Mitsufumi Okamoto has a simple strategy for building his career: “Say yes.”

Since graduating from SAIT’s Film and Video Production program in 2025, he has said “yes” to a variety of gigs including commercial production, indie filmmaking and, his biggest “yes” so far, a golden opportunity at SAIT’s Green Building Technology Access Centre. He’s on call as their one-person video production company.

“Every time the Green Building program needs a video for students, faculty and industry partners, I’m their guy,” says Okamoto.

“My favourite projects are videos about buildings undergoing upgrading. For example, we went up to Edmonton where a company was doing a complete top-to-bottom renovation of a house from the 1950s. They kept the structure but upgraded everything else, adding more insulation and installing bigger windows to let in light and keep the house warmer.

“I followed our faculty and industry partners around as they explained the improvements. I did all the shooting, all the sound and lighting, and conducted interviews. Then I produced a video for distribution to a variety of audiences, providing students with a tour of a real green building worksite without having to take the class up to Edmonton.”

Creating, not fixing

Okamoto is also called upon to record lectures and presentations. He sets up three cameras and sound equipment, records it all, then edits the video files and adds graphics. SAIT uploads the final product for viewing.

“As well as supporting SAIT, I’m learning a lot about green building methods,” Okamoto says with a smile. “All this is going to come in handy next time we decide to renovate.”

Okamoto arrived at SAIT as a mature student in his 30s. “We had been living on Vancouver Island where I worked in the food service industry and played bass in a band. My wife, daughter and I moved to Calgary where it’s more affordable to live. I also wanted to upgrade my education. I looked at my options at SAIT with an eye to the trades, but my wife pointed out, ‘You're a creative person, not a fixing person,’ and she was right. That’s why I landed on film and video production.”

While his SAIT contract keeps him busy, he is expanding his network in the local film industry. Okamoto works regularly as a production assistant on commercials. “That’s more on-the-job learning where I have my hands on all aspects of a project, from building sets to sound recording — even paperwork. It’s an extension of what I learned in my SAIT classes.”

A lock on the future

One of his favourite gigs is sound for an independent production company.

“I work in post-production. They send me 'locked' film — the final edited version — and I fix up the sound, adding sound effects or improving the clarity. Whatever needs to be done. This is one of my favourite jobs and it’s where I hope to take my career. I would love to be a movie sound person full time including recording on set.”

Okamoto’s “yes” philosophy also applies to his passion for music and has helped to grow his professional network. He noticed one of his favourite Japanese rock bands — Otoboke Beaver — was coming to Calgary’s 2025 Sled Island festival. Tickets were sold out. What’s a music fan to do?

“I noticed the director of the festival was on LinkedIn, so I followed her and was followed back. Then I sent a message, ‘Any chance I can volunteer?’ The response came, ‘Sure, we need a driver for the band and a Japanese-speaking one would be an asset.’ It became a great way to connect with a great band.”

And that’s proof positive of the benefits of taking chances and saying “Yes.”