Journal & Articles

The definition for entertainment and recreation business is broad. It can be a fishing farm or a Kelong where you can fish for prawns; a karaoke lounge or nightclub; or a miniature golf park and more. If you are interested in starting such a business , you will have to first:

1. Register your business first with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore (ACRA). Your business must register as a sole proprietorship, partnership or a private limited company.

2. Secure a premise for your business. The premise has to be zoned for commercial use and approved for entertainment and/or recreation use by URA.

Securing a Premise

Once you have secured a space, do make sure that it is current on building codes and fire safety measures. If the existing premise is not set up to accommodate an entertainment or recreation establishment, you can discuss with the landlord to apply for a Change of Use with the Urban Redevelopment Board. Depending on the type of recreation or entertainment business you plan to have, the facility may or may not have stringent guidelines in the design and layout, so it will be worthwhile for you to do the research for the specific entertainment or recreation business you intend to set up to avoid rejection when inspected.

Any major renovation of the premise requires an application for a building work permit through Building and Construction Authority of Singapore (BCA). When the building works are complete, you will also need to obtain from BCA: a Certificate of Statutory Completion and/or a Temporary Occupation Permit before you can occupy the space. All renovation works are to be performed by certified or licensed contractors including architects. A business signage that is to be placed on the building will require an application of an Advertisement License from BCA. You will also need a Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) prior to occupying the building. You can obtain an FSC from Singapore Civil Defense Force through a registered architect or engineer.

Additional Licenses & Permits

Depending on the type of business and how you plan to set up the premise, you may or may not need the following licenses and permits:

1. Two licenses are required to play recorded, copyrighted music on your business premise. You will need to apply for a Public Entertainment License from Singapore Police Force (SPF) and a Copyright License from the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore.
2. If you plan to have TV, you will need to apply for a Non-residential TV License from Media Development Authority for each TV or broadcast devise on your premise. Playing of music or Karaoke videos requires a license from the Recording Industry Performance Singapore.

Thievery is alive and well in Hollywood. The glamorization of crime invariably tickles the curiosity of the public. Criminals have been portrayed as exciting, daring and cunning tantamount to hero status. They are the risk takers who should not be completely judged upon their criminal expression but rather looked at as individuals with some merit. They are cast sympathetically as their relationships are examined and ultimately lend credence to the justification, in their minds, of the criminal choices they have made. But worst of all, they are often shown as being ‘cool’, even as they hurdle towards the death of their freedom.

Take, for example, the jewelry or art thief. Movies like the Italian Job, the Score and Ocean’s Eleven display criminals as generally model citizens, other than when they are committing crimes. There may be such criminals but are they so suave in their real lives? Are they seemingly morally upright in their relationships with others? Are they really just good guys who happen to commit crimes? In real life the majority of criminals are not suave, cool or sympathetic figures. They are cutthroat, ruthless and to a degree, sociopathic. Mob figures are the best example of the paradox between the glamorization of criminal life and reality of criminal behavior.

All agree that the Soprano’s, a show about mob life in New Jersey, is a great show. The production value is high, the actors are skilled and the plot lines are well conceived. People get whacked, money gets laundered and criminals get promoted for good work. Yet, in order for the audience to tune in every week they must connect with the characters. Hence, the boss of the family, Tony Soprano is shown as a father, a husband and as attempting to improve his relationships with the outside world by visiting a therapist. This is a ploy to create sympathy for a ruthless murdering crime boss. And it works, as the Sopranos is a hit. What then are the real criminals doing?

True mob figures don’t give a damn about the outside world. Their loyalty lies with their crime families. They lie, cheat and murder for riches and would stomp on the average person, literally, to further their gains. A true jewelry thief is usually a two bit criminal who robs the local family owned jewelry store, as can be verified by FBI criminal statistics. Real criminal life is fraught with betrayal, pain and stints in prison. Most criminals are caught at some point with over 13 million arrests made in the US in 2005 alone, according to the FBI.

The business side of Hollywood is reactionary in nature. The glamorization of criminal life is partly in response to a demand by the public. Interest in stylized underworld figures comes from a public perhaps bored with their average daily existence. The idea that there are people who survive in a world where they ignore the law, fascinates us. But when the glamour is shaken off, and the dust clears, there is only an empty fancy suit left, where a thief once stood.