The Projector
TypePrivate
IndustryMedia, Entertainment
FoundedJuly 2014 (July 2014)
Websitetheprojector.sg

The Projector is an independent cinema in Singapore. Founded in 2014, it specializes in arts-house films and also screens mainstream movies and is a venue for live events such as stand-up comedy shows.

The Projector is currently operating at Golden Mile Tower. It previously operated out of other locations in Riverside Point and The Cathay, and is due to open a new cinema at Cineleisure Orchard towards the end of 2023.

History

The Projector was founded in 2014 by Karen Tan, Sharon Tan and Blaise Trigg-Smith, under their company Pocket Projects.[1][2][3][4][5] Sharon Tan was the general manager.[6]

The venue was originally founded as Golden Theatre in 1973, the biggest cinema at the time in Singapore and Malaysia,[5] with a single hall that sat up to 1,500 people.[7] In 1990s, the venue was split into 3 halls.[8] Eventually in 2014, Golden Theatre retained the largest 1,000-seats hall, while The Projector took over the smaller halls.[8]

In 2019, Sharon Tan left the cinema and Prashant Somosundram took over as general manager.[6]

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, they paused operations from 31 May to 13 June 2021 across all theaters, due to tough business conditions caused by new COVID-19 containment measures in Singapore.[9]

In July 2020, they launched Projector Plus, an online movies on-demand streaming platform.[2][4]

In 2022, after Mm2 Entertainment stopped the operations of the Cathay Cineplex at The Cathay, the Projector leased its location as a pop-up cinema, Projector X: Picturehouse, from 23 August onwards.[6][10] Picturehouse consisted of four halls, including the former 590-seater Cathay Grand.[6] The pop up cinema remained open until the end of June 2023.[11]

In 2023, it was announced that The Projector and Golden Village will collaborate to operate a cinema, Golden Village X The Projector, at Cineleisure Orchard, after Cathay Cineplex stopped its cinema operation at the building at the end of June.[11] The new cinema is expected to start operating by end 2023.[12]

Locations

Projector X: Picturehouse at The Cathay

Golden Mile Tower

The Golden Mile Tower outlet was launched in April 2014. It began with an appeal on crowdfunding site Indiegogo, which raised US$55,000. It currently has three screens: Green Room, a 230-seat hall, Redrum, a 200-seat hall, and Blue Room, a 100-seat hall. The later was originally a church, before being converted into a cinema hall.

Riverside Point

The Riverside Point outlet, known as Projector X, was launched on 30 April 2021. It had one screen with 48 seats. The venue, which was formerly a Chinese nightclub, had the former changing rooms turned into art installation by Marc Nair. Before that, it had been used for Studio City Cinemas, in the 1990s. The outlet was a pop-up cinema and closed towards the end of 2022.[1][2]

The Cathay

On 23 August 2022, The Projector took over four halls, including the former 590-seater Cathay Grand, of the Cathay Cineplex at The Cathay as a pop-up cinema, Projector X: Picturehouse.[6][10] It closed at the end of June 2023.

Cathay Cineleisure Orchard

After the closure of Cathay Cineplex at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, The Projector operated a pop-up cafe, a bar and a live event space at Cineleisure from July to December 2023.[13] Also, it collaborated with Golden Village to launch Golden Village x The Projector at Cineleisure (GVxTP) to take over the cinema space in the mall.[13] The collaboration will feature three Golden Village-branded halls and three The Projector-branded halls and is due to begin operating towards the end of 2023.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 Lui, John (22 April 2021). "The Projector turns abandoned nightclub into pop-up cinema". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Show Must Go On! The Projector Overcomes Pandemic Hurdles to Turn Abandoned 'Siam Diu' Into Pop-Up Cinema". Sinema.SG. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  3. ↑ Lui, John (6 March 2017). "The Life Interview with Karen Tan: Woman behind arthouse cinema, The Projector". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  4. 1 2 Hashimi, Hashirin Nurin. "The Projector's Karen Tan Opens Singapore's First Socially-Distanced Pop-Up Cinema". Tatler Asia. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  5. 1 2 von Sychowski, Patrick (12 September 2017). "Cinema of the Month: The Projector - Singapore". Celluloid Junkie. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "From Golden Mile to The Cathay: The Projector's long and 'organic' journey as Singapore's only indie cinema". CNA Lifestyle. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  7. ↑ "Arthouse rock: The Projector is Singapore's coolest independent cinema (with history)". Honeycombers Singapore. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  8. 1 2 "Old meets new at Golden Mile Tower". AsiaOne. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  9. ↑ Lui, John (23 May 2021). "Indie cinema The Projector to go on hiatus from May 31 to June 13". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  10. 1 2 "The Projector coming to The Cathay as pop-up as Cathay Cineplexes exits". sg.style.yahoo.com. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  11. 1 2 Lui, John (13 June 2023). "Golden Village and The Projector collaboration to replace Cathay Cineplex at Cineleisure". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  12. ↑ Chong, Xin Wei (13 June 2023). "Golden Village and The Projector to set up shop in Cineleisure; mm2 Asia to exit". Business Times. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  13. 1 2 3 "Golden Village x The Projector at Cineleisure launching in December, will feature blockbusters, indie films, live music". CNA Lifestyle. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
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