February 12, 2025
Chaza Saeed

Chaza Saeed, Partner and Executive Producer at Toast Films is highly passionate and dedicated when it comes to producing commercials. Founded with her brother, Toast Films is a reflection of Chaza’s creativity and what she loves doing the most. With her expertise in film and a long-standing career in production, Toast Films offers full end-to-end film and photography services to global brands and advertising agencies.

Till date, Toast Films has collaborated with global and regional clients including adidas, Mercedes, Porsche, Memo Paris, Enoc, Aldar, Riot Games, Hardee’s, MAF, and Sky Sports. In this insightful session, Chaza speaks about the inception of her business and the challenges she faced in this field, shares her vision for the company, and her take on the impact of technological advancements in the creative production industry.

Spark Behind The Beginning

We started the interview by asking, “What motivated you to take on your current role, and how has it shaped your career?”

Chaza Saeed shared, “I never really had the goal to start my own business, it’s something I always thought I’d avoid. Because I felt that once I venture on that path, all that comes with establishing a new company would take away from the time and energy I could be spending producing commercials; which is ultimately what I want to do and enjoy doing the most.

I decided to launch Toast Films in 2021 after having worked in production for 6 years; at that point, I had felt a strong urge to set my own identity to my productions and create something that I could call my own. Learning to focus on various aspects of growing a business while also enjoying my producer role has been such a fun challenge.”

Career-Defining Moments

We were interested to learn more about the events that inspired Chaza to shape her current career path. So, we asked, “Can you share a moment when you took a big risk in your career and what you learned from it?”

Chaza Saeed responded, “I have always been someone who ‘plays it safe.’ I like my routine and stability, and I like being able to project where my life could be heading in the next few years. Launching a new company in what is already a highly competitive industry in a fast-moving environment could be disruptive to that stability.

I’ve learned to focus on the ongoing journey instead, and that has allowed me to think more clearly about what my immediate goals are, which eventually manifest themselves into long-term goals. Thankfully, I’ve had the support of my business partner (and brother) Wisam, who played a massive role in the induction of Toast Films.”

Ethics At Business

To understand the values that guide Chaza in her professional life, we asked, “What’s a major principle or value that guides your work every day?”

Her answer was a straightforward one, “Passion and sincerity.”

Driving Change And Creating An Impact

We further asked, “Can you tell us about a project or initiative that has been particularly meaningful to you?”

adidas

That would be our latest production for adidas Arabia; we produced a spot that is part of a broader global campaign. It was particularly meaningful because I’ve always been a big fan of the creative work they do at adidas, and because the nature of the creative itself required an approach akin to that of a short film; with a focus on acting, dialogue, and subtleties. It was such a pleasure to partner up with the team at MC Saatchi Sport & Entertainment; everyone who contributed to the project felt very connected to it and its potential, and that commitment translated into a fantastic energy on set.” She reflected.

Adaptability To Digital Advancements

Amidst fast-paced digital transformation, adapting to the latest changes ensures staying ahead of the curve. So, we asked, “What are your thoughts on adapting to AI in the current Business Landscape?”

Chaza Saeed mentioned, “This has been a bit of a tough one for me. The rise of AI made me very nervous at first as I’m sure it did to many people, mainly because I felt relying on AI could really strip away from our process as creatives. I like the thought of taking on a challenge and the process of digging for solutions and new methods, and I worried that we’d become more reliant on a technological tool rather than our own abilities.  

However, innovation is an integral part of any industry, and to remain relevant and competitive, it’s best to embrace and adapt. It could be really transformative once you open up your mind to the possibilities and I’m very keen to inject some AI in my future projects – when needed.

Overcoming Major Challenges

Challenges are a part of every business journey. We were interested to learn how Chaza overcame such phases. So, we asked, “Tell us about a challenge you’ve faced, and how did you navigate it?”

I think it’s understanding that every client has a different priority when selecting their production partner. The pitching process can be quite systematic, but I’ve had to learn that with every different pitch, you’re presented with a new opportunity to get to know your client and understand where their priorities lie. There is no one set formula.” She asserted.

Leading With A Clear Vision

Being a business leader demands a lot of passion and dedication. We asked, “What do you believe is the most important quality for a leader in today’s world?”

Chaza replied, “Having a very clear understanding of what your end goal is. When you have a clear vision of what it is you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and how you plan to do it, it becomes harder to get lost in the outside noise.”

Envisioning The Future, We asked Chaza Saeed

To learn about Chaza’s future goals for her company, we inquired, “If you could achieve one major goal for your company in the next year, what would it be?”

Chaza Saeed replied, “An immediate goal is to produce more automotive commercials, that’s my soft spot. However, the major end goal would simply be to establish Toast Films as a top player in the creative production field.”

Follow Chaza Saeed on LinkedIn.

Find Toast Films on LinkedIn and visit their website https://toast-films.com/

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