handle @aizaiaisteady, and has amassed more than 22,000 followers on the platform. She is married with a seven-year-old son.
Tan said: “When Charlene started, a lot of people commented on her looks and figure. There was a lot of hate, but she eventually found her own success.”
Singaporean actress Charlene Huang during a meet-the-media session at Golden Village Suntec City on June 18.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
Xixi Lim, who plays the best friend of Huang’s character, said being able to portray on-screen pals was “very fun” because the pair are friends in real life. Both local actresses co-starred in Neo’s film Ah Girls Go Army (2022) as female recruits.
Singaporean actress Xixi Lim during a meet-the-media session at Golden Village Suntec City on June 18.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
Lim, 37, said: “There is a lot of heart in Follow Aunty La, because both our characters have an emotional side. It is very different from our previous film together.”
According to Tan, there are elements of Stephen Chow’s slapstick humour in his maiden effort, as Tan loved watching the Hong Kong actor-director’s hits, such as the action comedy Kung Fu Hustle (2004), as a child.
Singaporean film Follow Aunty La stars (from left) Mayiduo, Charlene Huang and Xixi Lim.
PHOTO: DOUBLE UP MEDIA
Tan himself plays a supporting role as a bad-tempered director of photography who decides to help Huang’s character become a successful influencer.
In Follow Aunty La, Mayiduo plays a supporting character, a bad-tempered director of photography who decides to help Huang’s character become a successful influencer.
PHOTO: DOUBLE UP MEDIA
His preference would have been just a cameo, but during the fund-raising process, investors asked him to take on a proper role.
Tan acknowledged: “Directing a movie is already a lot of work, and acting in it made it even tougher. But I told the sponsors that as long as they put in the money, I would do it.”
And what of his next film?
Tan, who is married to content creator Angie Teo, 32, and has a four-year-old son and a five-month-old daughter, said: “It might have action or fantasy elements. But comedy is something I am going to stick to.”
And on how to continue being a successful influencer, he said: “Don’t force yourself to become another person. It won’t work. Just be yourself, do what you like, and things will work out for you.”
Follow Aunty La opens in Singapore cinemas on June 27.
