Vol. XVII · No. 1Wednesday, 14 October 2026Singapore

The Darren Tan Times

All the news about one founder, filmmaker and educator

● Now open to new rolesEst. 2009
17 years building businesses4 companies co-founded40+ people ledS$8M+ group revenue at peak2 countries: Singapore & Vietnam85% less pre-production time with his AI tools2 NTU modules taught6 new certifications in 2026
Career · Exclusive

Founder Steps Back From His Studios to Pursue Work With a Greater Purpose

After 17 years building a video production group from nothing, Darren Tan wants to put an SME founder's know-how to work where it can make a real difference.

By the Editor · Singapore

Darren Tan co-founded his first company straight out of university in 2009. It grew into a group of four studios across Singapore and Vietnam, with more than 40 people and over S$8 million in revenue at its peak.

This year he stepped away. His vision for the group had drifted from his co-founders', and rather than pull the company in different directions, he chose to step back.

"I didn't want to pull in different directions."Darren Tan, on leaving the group

He is now looking for work with a greater purpose, in the public or private sector, where his interest in business, trade and global affairs can do the most good.

What he brings: years of pitching to CEOs and ministers, running teams and budgets, reading markets, and leading his group's adoption of AI.

TechnologySection B
Artificial intelligence

He Finds the Bottlenecks, Then Builds the AI to Fix Them

Darren doesn't just chat with AI. He audited his studio's workflow from brief to final cut, found where days were lost, and built custom tools for each gap.

  1. Map the workflowWalked through every stage of a production, from client brief to delivery.
  2. Find the gapsPinpointed the slow, repetitive steps eating into each project.
  3. Build the fixDesigned and built his own AI web apps for each one, keeping people in charge of the decisions.
  4. Roll it outProved it at Otterly, then brought the workflows to all four companies.

Time per task, before and after his AI tools

Client research
2 days
5 min
Concepts & brainstorming
2 days
½ day
Scripting
1 day
1 hr
Storyboards
1 day
2 hr
Social media episode
2 days
30 min
Darren's own figures from Otterly projects. One day = 8 working hours.

Featured build: from client brief to storyboard

InputClient brief
AI toolClient research
AI toolConcept ideas
DarrenPick & refine
AI toolTimed script
AI toolStoryboard

The AI desk: more of what he has built

Brief-to-storyboard pipelineResearch, concepts, timed scripts and storyboards, with Darren choosing at each step.Built for Otterly
Pitch visualiserShows clients the proposed cast in proposed wardrobe, and a location dressed with proposed sets, before anything is bought or built.Built for Otterly
Social channel autopilotGive it an idea; it researches, writes, voices and designs each episode. He approves and edits.Personal project
Post-productionAI graphics and video, visual effects, voice work, audio clean-up and first-cut edits.Group-wide
Daily AI news briefA scheduled digest that gathers AI news from around the world into one morning read.Personal project
Stock value finderEstimates a fair value for a listed company to compare with its share price.Personal project
Trip plannerBuilds and tracks multi-city travel itineraries in one place.Personal project
This websiteDesigned and built with Claude, including the Ask Darren desk below.You're reading it

Daily tools: Claude · Gemini & AI Studio · tries each new model as it launches

BusinessSection C

From Five Graduates to a Four-Company Group

Each company was started to answer a gap in the market.

  1. 2009Little Red Ants

    Founded by five fresh graduates. Became the group's flagship for large productions. Darren led its government business.

    WebsiteReel
  2. 2016The Hummingbird Co

    Began as an original-content studio with its own channel, NSFTV, then grew into a commercial house known for music videos.

    WebsiteNSFTV
  3. 2017Little Red Ants Vietnam

    Started as a joint venture. When the partner pulled out after a year, the team stayed and made it stand on its own.

    Website
  4. 2025Otterly Creative

    A fast-turnaround studio for social and corporate video, serving work the group used to turn away. Built around AI.

    Reel

Clients include  UOB · J.P. Morgan · DBS · AWS · Temasek · Singtel · Grab · Shopee · Huawei · Netflix · Changi Airport Group · Singapore Tourism Board

Turnaround

The Joint Venture That Wouldn't Quit

A Vietnamese agency wanted Singapore-grade production and proposed a joint venture in 2017. A year in, the partner withdrew. Darren's group kept the office open, worked through the lean years, and built a studio with its own name in Vietnam. Grab became a long-running client.

Government

Already Fluent in How Government Works

  • Led the government business at Little Red Ants, working with ministries, statutory boards and ministers.
  • A major video production partner within MCI's whole-of-government framework.
  • Pitched ideas to ministers and senior leaders, and won their buy-in.
  • Knows how government messaging is shaped, approved and delivered.
Global AffairsSection D
Trade · Geopolitics · Economics

One Story, Read From Every Side

Darren follows geopolitics and economics closely, and he never relies on a single source.

He reads well beyond Western, English-language media, drawing on outlets from Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere to see how each side frames the same event. Then he weighs the facts and forms his own view.

It is the habit he brought to business: understand why the other side decides what it does before judging. And it is why he wants work where business, trade and global affairs meet.

Lately on his desk: US–China relations · the Middle East · Russia and Ukraine · rates and markets. The list changes with the news.

FeatureSection E
Behind the scenes

The Night a Stage Floated on Marina Barrage

For Coldplay's "Man on the Moon" music video, shot in Singapore with the Singapore Tourism Board, The Hummingbird Co had days, not weeks. The team built a floating platform on the water at Marina Barrage, secured the approvals, and moved the band and crew onto it without the city finding out.

Also on the call sheet: Jin of BTS · Jackson Wang · Charlie Puth · Jenson Button

ClassroomSection F
Education

Back at NTU, This Time at the Front of the Class

It began with one-off workshops on lighting and workflow at his alma mater, the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information. The professor kept asking him back, then asked him to take on a module.

Since 2024 Darren has taught Media Presentation and Performance, and later added Video Production for the Commercial World, building the coursework from 17 years in industry. He also supervises internships and final-year projects.

His own record: B.Comm Studies (Hons, 2nd Upper), NTU, 2009 · final-year project top of the broadcast cohort

ClassifiedsSection G
Situation Wanted

Founder, 17 years' experience, seeks a role with a greater purpose, in the public or private sector. Strong in stakeholder management, strategy, people leadership and AI adoption. Available now.

Skills Offered

Business development · business strategy · C-suite and government relations · leadership and people management · project management · creative pitching · brand marketing · regional expansion · AI implementation.

Contact
Emailtan.chet.hua.darren@gmail.com
LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/darren-tan-43746a4a
Download résumé (PDF)
Letters to the EditorAsk Darren

Ask Darren

Connecting…
Hello. I answer questions about Darren's work, skills and experience. What would you like to know?

Quick answers

Why did he leave his companies?

His vision for the group drifted from his co-founders'. Rather than pull in different directions, he stepped back to look for work with a greater purpose.

What role is he looking for?

A role with a greater purpose, in the public or private sector, where business, trade and global affairs meet.

Has he worked with government before?

Yes. He led the government business at Little Red Ants, working with ministries, statutory boards and ministers under MCI's whole-of-government framework.

Is he hands-on with AI?

Yes. He designs and builds his own AI tools, from a brief-to-storyboard pipeline to an automated social media channel, and led AI adoption across the group.