Today we’d like to introduce you to Fassa Sar.
Hi Fassa, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Originally from Berkeley, California. I graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a Bachelor’s in Political Science and Film, Television, Media studies. My childhood dream was to become a lawyer, move to Washington, D.C. and become a Congresswoman one day. I thought back to my teenage years protesting and community organizing in the Bay Area and thought pursuing a career in national politics would be similar. But, by the end of my summer internship working for a Congressman in Washington D.C, I quickly realized it wasn’t the path for me.
Instead, I began gravitating toward the film and television industry. I observed how minds transformed after watching movies like Coco and Black Panther. I felt compelled to support creators in building their own narratives that entertained but also shifted people’s perspectives about the world around them.
I interned at companies like United Talent Agency and Variety Magazine until I landed at Sony Pictures as an intern. I quickly climbed the ranks after university, which led me to Acquisitions & Creative Development. I became the youngest executive for Sony Pictures in its 100-year history. I worked on various film acquisitions, including Searching starring John Cho, and Broken Hearts Gallery whose executive producer is Selena Gomez.
During my time as a Film Executive, I witnessed the overwhelming barriers to entry for people looking for creative support and funding opportunities—especially for women and people of color directing studio-caliber films. They were vastly underrepresented during distribution. These obstacles prevented millions from even getting started. Many people have brilliant ideas—but lack the network, team, and guidance to actually turn those ideas into reality.
In 2022, I became a Fulbright Scholar selected to receive a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship specializing in Technology in London. I made the difficult decision to leave Sony Pictures and move to London for the program. During my time in London, I came together with my Co-Founder, Sabrina Verduzco, expanded our team, and built CALLO – the only digital platform for collaborators in media and entertainment.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There is something in the Los Angles air—where the low moments make you want to hustle even harder. I struggled early on in my career with self-doubt and imposter syndrome. When people told me I would never have the opportunity to work in the industry because I ‘didn’t come from this world,’ despite having a degree in Film and Television Studies or that I needed a Master’s degree to work in Film Acquisitions. Or questioned how I became an Executive at 24 at a major studio. In retrospect, I knew I didn’t want to just be the exception, I wanted to change the rules entirely.
Building a tech startup comes with its own struggles of getting 100 no’s before getting the first ‘yes.’ It would be cliché to say I get it from my mother, but I honestly do. I grew up in a single-parent household with a resilient and strong female figure to look up to. She is also a tech entrepreneur with her own business. I continue to learn a lot while watching her launch her company.
I think many have to be delusional to decide to be in entertainment or become an entrepreneur—intentionally choosing not to take the safe path comes with many bumps in the road, but I’d like to say it’s usually worth it.
We’ve been impressed with CALLO, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Finding collaborators for creative projects can take months to years because not enough people have access to the right connections: producers, financiers, and talent agencies, for example. No easy way exists to find connections that lead to great collaborations for projects.
Our platform connects collaborators for project development through proprietary, AI-driven technology and provides the resources needed for a project’s lifecycle. From the most ambitious creators to established production companies across the globe, CALLO creates a digital space to bring projects to life: films, shows, podcasts, and beyond.
Our number one mission is to help people find their creative soulmates. By focusing on creative taste, needs, and past projects, we make recommendations for potential collaborators so that great projects can be built sooner.
We are a team of media and entertainment professionals & digital nomads from companies such as Sony, Netflix, Spotify, and Web3 who experienced the fragmented, outdated, and inaccessible nature of content creation first-hand. CALLO launches in early 2023, with exciting production company partners that will be announced soon.
In the meantime, we are forming a curation committee—a group of 20 or so individuals (directors, writers, execs, music artists/performers in LA/NYC/London) to help decide who should be on CALLO during its first iteration in 2023. There has been an overwhelming response to our waitlist for early subscriptions, which can be found on our website.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
What’s so exciting about the future of entertainment is how much of the industry is still ripe for innovation beyond Netflix or CGI. From how quickly we can find collaborators for a film project anywhere in the world to selling a script as quickly as signing a DocuSign to digital assistants supporting producers in their decision-making. CALLO is ready to disrupt an entire industry.
A significant conversation is happening around the ‘future of work,’ which includes building creative projects. For the media and entertainment industry to keep up with audience consumption and content demands, we must streamline the way projects are developed globally. We will see a digital revolution across the business of entertainment.
Contact Info:
- Website: wearecallo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearecallo/
