Ray(Yu) Zhou of Shanghai, Los Angeles on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Ray(Yu) Zhou. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Ray(Yu), thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Who are you learning from right now?
Robert M. Pirsig. I’ve recently been reading his book, Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The book mentions that learning to repair motorcycles while traveling is a unique spiritual practice, which has given me a lot of inspiration in my life and work.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Yu Zhou, though my friends are more accustomed to calling me by my English name, Ray. I’m a freelance director specializing in commercials, films, and short dramas. Currently, I own my own production company, TONG DAO, in Shanghai, China. I graduated from USC in Film Production and traveled back and forth between Shanghai and LA for work.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
This is more like a period of time. It was when I first came to the United States in 2019. For me, who grew up in China, this was the first time I settled in a country with a completely different language and cultural environment. I saw so many talents from all over the world coming here to work in different industries, and this gave me a new perspective on my own life and work. It was a very interesting and challenging stage.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
The thing you fear is often what you should do, and don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
People always say that it is the most important thing for a movie to tell a good story. In fact, it is more important to tell a good sequence. What the audience can always remember is a shot, a moment, not the whole story.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
In addition to my industry work, I also teach film students aged 15 to 17. I enjoy sharing interesting knowledge and stories about film production, and I believe that if they are still in the industry in the future, they will benefit greatly, but this may not pay off until 10 years or even longer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://imdb.me/rayzhou
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayzhou.fm?igsh=MXZjcXViMHRmMHNpbw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
None