FIRING UP SINGAPORE'S INDIE CINEMA SCENE

Nothing makes Karen Tan, co-founder of The Projector, more happy and fulfilled than making a difference to a film-goer's experience. For her, that spells "f-u-n" and brings people together. In the third instalment of the "HER WORLD, HER SPARK" series, presented in partnership with DBS, we speak to Karen about her journey.

- Goh Hwee Koon

Imagine a fun but chaotic spectacle of rice grains and toilet paper being strewn all over, and water pistols shooting off in the middle of a film screening.

These raucous activities are not unusual at The Projector, which certainly embodies the meaning of its tag line: "Not your average cinema".

According to its co-founder, Karen Tan, 43, the audience dresses up in costumes for the annual Halloween event, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. "It's silly and entertaining, and such moments of freedom are precious because life in Singapore can be quite stressful," she says.

Now into its 10th year, independent art-house cinema The Projector has come a long way since opening its doors at the former Golden Theatre at Golden Mile Towers in 2014.

The Golden Mile Tower flagship branch was founded by Karen, her sister Sharon, and her former colleague at Citigroup Investment Banking London, Blaise TriggSmith, after a friend suggested they check out its potential to be revitalised under Pocket Projects.

Pocket Projects is the trio's creative development consultancy and management company that conceptualises and manages niche urban development projects.

"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," recalls Karen.