Former Disney animator Zhang Shaofu's game-making journey

"No matter what, I'll get it done. I don't care what stands in my way. Even if there's only a 1% chance, I'll find a way to seize it," said Zhang Shaofu as he reflected on the challenges he has faced throughout his career in animation and game development.

Born in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Zhang spent much of his childhood away from his homeland. At the age of five, he moved to the United States with his family, which left him with fewer opportunities than many of his peers in China to immerse himself in Chinese history and culture during his formative years.

He developed an interest in filmmaking as a child. Like many boys his age, he enjoyed playing video games and building with LEGO, but he was also fascinated by modeling clay. He would sculpt dinosaurs out of playdough and use his father's camera to photograph them frame by frame, creating his own simple animations.

He majored in filmmaking as an undergraduate and did not begin learning animation until graduate school. Starting later than many of his classmates, he considered himself a slow learner.

"At the time, I saw my classmates as animation geniuses. I spent up to 12 hours a day studying and practicing, yet no matter how hard I worked, my progress felt painfully slow," Zhang said.

The challenges were so overwhelming that he considered giving up. But his perspective changed when he joined an extracurricular animation program taught by a veteran Pixar animator, an experience that reignited his passion and confidence.

"I wasn't one of those people who knew from an early age that they wanted to be an animator and spent their childhood preparing for it," Zhang recalled. "I felt I could never catch up with them. But Michael taught me that what matters most is having a great idea and strong design."

Following three years at Sony Pictures Animation, Zhang went on to join Walt Disney Animation Studios, widely regarded as the pinnacle of the animation industry. After working on acclaimed films including Big Hero 6, Zootopia and Moana, he chose to leave Disney and pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions by founding his own company, Taiko Studios.

Why? After moving to the US, it wasn't until 2010 that Zhang had his first real opportunity to return to China. He realized that China is truly very different from the US and that there are so many opportunities here.

"It started to feel like coming home," Zhang recalled. "I wanted to build a Chinese animation studio and use what I had learned at Disney to help support Chinese animation."

Zhang and his founding partners, including Andrew Chesworth and Bobby Pontillas, wanted to create a story about a young girl determined to reach the stars. That vision became "One Small Step," an animated short about chasing dreams against all odds.

Some elements of the story were inspired by Zhang's own childhood in the US. Shortly after his family immigrated, his mother opened a tailor shop to help support the household. Zhang transformed that memory into the character of Chu, Luna's father, who supports his daughter's dream of becoming an astronaut by running a shoe repair business out of his garage.

"I believe writers should write what they know. I think that's often about family," Zhang said. "If something feels real to me, others will feel the same way, like they've experienced something similar."

"One Small Step" has won over 200 awards at international film festivals, including a nomination for Best Short Film at the 90th Academy Awards.

The success of "One Small Step" was followed by other animated projects, such as "Pangu" and "Fu," both of which draw inspiration from Chinese history, mythology and culture.

As he worked on these projects, Zhang also immersed himself in the study of traditional Chinese culture. Having grown up in the US, he was not deeply familiar with China's cultural heritage. Through these projects, however, he watched numerous Chinese films and explored a wide range of mythological stories. The more he learned, the more he felt that China's over 5,000 years of history offered an endless wealth of profound and compelling stories waiting to be told.

Reflecting on China's rich cultural heritage, Zhang recalled "Journey to the West" – one of the country's most beloved classics – as his favorite childhood story. Later, as he explored the deeper layers of Chinese mythology, a new figure captured his attention: the demon hunter, Zhong Kui.

"At the beginning, Zhong Kui's story is one of tragedy and failure. But after he transitions from the human world to the underworld, he is given a second chance. That became the foundation of our inspiration – to develop him into a more complex character and reimagine this traditional figure and his story for a modern audience," Zhang explained, describing why he chose Zhong Kui as the central character of his video game.

Yet the challenge extends beyond storytelling. The gaming industry is fiercely competitive, both in China and globally. New titles are launched almost every week across a wide range of genres, making it increasingly difficult for any new game to stand out and secure its place in the market. For Zhang and his team, carving out space for their latest project is no easy task.

"I'm responsible for both the production and creative direction of our project," Zhang said. "That means I provide feedback on nearly everything, from visual design to gameplay. Approving levels and other key creative decisions is also part of my job."

Beyond the creative process, Zhang must also tackle a constant stream of challenges, ranging from technical hurdles to staffing issues. As soon as one problem is solved, another seems to take its place.

"But we never let any of that get in the way of our dreams and our goals. No matter what, I'll get it done," Zhang said firmly.

For Zhang, whether through animation or gaming, the mission is unwavering: take every chance, push through every difficulty and never stop striving for excellence.