Private Project

The Hacktivist

Celebrity hacker Andrew 'Bunnie' Huang first clashed with US tech giant Microsoft for teaching others how to modify the Xbox. Almost 20 years later, he is suing the US government to push for the right to use and own technology, all while creating hackable hardware with other tech superstars like whistleblower Edward Snowden and firmware hacker Sean Cross.

Bunnie is convinced that, “If you can’t hack what you have, you don’t own it.” This documentary tinkers with the hacker’s mind on issues around transparency and privacy in the hardware world, all while Bunnie dismantles his childhood, his philosophy, and his controversy.

  • Juliana Chan
    Executive Producer
  • Steve Leonard
    Executive Producer
  • Daniel Kuan
    Director
  • Bambby Cheuk
    Producer
    Just A Call Away, Baby Boy, Sea of Fertility
  • Shelley Yip
    Production Manager
  • Bambby Cheuk
    Writer
    Just A Call Away, Baby Boy, Sea of Fertility
  • Oi Keat Lam
    Designers
  • Ajun Chuah
    Designers
  • Regina Lee
    Supporting Producer
    André and His Olive Tree
  • Eric WK Ng
    Director of Photography
    André and His Olive Tree
  • Zavier Ow
    Location Audio
    André and His Olive Tree
  • Keefe Chan
    Camera Assistant
    André and His Olive Tree
  • Andrew Bunnie Huang
    Key Cast
    "Bunnie Huang"
  • Sean Xobs Cross
    Key Cast
    "Sean Cross"
  • Ja-Nae Duane
    Key Cast
    "Ja-Nae Duane"
  • Lee Tien
    Key Cast
    "Lee Tien"
  • Andrew Huang
    Key Cast
    "Andrew Huang"
  • Margaret Huang
    Key Cast
    "Margaret Huang"
  • Hunter Holcombe
    Overseas Support
  • Lucie McCormick
    Overseas Support
  • Edmund Wee
    Audio Engineer
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    35 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 27, 2022
  • Country of Origin:
    Singapore
  • Country of Filming:
    Singapore, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, BMPCC 6K, BMPCC 4K, Go
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Daniel Kuan

Born in Malaysia and based in Singapore with more than six years of experience in video production, Daniel Kuan has created over 200 videos that have garnered millions of views worldwide. He leads the creative direction on set and at the post-production editing stage. He currently works full-time at Wildtype Media, directing their self-owned titles, which include Asia’s Changemakers (featuring science and tech industry professionals) and #AskanExpert (an educational series targeted at youth).

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Director Statement

Today, we fully entrust our lives to tech. Our credit card details, our personal identity numbers, our private conversations and photos, all are 'safely' kept inside our phones and computers. But who said big tech promised to protect us?

When Bunnie spoke out about these issues and enabled the everyday person to be a hacker, we saw an opportunity for hackers to be that bridge between consumers and corporations (or even governments). White hat or gray hat hackers like Bunnie can be third party auditors to control the power that corporations and governments are used to holding.

Through the experiences of our featured hacktivists, our hope is to remind viewers that they have an agency to control the technology they use and not to be a slave to technology. This film is an urgent reminder that we all are active users and not passive consumers of technology.