In 1987, Tariq Ali, a young geek fascinated by metal bands’ artwork and comics, decided to watch a documentary on the Making Of Star Wars. In one segment, Tariq witnessed a giant man (who he later learned was Phil Tippet, the Visual-Effects director for Star Wars) animating an AT-AT DESTROYER. Years later, Tariq joined The Higher Cinema Institute of Egypt and majored in Animation & filmmaking, graduating with an honor roll A+.
Tariq worked in every field, from painting walls in schoolyards, costume design for child plays, graphic design, and book cover illustrations until he was lucky to join one of the most prestigious film and post-production companies in the region, “ELIXIR.” Afterward, he was hired by Sesame Workshop New York / Jim Hanson Company as a freelance illustrator. Tariq then became a full-time employee with their local studio handling sesame street Pan-Arab “Alam- Simsim.”
In 2006/2007, he joined “Hawa LTD.” as a consultant for the launch of a local channel, “Otv.” Still, he didn’t know what he was doing with his degree in filmmaking and Animation till he reached 25. Then… Boom! He remembered Phil Tippit. Tariq instantly discovered his “dream job.” He took a leap of faith and founded one of the first boutique animation studios in the region “Zanad,” the premiere animation Studio in Egypt and the Middle East.
From 2011 – 2016 Tariq was a guest lecturer at the GUC/AUC and became an Adjunct faculty member in Animation at the American University in Cairo from 2016-2018.
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