Zhang Zhao, the former CEO and executive director of LeTV Pictures, passed away at the age of 58. Zhang Yimou, who had collaborated with him many times, posted condolences through the studio. Chen Sicheng, Wang Changtian, Chen Jiashang and others also posted condolences. Zhang Zhao founded Enlight Pictures and LeTV Pictures successively. After leading LeTV Pictures out of its darkest moment, he joined Fuxing Group, promoting the development of fan films and the process of Chinese film industrialization. He has served as the producer of many well-known films. , including Zhang Yimou's "The Return", "The Great Wall", "Shadow" and Guo Jingming's "Tiny Times" series, and is considered one of the most influential figures in the Chinese film industry.
Let’s take a look at Zhang Zhao’s personal achievements in my country’s film industry. Every node has promoted the further development of the domestic film and television industry. In 1993, the 31-year-old Zhang Zhao decided to study abroad. After many twists and turns, he changed the philosophy major he originally applied for to film production and began a three-year film study. The American system for cultivating film talents pays more attention to the combination of market and practice. Emphasizing the commercial value of movies, he developed an extremely sensitive insight into the movie market. ?In 1996, Zhang Zhao received an invitation from Shanghai Film Group and decided to return to China to pursue his film dream. However, the first film "Space Hijacking" he completed with great joy only received more than 1 million at the box office, and the market was bleak. ?In 2004, Zhang Zhao joined Enlight Media. He and Wang Changtian fought against all opinions and firmly devoted themselves to the film market. Two years later, they established Enlight Pictures. During his tenure at Enlight, he pioneered the "underground" model of film distribution in China. To this day, underground distribution is still an important way to deliver movies to the market. From 2006 to 2010, Enlight Pictures produced and distributed more than 20 commercial films, maintaining a growth rate of 100% for four consecutive years. In 2010, the total annual box office of Chinese movies entered the 10 billion threshold. Enlight Media launched seven films that year to achieve steady growth. As the leading private film company, the film production and distribution segment is the largest source of revenue for Enlight Media to this day. In 2011, the low-cost film "33 Days of Love" became a big hit that year through online marketing. The "Singles' Day" derived from the story content has the value of the times and culture, which inspired Zhang Zhao to link the film with culture and the times. To create the derivative value of content IP, we need to create content that resonates deeply with contemporary people so that the work can carry the echo of the times. Good works will be preserved forever, and movies will also become a way of recording the historical records of human civilization. In 2016, LeTV Pictures also achieved 11 films with over 100 million films. Due to its brilliant performance, LeTV became one of China's leading private films in just five years. Zhang Zhao created the golden era of LeTV Pictures. In June 2019, Zhang Zhao established Jupin Pictures, focusing on film product design. Zhang Zhao puts his vision and development of movies into practice and uses the thinking of a product manager to become a movie producer. He emphasizes the contemporary nature and cultural connotation of movie products, and believes that good products should be industrialized, stable and sustainable. The most important thing is that film products must create derivative value. The core dream of the film industry is to become a medium for cultural brands. Only by breaking the single source of income and establishing a multi-channel revenue model can the value of films be maximized. In December 2020, the company has reserved more than a dozen IPs. Zhang Zhao has a clear plan for the future of Jupin. He strives to maximize the value of IPs, focus on the development of film derivative values, tell Chinese stories and spread Chinese culture well, and do There are new era Chinese movies. Zhang Zhao mentioned in an interview at the end of last year that Jupin will open up the entire industry cycle in three years, produce samples and produce several works in five years, bring film product design to the market, and adapt to the logic of industry development. He proposed the company's specific long-term development strategy.
Jia said, "The first thing that comes to mind is when we were waiting at the New York airport in 2013, when I told him about my ecological dream of smart trams, we both had the same blood. It was him." I named this idea "Project SEE". Thanks to him, I will always remember it. He was born for movies, and all the movie factors flow in his blood. His obsession with movies is admirable. Although his ambition is unfulfilled, I believe he will still chase his dreams and realize his long-cherished wish in heaven.
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Zhang Zhao and Jia met in 2011. Zhang Zhao met Jia for the first time at the Kunlun Hotel in Liangmaqiao. At that time, Jia was vigorously building the LeTV ecosystem, and the film industry was one of them. The two parties had a very pleasant conversation and appreciated each other when they met for the first time. Jia wanted to start a film industry, and Zhang Zhao happened to also want to use the power of the Internet to create "China's Disney". The two hit it off immediately. More importantly, Jia gave Zhang Zhao great freedom and promised that the film industry would be independently listed in the future. This is what Zhang Zhao values ????the most.
So, Zhang Zhao expected that Jia would be kind to him. Even when the negative news about LeTV was overwhelming and the media asked Zhang Zhao what he thought of Jia, he would avoid it. Don't talk about it, never say anything inappropriate about Jia to outsiders.
Zhang Zhao used his dreams as his horse and devoted his life to the film industry. Jia said he was born for movies, and Wang Changtian said he risked everything for movies and created many highlight moments of Chinese movies. He is always wary of blind optimism. As a practitioner with many years of experience, you may be OK in terms of resources, but how can you prevent past successful experiences from becoming an obstacle for you? Experience often becomes a constraint on innovation. It is necessary to get out of the "shadow" of past success and truly grasp the essence of the industry. ?