Crazy Smart Asia

“I wasn’t given a racing car. I chose it. But for other girls, it’s never an option," says motorsport star Bianca Bustamante, on Crazy Smart Asia. In conversation with Tatler Gen.T’s Chong Seow Wei, the GB3 racer discusses her social media game, the sacrifices her family made to finance her dream, how racing lets her escape societal expectations and why she can no longer watch anime.00:00 Introduction to Crazy Smart Asia00:25 Meet Bianca Bustamante: Breaking Stereotypes01:30 Quick Fire Questions with Bianca03:11 Bianca's Early Racing Journey04:15 Family Sacrifices and Support08:36 Realising Racing as a Career14:20 Overcoming Financial and Pandemic Challenges17:44 The Whole Package for a Racing Driver18:31 Building a Personal Brand20:07 Challenges in the Racing Industry21:49 Gender Dynamics in Motorsport23:59 The Importance of Representation26:24 Preparing for GB3 Debut27:37 Managing Life as a Racing Driver31:20 Hobbies and Downtime33:11 Would You Do It All Again?33:56 Conclusion and Farewell

“You can always turn something bad into good,” says 9gag co-founder Ray Chan, on Crazy Smart Asia. In conversation with Tatler’s Chong Seow Wei, the Hong Kong entrepreneur discusses building one of the world’s largest online meme platforms, the time he brought a rice cooker to a startup accelerator programme and how experiencing baby loss puts petty crypto drama into perspective.00:00 Introduction to Crazy Smart Asia01:11 Meet Ray: The Man Behind the Memes01:17 Quick Fire Questions with Ray03:38 Ray's Childhood and Early Career04:58 The Birth of 9GAG14:40 Navigating Co-Founder Relationships19:39 The Genesis of Meme Land22:47 Web3 Needs More Customers, Not Investors23:28 Navigating the Fast-Paced Web3 Market24:06 Challenges and Criticisms in Web325:19 The Importance of a Flexible Roadmap27:23 Investment Tips for Newbies28:59 Acquiring Hong Kong's First Meme Stock32:43 Personal Tragedy and Resilience36:04 Turning Misfortune into Positive Action44:03 Balancing Faith, Family, and Fitness45:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

From a visual development artist who’s worked on major Hollywood animations to a horror filmmaker terrifying audiences without the jump scares, season 11 of Crazy Smart Asia presents powerful lessons on work and life from Asia’s film industry leaders. Listen for five of the most powerful mindbombs from the season’s guests, designed to help you think bigger, braver and more creatively.If you enjoyed these short clips, why not go back and listen to the full episodes:Your music is only as good as your instincts, says composer Elliot LeungTaking Southeast Asian narratives to the world, with film producer Tan Si EnThe Projector effect: How Karen Tan built Singapore’s coolest cinemaAuditions, exorcisms and the art of reinvention, with writer and actor of “Good Cop/Bad Cop” fame Grace ChowBeyond jump scares: film director and writer Kenneth Dagatan on the art of terrifying audiences

“If you don’t start calling yourself an artist, no one will,” says Singaporean-Taiwanese actor and writer Grace Chow, on Crazy Smart Asia. In conversation with Tatler Gen.T’s Chong Seow Wei, the ‘Good Cop/Bad Cop’ star discusses how to cultivate and protect your creative outlook, how she landed her breakout role in Australian TV series ‘Mystery Road: Origin’ and why she was encouraged to be an exorcist when she was younger.00:00 Introduction to Grace Chow01:37 Quickfire Questions 03:33 Grace's Creative Childhood09:54 Pursuing Drama School16:58 Early Career Milestones18:52 Creating and Performing in shows20:13 The Joy of Performing20:58 Diverse Roles and Joy in Acting21:56 Mystery Road Origins Experience23:26 Good Cop, Bad Cop Audition25:06 Memorable Moments on Set27:41 Preparing for Auditions31:58 Asian Representation in Film35:31 Advice for Aspiring Artists38:52 Surprising Facts About Grace40:57 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

