Fadi was recently featured in The Focus Magazine for his team's work on the dramatic scene where Brad Pitt's character plummets 80,000 feet to Earth from an antenna that extends outside the planet's atmosphere.

We caught up with Fadi to find out more about what he does and how Humber helped him get there.

What is your current job title and what does that mean on a daily basis?

My current job title is "Tracking and Layout Department Lead" at Mr.X Inc in Toronto, Ontario. The tasks I perform in a day can vary, so here are some of the things that I do:

Lead - I oversee a team of 8 others on a daily basis as part of my duties as lead. I work with them to address any issues or concerns they have, as well as just general supervision, support, and direction.

New Show Setup – I work with the technical leads in the studio to set up new shows. I help ingest the data that’s been given to us by clients and set up the foundation required for each show so they’re ready for our artists to work with. This includes things like dictating render resolutions, color spaces, and software templates.

Interviews – I conduct interviews alongside my manager to scout for potential new hires in the Toronto tracking and layout department.

General Troubleshooting – I work alongside all the artists in my department to help them with any issues they may have. This can be related to the specific shot/show that they’re working on, or it could be one of our proprietary tools that needs bug fixes.

Pipeline Overseeing – I manage and oversee the pipeline for the Tracking and Layout department across all 3 locations. The "pipeline" is the technical term for the proprietary toolsets that allow for the transfer of data from one department to the other. I discuss, oversee and approve any development that affects the data coming into or going out of the tracking and layout team.

Training – Having worked with a team to pioneer the current training system in place for Tracking and Layout, I still oversee the training to this day. New hires for Toronto are seated next to me and get 1-on-1 time as they are introduced to the tools and workflow. Once they’re at a comfortable level, we put them into production. During this phase, they continue to sit next to me so I can oversee their work and troubleshoot any hiccups they may experience.

Shot Work – If there’s nothing from the above list on my plate for that day, I work on individual shots alongside my team.

What was your career path to get where you are now?

My career path after leaving Humber has been fairly single track. I was hired at Mr. X while still in my third year and have been here ever since. I was brought in as an "Entry Level Tracking Artist". Over the years, I was presented with more responsibility and higher-level tasks as my skillset, knowledge, and experience grew.

In the fall of 2017, I worked with my supervisors to restructure and establish an entirely updated training program for new hires in our department. This training has been widely successful. Over 10 artists have gone through it since and almost all are now at a senior level.

In the spring of 2018, I was given the opportunity to travel to India. We opened a branch in Bangalore and I was sent there to train the staff of the tracking and layout department in our proprietary toolsets and workflows. I held live demos, recorded hours of video training documentation, established personal connections and rapport with the individual artists, and continued communication with them afterwards, overseeing their work and progress.

In the fall of 2019, the position for department lead became available and I was presented with the promotion. I’ve been in that role since.

How did your time at Humber prepare you for what you’re doing now?

Humber did a fantastic job of preparation me for my career.

The education I received allowed me to build a portfolio that helped me acquire the position in the first place.

The outreach to former students and industry professionals prepared me by helping set up an in-depth network of resources and contacts. This helped me understand the importance of communication and references. It was a Humber grad I met through this networking that recommended me for the position at Mr. X, helping me secure the job.

Studio tours and guest speakers hosted by the professors gave me insider knowledge about the workings of the industry, and supported everything the instructors were telling us. Humber also helped prepare me with useful pointers on how to set up my demo reel, website, and resume to stand out more than other applicants.

Find out more about Fadi Sara on IMDB and read the articles where he and his team were featured: 

https://www.thefocus.com/news/ad-astra-fall-brad-pitt-mr-x-fall-from-space

https://www.thefocus.com/news/ad-astra-brad-pitt-fall-mr-x-visually-chaotic

What are you doing now and what was your career path to get here?

After gaining valuable experience in all facets of film work, I decided to specialize in Screenwriting and, a few years after graduating, found myself writing and directing my first feature film "Brewster McGee" which was shot on 16mm black and white film. Over the next several years, I continued my filmmaking journey here in Vancouver with my documentary short "Broken Palace" as well as my most recent feature film "A Legacy of Whining" (which I also acted in). I have just completed (along with my Producer/wife Maria) our new documentary "European Tour '73".

Tell us some of your favourite Humber memories.

The memories that I cherish most from my time at Humber are of the many great friendships that I made with my fellow Humber film students and the amazing (and sometimes nerve wracking) moments we spent getting our film projects across the finish line in time!

Also, upon arriving at Humber College, I immediately found the offices of the campus newspaper "The Humber Voice" and became the film critic for the paper for the next three years. This allowed me to received a press pass to cover the Toronto International Film Festival which was enormously exciting ("Hey! Is that Roger Ebert getting on the elevator...!).

How did Humber help you get where you are now?

I think the best thing about studying film at Humber College was how well it prepared me for real life in the film world. Just like in the film business, we had to learn how to exist and get along within a group of fellow crew members and be able to respect and listen to each other's creative ideas and to balance and be productive amongst all the different personalities and viewpoints involved. Also, the course's expectation of having us learn all the different functions and duties in the film world gave us a very well-rounded and valuable opportunity for some incredible hands-on learning.

Share a tip for upcoming filmmakers.

I think it's important for potential filmmakers to get a solid understanding of their craft - whether it's going to film school or learning online or especially going to as many movies as possible - that's key. When I went to Humber, I used to jump on a bus downtown almost everyday after class and see as many movies as I could (they used to have a collection of very cool repertory movie houses that featured amazing film titles from North America and around the world!).

