Night Owl Cinematics

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Night Owl Cinematics
Logo of Night Owl Cinematics.svg
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2013 – present
Genre
Subscribers977 thousand[1]
Total views331 million[1]
YouTube Silver Play Button 2.svg 100,000 subscribers 2017[2]
YouTube Gold Play Button 2.svg 1,000,000 subscribers 2020[a]
Updated: 17 December 2021

Night Owl Cinematics (NOC) is a Singaporean production company known for its YouTube channel, Ryan Sylvia. Founded by Ryan Tan and Sylvia Chan, the company is known for their comedy videos, travelogues, lifestyle videos, as well as their food review series, Food King.

History[]

Ryan Tan met Sylvia Chan when both were doing part-time modelling at age 16. The duo started to date 5 years later and eventually got married at 22.[5][6]

The couple started Night Owl Cinematics (NOC) production company in February 2013, after a failed Chinese restaurant venture.[7] They initially started in wedding videography and started honing their videography and editing skills on YouTube.[8] After their YouTube video Shit Singaporean Girlfriends Say became popular,[9] they transitioned into full-time YouTube personalities.[10]

Tan served as the cinematographer, art director and occasionally cameos in their productions, while Sylvia Chan managed the business aspects of the company.[11] Hokkien and Singlish colloquialisms are frequently used in their videos, offering glimpses into Singaporean culture.[12]

The couple were listed by Forbes in the 30 under 30 in Asia list under Media, Marketing & Advertising in 2016.[13] On 31 May 2020, the couple announced that their divorce was finalised in March 2020 after being separated for three years.[6]

Allegations against operations in NOC[]

On 7 October 2021, Sylvia Chan was accused by an anonymous Instagram account @sgcickenrice of verbally abusing employees and fostering a toxic workplace culture with one talent named Samantha being singled out with an "exit strategy" requested by Chan.[14][15] In response to the allegations, various brands such as Colgate and Milo ceased their collaborations with the company.[16] NOC responded on 11 October, labelling the allegations a 'massive' smear campaign. It also touted its efforts in developing its employees in a safe space, before adding that there were "serious breaches" of privacy laws being investigated by the authorities. The Instagram account was subsequently issued a cease and desist letter from Edmond Pereira Law Corporation, before the account responded a day later with a letter from Eugene Thuraisingam saying that the allegations were not proven to be untrue and asked if the letter was worded to threaten criminal proceedings.[17][18][19][20]

On 13 October, Chan apologised in a statement and acknowledged that she "did not live up to the standards expected of (her)". She will also be removed from NOC’s line-up of artistes.[21] However, Samantha Tan, whose alleged mistreatment by Chan was what ignited this saga, pointed out inaccuracies in Chan's statement.[22]

On 15 October, it was reported by Mothership that an office similar to NOC's headquarters was listed on CommercialGuru for sale. The sale was later removed the same day.[23]

On 19 October, current and former NOC employees revealed further information in two reports, with screenshots and video recordings that accused Chan of delayed salaries, workplace abuse and pressures, insensitivity in dealing with mental health issues, favouritism, no official human resources department, forcing people to take sides, infidelity, embezzling company money, sexually exploiting her female talents, fat-shaming a talent, as well as criminal conduct pertaining to her fiduciary duties.[24][25][26][27] As at 20 October, NOC's subscriber base fell from 1 million to 995 thousand.[27] Various public authorities like the Singapore Police Force, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, Ministry of Manpower, and were made aware and are looking into the various allegations. In addition, Chan filed a report against harassment and a private video leak, adding that she will address the allegations "soon" and that she kept her silence out of "civility".[28][4][29]

It was also made known that Ryan Tan had tried to resign as NOC's director in May 2021 and was not involved with the company's management since then.[18][30][31] However, due to the allegations, Tan resumed his director role.[31] The anonymous Instagram account @sgcickenrice was later revealed to be created by Brandon Mah, an influencer who felt that he had to speak out for NOC employees.[32][33]

Notes[]

