Teddy Zee
[Mentor]
Producer & Entertainment, Media & Technology Executive
Teddy Zee is one of the most visible champions of Asians in Hollywood. The films Zee produced and supervised have amassed over $2.5 billion in revenue. He served as Executive Vice President at Columbia Pictures, Senior Vice President at Paramount Pictures, President of Sony-based Overbrook Films, President of Fox-based Davis Entertainment, and now under the banner of Teddy Zee Productions. In addition to film and entertainment, Zee has built an active consulting and advisory practice that that spans media, technology and commerce while bridging Hollywood with China and Asia.
Zee is currently advising MeiTu on their expansion plans in the US and Latin America. The Chinese photo and video app company has over 1.1 billion users and their short-form video platform Meipai has more than 100 million users after debuting in May 2014. In partnership with strategic marketing agency memBrain, they will launch Pop Forum: Shanghai for GSMA at Mobile World Congress: Shanghai in July 2015. The event is poised to attract over 30,000 attendees from around the world.
Zee serves as Consultant for Novitaz, a company with patented software that enables in-store ad networks for retailers; Advisor for Channel Factory, an ad tech start-up that helps brands and content owners reach, build and engage target audiences; Advisor for ThinOptics, a startup that delivers lightweight and durable reading glasses that store on the back of smartphone cases; Advisor for mobile app template developer Veam; Advisor for Ooyala, a leading online video platform company acquired by Telstra; and Mentor/Advisor for startups associated with the Korean incubator SparkLabs. Zee served as Head of Creative, Mobile Technologies Division for Rambus. They acquired Silicon Valley interactive media start-up Mozaik Multimedia, where Zee held the post of Chief Creative Officer.
For the third year, Zee will serve as guest programmer for the Shanghai TV Festival. In partnership with Star J Entertainment, Zee optioned the Korean remake rights to Israel’s Prisoner of War, which was the basis for the hit series Homeland. Zee managed a successful marketing, promotions and licensing collaboration between Chinese fashion retailer Semir and Marvel Studios on Iron Man 2.
He was executive producer/consultant on Quantum Quest, a 3-D, CGI animated film for Taiwan’s Digimax in cooperation with NASA and Jet Propulsion Lab. Zee executive produced Mashbox for Myx TV, which was nominated for the NAMIC Vision Awards 2013 in the category of Digital Media – Long Form. He also supported Japanese pop star Jin Akanishi’s US debut in 2012 by executive producing the web series Jin Akanishi: The Takeover.
Zee was Executive Producer of Pursuit of Happyness, a Columbia Pictures film featuring Will Smith that earned $300 million in worldwide ticket sales. Zee produced West 32nd for Korea’s CJ Entertainment. The movie was selected for World Narrative Competition at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. Zee produced Hitch, a Columbia Pictures release that earned over $365 million in worldwide box office sales. He also produced Saving Face starring Joan Chen, an official selection for the Sundance and Toronto Film Festivals. As President of Davis Entertainment, Zee was the Executive Producer of Life or Something Like It, a New Regency release starring Angelina Jolie. Zee was executive producer of the Asian Excellence Awards that was broadcast on E! and AZN-TV to 100 million homes in the US.
As Executive Vice President of Production at Columbia Pictures, Zee oversaw such films as Anaconda, Cable Guy, Devil’s Own, First Knight, Fools Rush In, Hero, Mo Money, My Girl, and Sleepwalkers. Charlie’s Angels grossed $264 million worldwide and spawned a sequel. Zee championed Chow Yun Fat’s Hollywood debut in Replacement Killers. As Senior VP of Productions at Paramount Pictures, he shepherded such films as Cousins, Indecent Proposal, Presidio and Star Trek VI.
Zee earned an MBA from Harvard University and a BS from Cornell University. He is a member of: Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (Oscars), Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Emmys) and Producers Guild of America. With Committee of 100, he co-founded the Leadership and Mentoring Program. Zee serves on the Board of Directors for Koreatown Youth + Community Center in Los Angeles.