How to Take Rejection Like a Pro

By Tom Sito

As you begin your career, it is important to know that part of being a professional is knowing how to handle rejection. It never feels good. You always remember the first time you were turned down. While still in college, I applied for a freelance job doing humorous illustrations for a top columnist for Newsweek magazine. When I arrived at his office, I said hello, and he said, “Do you do airbrush?” I said no. His face fell, clearly disappointed, and said,” Well, come in anyway.” I should have left then. The next hour he examined my samples, pausing to correct the spelling on my cartoon captions. Then he sent me off with a “Maybe next time, kid.” I felt awful.

Since then, I’ve come to see rejections as just part of the game — like an out in baseball. You’ll do better next time up. Over the years, I’ve lost as many jobs as I have gotten. Remember a “No” doesn’t mean no forever. It means no this week. A month later conditions can be completely different. It’s not personal, so don’t take it personal. Take good critique, adjust your samples and move on.

All artists deal with insecurity. It takes courage to create something, show it to people and say, “Here. This is good. Give me money.” Some artists never get over their shyness about their work. Disney icon Glen Keane said, “We all feel like posers in this industry no matter how long you’ve been doing it … afraid someone is going to know you don’t really know what you’re doing and boot you out of there.”

Michelangelo once lost a fresco competition to Leonardo. Goya lost a student competition to an artist nobody has heard of today. The judges said of his work, “crude and ugly colors.” The late Illustrator Edward Gorey said he kept one drawer in his desk filled with rejection letters, including some suggesting he seek therapy.

In 1988 when we were completing The Little Mermaid, Charles M. Schulz, the creator of Charlie Brown and Snoopy, visited the Disney studio. He began his talk by recalling when he was young and first looking for work, he applied to Walt Disney. “I got a nice letter back that read, ‘No thank you, but we are only looking for GOOD artists.’”

From the minute you start looking for work as an artist, you will meet people trying to discourage you.

Glen Keane told me, “When I was 19, I

Good Grief: Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz’s drawings were initially rejected by many publications and Disney studios early on his career. took a summer job at Filmation as a layout artist posing characters and designing backgrounds. By the end of the summer my supervisor called me into his office Tom Sito and asked me if I was going back to CalArts. I told him yes and he replied, ‘Good, cause if you weren’t, I’d fire you because you draw like a three-year old!’ I felt horrible that I had failed so miserably in this professional’s eyes. But somewhere deep inside, back when I was nine years old, my dad (cartoonist Bill Keane) planted a seed of confidence in me that couldn’t be extinguished even by such a brutal comment. Dad said, ‘Glen, I’m a cartoonist, you’re an artist.’ Then he gave me a copy of Burne Hogarth’s book Dynamic Anatomy. It was like being knighted. We all need those words of encouragement.“

That same guy rejected me for a job at Filmation, too, and years later not only did I become a director there, I actually got that guy’s office. When I began animating at Walt Disney, I had also applied to Don Bluth Productions, but I got a rejection letter signed by John Pomeroy. Later John and I laughed about it when we were working together on Pocahontas.

I think it is important that at least once in your career you are told that you suck. It builds character. Because proving them wrong gives you a direct goal to achieve. And that makes the achieving all the sweeter. Success does not always go to the most talented or the most well connected. It always goes to the most stubborn. Don’t take no for an answer. Good luck and good hunting!

Tom Sito is an animation veteran, historian and professor at USC. His credits include Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Little Mermaid, Shrek, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Prince of Egypt and The Lion King.

A Decade of Celebrating the Animation Industry

Cape Town International Animation Festival’s director Dianne Makings gives us a sneak peek of the 10th anniversary of the event.

Can you tell us a little bit about your event, which takes place Aug. 24-26? Dianne Makings: CTIAF celebrates its 10th Year in 2022, with a huge variety of animation specific events over three days in Cape Town, South Africa. This forms part of the larger event Fame Week Africa, which also includes the inaugural MIP Africa.

In the August edition CTIAF will have a strong B2B focus for creatives, creative

What makes this festival special and different from other similar events? We are the only dedicated animation festival of this size on the continent. Our main goal is to introduce international guests to our local talent and as a result we are very hands on in helping delegates connect. What is your take on the growing animation scene and talent in S. Africa today? In 2022 we’ve seen an explosion of Triggerfish Academy- productions in SA and studios are Editing Animation growing rapidly. Our larger studios already have international reputations, but there are some smaller studios in the wings that are also creating waves in the industry.

Dianne Makings

chance for us to get to know and work with people from all over the world.”

Ross Lelliot, The Hidden Hand Studio: “The Hidden Hand Studio attended the Cape Town Animation festival for the first time in 2021. We provided the animation for the festival that year. The festival was both lively and informative, we were introduced to many important people in the industry and the ability to network was invaluable. It was a wonderful experience all round and we would definitely love to attend more events in the future.”

Some Testimonials from Exhibitors/Speakers:

Nathan Stanton-Story Trenches

producers and storytellers to connect with agents, distributors and producers interested in co-productions and other creative partnerships.

Emerging creatives and issues of transformation for the industry are top of mind. We have a strong focus on what companies can do to improve their inclusion strategies and a strong focus on female creators of color.

There are also multiple opportunities to pitch projects one-on-one as well as a larger pitching competition with a panel of international judges. Attendees can enjoy screenings, workshops, dedicated networking sessions and a program of creative, producer and technical focused keynotes from Netflix, DNEG and Autodesk. Attendees can also meet with other industry professionals at the CTIAF Pavilion. Simon Bromfield, Autodesk Territory Manager: “We’ve been longtime supporters and fans of the work created by our incredible artists here in South Africa. South Africa has a great pool of talent, and together with our software they have been able to create amazing vfx and animation.”

Yasaman Ford-Script Writing

What types of animation will be featured at the festival? We’re curating a collection of animation from 2d to stop motion; Africa is a massive continent with an incredible array of styles. Triggerfish Studio: “Triggerfish has attended every instance of CTIAF. We’ve found the festival energizing, educational, and a terrific networking opportunity. It’s also been a great way to get international people to visit Cape Town, and has been a good Jeanie Varty, Theme Artist for 2022: “For me, the festival was the very first time I got to dip my toes into the wider animation industry. I had been selected for a student short film and it was at this festival that I got to meet and mingle with peers, expand my scope of interest in the animation world and get the opportunity to learn from and meet our local and international masters. For me, the festival has become an annual celebration of growth, a marker in my journey as a filmmaker and the space where I can re-connect with old friends and meet new colleagues.”

Kaydee & Andre de Villiers, Ferin Post

Production and Feral Animation: “We’ve found the CTIAF festivals to be extremely beneficial in making new contacts and strengthening our connections with existing studios and artists. We also thoroughly enjoy the speakers. It’s also a great place to meet the students and upcoming talent in industry who have a passion for animation and film.”

For more info, visit ctiaf.com