  1. ^ The channel achieved 1 million subscribers at least from 23 July 2020 onwards,[3] before a drop in subscriber count due to workplace allegations that surfaced in October 2021.[4]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "About Night Owl Cinematics". YouTube.
  2. ^ "Ryan Sylvia YouTube Stats & Analytics Dashboard - Influenex". www.influenex.com.
  3. ^ "Night Owl Cinematics Instagram celebratory post on achieving 1 million subscribers". 23 July 2020.
  4. ^ a b "MOM: TAFEP 'currently in touch' with NOC to look into allegations of workplace harassment, withheld salaries". mothership.sg. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  5. ^ "How Night Owl Cinematics' Ryan and Sylvia became Singapore's YouTube power couple". Today. 15 December 2015. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  6. ^ a b "We Got A Divorce". Archived from the original on 6 July 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  7. ^ Ryan Sylvia (9 April 2016), Draw My Life - Ryan Sylvia, archived from the original on 19 May 2019, retrieved 19 October 2017
  8. ^ Lim, Patrick John (16 May 2016). "'Advantageous being a millenial': Young entrepreneurs on Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia list". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Do Singaporean girlfriends behave like this?". sg.entertainment.yahoo.com. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  10. ^ "An Interview With Ryan And Sylvia Of Night Owl Cinematics (Part 2)". Teenage Magazine. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  11. ^ Tham, Raymond (15 December 2015). "Q&A with Night Owl Cinematics' Ryan and Sylvia". Today. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  12. ^ "Singaporean YouTube stars make their mark online and offline". The Straits Times. 13 April 2014. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  13. ^ "30 Under 30 2016 Asia: Media, Marketing & Advertising". Forbes. Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  14. ^ "NOC's Sylvia Chan accused of verbally abusing employees, fostering toxic workplace culture". mothership.sg. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  15. ^ "Night Owl Cinematics called out for 'toxic' culture and founder's infidelity". Coconuts SG. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Colgate terminates collaboration with NOC's Sylvia Chan after allegations of staff mistreatment". mothership.sg. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  17. ^ Zakaria, Mohammed (11 October 2021). "Night Owl Cinematics hits back at allegations of toxic work culture". Asiaone. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  18. ^ a b "Production firm Night Owl Cinematics calls employee abuse allegations a 'massive' smear campaign". TODAYonline. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  19. ^ "Night Owl Cinematics lawyers up to demand 'malicious attacks' taken down". Coconuts SG. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Sgcickenrice responds to NOC threats by hiring top Singapore lawyer". Coconuts SG. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  21. ^ Lee, Jan (13 October 2021). "Night Owl Cinematics' Sylvia Chan says sorry for 'harsh' language after being accused of bullying". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  22. ^ "NOC's Samantha Tan Points Out Inaccuracies In Sylvia Chan's Apology, Asks For "Support For Upcoming GoFundMe"". TODAYonline. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  23. ^ Lay, Belmont (15 October 2021). "Night Owl Cinematics office in Yishun up for sale for S$1.1 million". Mothership. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  24. ^ "New allegations of workplace abuse against NOC's Sylvia Chan from purported current and former employees". AsiaOne. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  25. ^ Team, The Must Share News (19 October 2021). "NOC Staff Break Silence On Alleged Mistreatment, Seek Accountability From CEO Sylvia". Must Share News - Independent News For Singaporeans. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  26. ^ "#EndTheSilence: Speaking Up About NOC Sylvia's Alleged Crimes". The Crowd Review. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  27. ^ a b Lay, Belmont (20 October 2021). "Calls to cancel NOC's Sylvia Chan grow after fresh allegations of workplace abuse surface". mothership.sg. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  28. ^ "Police, MOM looking into allegations against Night Owl Cinematics". AsiaOne. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  29. ^ "NOC's Sylvia Chan files police reports over death threats, sex video; separate report lodged against her". TODAYonline. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  30. ^ O, Hana (16 October 2021). "Co-founder Ryan Tan surprised that NOC office being sold for S$1.1 million". The Independent Singapore News. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  31. ^ a b "NOC's Ryan apologises for insensitive remarks on talents, reveals ongoing legal dispute between him & Sylvia". mothership.sg. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  32. ^ "'I found myself becoming a pawn': Sgcickenrice admin who sparked NOC saga reveals himself". AsiaOne. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  33. ^ "Sgcickenrice admin who triggered NOC saga reveals himself". sg.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 30 October 2021.

External links[]

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