Also, I think it shouldn't be overlooked just how important it is for filmmakers to get out and meet as many like-minded individuals as possible (yes, that dreaded word "networking"!). Making a film is a social experiment at all times and you will need as many people pulling in the same direction as you as possible. Get out of your comfort zone and start being part of your chosen community! Help other filmmakers on their sets, support other filmmakers and creatives - the love will make its way back to you!

Watch the trailers for Ross's films "A Legacy of Whining" and "European Tour '73".

What are you doing now and what was your career path to get here?

After gaining valuable experience in all facets of film work, I decided to specialize in Screenwriting and, a few years after graduating, found myself writing and directing my first feature film "Brewster McGee" which was shot on 16mm black and white film. Over the next several years, I continued my filmmaking journey here in Vancouver with my documentary short "Broken Palace" as well as my most recent feature film "A Legacy of Whining" (which I also acted in). I have just completed (along with my Producer/wife Maria) our new documentary "European Tour '73".

Tell us some of your favourite Humber memories.

The memories that I cherish most from my time at Humber are of the many great friendships that I made with my fellow Humber film students and the amazing (and sometimes nerve wracking) moments we spent getting our film projects across the finish line in time!

Also, upon arriving at Humber College, I immediately found the offices of the campus newspaper "The Humber Voice" and became the film critic for the paper for the next three years. This allowed me to received a press pass to cover the Toronto International Film Festival which was enormously exciting ("Hey! Is that Roger Ebert getting on the elevator...!).

How did Humber help you get where you are now?

I think the best thing about studying film at Humber College was how well it prepared me for real life in the film world. Just like in the film business, we had to learn how to exist and get along within a group of fellow crew members and be able to respect and listen to each other's creative ideas and to balance and be productive amongst all the different personalities and viewpoints involved. Also, the course's expectation of having us learn all the different functions and duties in the film world gave us a very well-rounded and valuable opportunity for some incredible hands-on learning.

Share a tip for upcoming filmmakers.

I think it's important for potential filmmakers to get a solid understanding of their craft - whether it's going to film school or learning online or especially going to as many movies as possible - that's key. When I went to Humber, I used to jump on a bus downtown almost everyday after class and see as many movies as I could (they used to have a collection of very cool repertory movie houses that featured amazing film titles from North America and around the world!).

Also, I think it shouldn't be overlooked just how important it is for filmmakers to get out and meet as many like-minded individuals as possible (yes, that dreaded word "networking"!). Making a film is a social experiment at all times and you will need as many people pulling in the same direction as you as possible. Get out of your comfort zone and start being part of your chosen community! Help other filmmakers on their sets, support other filmmakers and creatives - the love will make its way back to you!

Watch the trailers for Ross's films "A Legacy of Whining" and "European Tour '73".

Keisha graduated from Humber's Film & Media Production Program in 2018 and we caught up with her to find out more about the project.

Your work is prominently displayed at Dundas station in Toronto. Tell us more.

This is the end result of a year-long artist residency with VIBE Arts and RBC called "Desire Lines". VIBE is a non-profit organization delivering free arts education workshops to marginalized youth across the GTA, and as one of the emerging artists on the roster I was incredibly happy to be a part of this project. I produced a short film, the stills of which are being displayed alongside my headshot and poster on the TTC Pattison panels for one month in Dundas station.

Along with that, I am currently working on my next short film, which is being produced through another program at VIBE. I am an artist in the NExT program, which is a mentorship opportunity specifically for young, Black artists. I will be filming my project next month, which will then be exhibited at a gallery with an opening reception sometime in March.

What other projects have you worked on since leaving Humber?

I produced a short documentary/proof of concept for a future, longer film; I applied for and received a grant from ArtReach for a project I will be running this summer involving workshops and a gallery; and in general have been planning my next film projects.

I also work as a freelancer, so I have continued to do freelance editing and filming since graduation, as well as working as a contract facilitator at some non-profits in the city, as I am passionate about working with and mentoring youth through arts education opportunities.

How did your time at Humber prepare you for what you’re doing now?

I made some of my closest friends while at Humber, and I still work with my crew today. It feels good to be able to collaborate with each other outside of the school setting, and it's great when I'm able to pick who I want to work with.

Photo credit: Aniqa Rahman.

Find out more about Keisha at @keishajamesvideo and @thebrokegallery on Instagram. Her current project is on Instagram at @wtdtyfilm. You can also read more about the VIBE Arts projects here:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/12/27/vibe-arts-brings-emerging-artists-work-to-ttc-subway-stations.html
https://www.toronto.com/news-story/9781496-vibe-arts-brings-emerging-artists-work-to-ttc-subway-stations/

In the article, he discusses how video game players are real athletes and describes SMSIT’s Game Lab, outfitted with super-fast computers and ergonomic chairs.

Read the full article (note, the article is written in French).

The event was a live demo for Relic Raiders, a new indie game made by local Toronto developers, which will be released in late October.

Microsoft provided high-end laptops for students to play the game on. After playing the game, students were invited to provide feedback to on-site representatives. The event was a huge success, with over 400 students from all Humber faculties coming to play the game.

The event was also a major networking opportunity for Game Programming students from all years, but especially our third-year students. These students had the chance to connect with an upcoming local developer and to interact with a professional-grade Beta about to go through its final polish, as well as the opportunity to provide feedback and thoughts on how to further improve the game's design.

Overall, Microsoft was overjoyed with how the event turned out and is extremely interested in doing more of these events on an even larger scale.