“The Projector is a space for people who are curious,” says Karen Tan, the co-founder of Singapore’s only independent cinema, The Projector, on Crazy Smart Asia. In conversation with Tatler Gen.T’s Chong Seow Wei, she discusses the benefits and challenges of disrupting a traditional industry, balancing creativity with business demands and why she lets people throw toilet paper at each other in her cinema.01:18 Quick Fire Questions with Karen03:02 Karen's Childhood and ADHD Journey06:10 Early Entrepreneurial Ventures09:29 From Architecture to Investment Banking12:07 The Birth of The Projector15:06 Discovering the Golden Mile Tower20:58 The Birth of an Independent Cinema21:47 Overcoming Initial Challenges22:35 Embracing Failure and Experimentation26:17 Building a Cultural Institution30:10 Balancing Business and Culture34:24 Unforgettable Moments at The Projector36:44 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs38:07 Conclusion

“Horror is like a rollercoaster ride, it mirrors us as human beings,” says Kenneth Dagatan, the film director behind the Philippines’ first scary film to premiere at the Sundance’s Midnight Section. On Crazy Smart Asia, Dagatan shares with Tatler Gen.T’s Chong Seow Wei his philosophy of horror beyond cheap thrills, the joy of directing with playfulness and why nothing scares him more than the realities of adulthood.Timestamps: 00:33 Meet Kenneth Dagatan: Filipino Horror Film Director01:34 Quick Fire Questions with Kenneth02:42 Kenneth's Favorite Horror and Non-Horror Films03:56 The Art of Atmospheric Horror07:11 Balancing Creativity and Adulthood08:50 Kenneth's Early Influences and Education12:48 Discovering Filmmaking in University14:10 The Journey of a Filmmaker21:51 The Role of Extras in Films24:58 Challenges of Filmmaking in the Philippines25:36 Background Talent and Acting Aspirations26:42 Success of 'In My Mother's Skin'29:13 The Journey of Making a Horror Film34:34 Differences in Horror Across Cultures37:39 Creative Process and Challenges44:23 Upcoming Projects and Advice47:10 Final Thoughts and Farewell

“Animation is a magical thing that can bring ideas and beauty to people who don’t get access,” says visual development artist Desiree Ong on the Crazy Smart Asia podcast. In conversation with Tatler Gen.T’s Chong Seow Wei, Ong shares about the film that sparked her curiosity in animation, being a graphic designer for Guillermo del Toro’s award-winning stop-motion musical ‘Pinocchio’ and navigating the international film world as a Singaporean artist.Timestamps00:29 Meet Desiree Ong: Rising Visual Development Artist01:26 Quickfire Questions with Desiree04:22 Desiree's Journey in Animation14:05 Working with Guillermo del Toro on ‘Pinocchio’30:19 Challenges and Reflections34:07 Future Projects and Closing Remarks

“The more specific you are, the more global you are,” says Tan Si En, an award-winning Singaporean film producer and founder of Momo Film Co, on the Crazy Smart Asia podcast. In conversation with Tatler Gen.T’s Chong Seow Wei, they share why the best producers are like rivers – they flow with the bends, why the best films tell stories that are true to personal experiences, and dreams of an alternate career as a champagne grower.Timestamps 00:20 Meet Tan Si En: Award-Winning Producer01:06 Quickfire questions03:06 Tan Si En's Early Inspirations05:01 Journey to Becoming a Producer10:03 Founding Momo Film Co12:21 Collaborating with Southeast Asian Filmmakers20:02 Challenges and Successes in Film Production22:48 Future Projects and Aspirations33:22 Personal Passions and Final Thoughts34:34 Conclusion and Credits

“Being a film composer is about how good your instincts are,” says music composer Elliot Leung on the Crazy Smart Asia podcast. In conversation with Tatler Gen.T’s Chong Seow Wei, the Hong Kong native discusses the process of composing big orchestral scores for blockbusters, why the ultimate compliment is the audience humming the main theme song in the bathroom after watching a film and why the voice memos app is his secret weapon in composition.00:34 Meet Elliot Leung: award-winning composer01:29 Quick fire questions 03:20 Elliot's musical journey06:06 Mentors and musical influences08:15 Transition from cellist to composer09:05 Breaking into the film industry13:40 Role and responsibilities of a film composer16:38 Designing memorable film scores17:38 The creative process behind 'Operation Red Sea'19:48 The Importance of musical pacing20:50 Mapping out the score21:34 The reality of creating film music25:29 Cultural differences in film scoring27:18 Experiencing the world through music31:07 Balancing creativity with deadlines34:17 Reflecting on the composer's role37:10 The unexpected side of composing38:17 Conclusion and credits