Best of MTC: Sarah Rebar, llustrator/Writer RETURNS!!!! 🤩

Speaker A: Welcome back to another episode of Meet the Creatives. I'm sorry it took so long to come back. We have Sarah Rebar here. Gotta be top 20 favorite people all time for sure. Possibly top 10. Yeah. Thank you for being here. It's, uh, good to have you back on the show.

Speaker B: That's great to be back. I'm excited to talk to you again.

Speaker A: You're one of the most like, talked about episodes. Whenever I talk to the design girlies, the illustrator girlies, or like Sarah Rebar. Favorite episode. Um, yeah. So I guess I'll kind of briefly go through your bio and I. I re listened to our first episode. This is her obviously coming back on the show. This will be like a part two, so you could pause this and go back, but just for a little overview for people that don't know. So. Sarah Rebar is an illustrator writer based in Sunny la. She earned her BFA in illustration and design from Syracuse University. Represent New York. Let's go. Um, for the first nine years she worked as an in house artist for the TV show, you may have heard of it, Sesame Street. That's how I originally found her. I was trying to get a job at Sesame street and then we met. I never got the job at Sesame street. And here we are, uh, drawing muppets and working on projects for TV publishing and digital. You worked with Michelle Obama with Netflix. The list goes on and on. And I just want to say she didn't tell me to do this. You are one of my, and I mean this sincerely, whenever there's microphones and shit involved. You really genuinely are one of my favorite artists working today. People that have interviewed, I know you're out there kind of seeing things and you're in a new chapter or whatever, but if anyone has ADHD and can't make it through an hour episode, you should hire this girl. And I think that she's awesome. So that's my ring endorsement. If she's, if she's a disaster, I take full credit. But, uh, someone else is going to hire her and she's going to be your competition if you don't hire her. Okay, we got that out of the way.

Speaker B: Thank you.

Speaker A: I don't know where we're going to go from here. We're out here in no man's land. Um, but yeah. So how, how have things been since the last time? I know we talked a little bit before the podcast, but for those who, uh, who loved you on the first episode, what are you up to these days? What's different? I know You've been a couple different places. The floor.

Speaker B: Yeah. I was thinking the last time we did this, it was right before COVID It was such a different time. Like, I'm m thinking, you know, I 2019, it's like I was full time. I was staffed at this company. It was in New York, uh, and it was pre pandemic. So it was just like a very different working world. Oh my gosh, so much has changed. I've like, gone through multiple changes. I think just in the last five years where, like, I've freelanced. Um, after we talked that year, I ended up leaving my job. I willingly chose to leave my full time job. I'd been there almost a decade and I wanted to try to freelance, so I, and I wanted to try to live in California. Um, so I made this like, very big leap and straight up quit my job. I drove cross country. I didn't have a plan. I just, I knew I wanted to be in LA and so I moved to la. Maybe like, I think it was like a month or two before the pandemic. Um, and then the.

Speaker A: You had a surfboard somewhere along the line there.

Speaker B: I have a surfboard.

Speaker A: I was like, she's really doing it. Now that she has a surfboard, she's committed. You went full like, l. A Casey, nice dad on us.

Speaker B: Seriously. I mean, it is like, ah, a surfboard I bought out of a van somewhere in Santa Monica out of someone's van. So like it's.

Speaker A: But you can't buy it from the store. You got to get it from the van. That seems like it makes sense.

Speaker B: Yeah, it's very, very easy to buy secondhand stuff here. Um, especially surfboards. But I, Yeah, once I, once I was out here, um, it was just, it was such a crazy time with the beginning of COVID But I'm really grateful that I moved here. Like, I think being here versus New York during the pandemic is like, you have space, you have sunlight, you can be outside. So I think really good year for me. The first year that I moved here, I was really fortunate. Um, I got a book agent, someone to represent me for kids books. And since then I've been published like a bunch of times. Um, my first big project for books was with Michelle Obama, like you mentioned.

Speaker A: So did you get to meet her? I can't, I can't hold it any longer.

Speaker B: I didn't, I didn't get to meet her. I wish. It was, it was crazy. That was like my first book project through my agent. Um, and it was 2020. And he contacted me and he was like, netflix wants to work with you. And I was like, netflix wants to work with me?

Speaker A: I was like, yeah, that's what I'm telling you, bro. You're so good. Your social media is so, like, understated and modest. Like, you need to put yourself, uh, out there. I said in 2019, I said this, and I'm saying it again now. Your work is so good, and you're, like, too modest about it. You need to be more of a narcissist and put your work out there where people can. Michelle Obama thinks your work is great. Well, this is an intervention. This is not really a podcast, I'm going to tell you. This is an intervention.

Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you. I'm terrifically bad at promotion and social media, and I've worked with, um, so many artists who are really talented at it, and it's such a skill to be, like, marketing. And I am, like, extremely lazy. So, like, I don't do it. But I've been. I've been very lucky. I've been very lucky. So, like, that was my first big project, and it was. It was amazing. Like, I got, um. Uh, I didn't realize that she was affiliated with the show, but I Netflix the whole time. Uh, in the very beginning, okay, they sent me something. They're like, there's a book that's going to be going on with a show. It's, like, coinciding with a show. Um, you have experience drawing puppets. There's puppets on this show. Would you. Would you want to do it? And I was like, yeah. And then I procrastinated. I was, like, on a hiking trip with my sister, and we were, like, literally hiking up a mountain in Oregon. Uh, like a volcano.

Speaker A: You are that girl to be up on a volcano. Just like deadline do.

Speaker B: I was like, I'll look at it. I'll look at the brief when I'm like, off the volcano. And so, like, we. We did it, and then we, like, we came down and I looked at it, and it was like an episode with, like, a bunch of, like, water. Watermarks. I watched the episode and I was like, oh, my God, Michelle Obama is on the sh. Is. She's on the show. Like, she's not just, like, her name isn't just tied with it. She's like, an actor on the show, and it's her production company making the show. And the show is Waffles and Mochi. Um, they. They. I think they only had two seasons of it, but it's so Funny. Highly recommend for anyone with kids, even without kids. It's really, really well written, it's well acted, it's funny. Um, and it's about food, where food comes from. I think they did such a good job with it. Um, and the show creators, um, Erica and Jeremy, they were phenomenal. I think Jeremy produced Drunk History, so

Speaker A: there's like a really one of my favorite shows. I love Drunk History.

Speaker B: It's so good. He was like one of the co creators of the show and Erica was the one who actually made the pilot and she pitched it and they very lovingly crafted the show and they wanted the books to just be as lovingly crafted. So I got to work with them. Um, I did a series of books with them and tied with Netflix. Um, this show I don't think was renewed. I'm not 100% sure. I know there's like at least two seasons of it. It's really good.

Speaker A: Recently I've been re watching all these old movies I was just watching on my projector over there, north by Northwest, and it's just incredible storytelling. I feel like as artists and designers and illustrators, many of us are referencing from these, the greats. Right? But, um, and how do you do that in a time where people's attention span is like so short?

Speaker B: Yeah, that's a really good question. I. I've been going through the cycles right now of just reevaluating my life and I honestly like. The whole point of attention spans, I think is a really good point because it's not just kids attention spans that I've shortened in like the last few years. I think it's just everyone because of smartphones, um, working from home and zoom meetings. I think, um, people just. Personally, I've been really scared for myself because I used to be a really big reader. I would, when I lived in New York, read on the subway all the time and just go through like book after book throughout the week. Read like the New York Times every week. And I found, um, recently and I think a lot of it had to do with my job actually because I, I did um, like the last year and a half I was an art director at Nickelode. They're very, very zoom heavy culture. I think we talked about this before. Like, I think Viacom in general is like a very meeting heavy culture. And I think like the working from home atmosphere has just added to that and people kind of um, lose track of uh, uh, hours. I guess. Like they. There's uh, the hours bleed into each other when you're Working from home.

Speaker A: Very much so. Yeah.

Speaker B: Yeah. And. And I found, like, I was like, oh, my God. Like, I. I can't focus. Like, I used to. Like, just even a few years ago, I could easily get through books. And now I find that, like, I'm always looking at my phone. Um, I've. I've bought like, a ton of books. I'm reading, um, um, a Werner Herzog book right now, his autobiography. And he's. I love it. He's. He's a. He's a psychopath. I love him so much. His autobiography is like. He's like, I am in the jungle and I'm, um, almost dead. He's going through all these adventures. And I, um. It's a really. It's a really interesting book. It's very dense. Um, so I'm reading that now. But, um, I found it really hard to finish things and, like, really have, like, that deep focus. Um, and so I'm working on that now. I think it's like, such a good point because I think the Internet and, like, social media and just like a constant bombardment of senses is sort of taking away our focus. And, uh, in this phase of my life, um, I'm really trying to work on refining that again. And so for me, it's been a lot of, um, traditional ways of doing things. So I started keeping a journal, which I haven't. I've never, like, almost never. Like, it's been so long that I've done that.

Speaker A: I have a whole bunch of empty ones. So I have. I bought them. They're all, like, literally fucking blank.

Speaker B: I do.

Speaker A: It's like, buy. Buy toothpaste and then just 375 blank pages. Yeah.

Speaker B: My mind is, like, usually full of chaotic notes. And I have this thing where, like, I have a ton of, like, Moleskine. Like, I'll buy really colorful sketchbooks and then. I'm really terrible at keeping a sketchbook. Like, I. I had a class recently. I was teaching at Otis College, is teaching a design class, a character design class. And all of my students are super talented. They all kept traditional sketchbooks. And I was telling them, like, when I draw, I draw on tracing paper because it' like, the cheapest quality paper and there's no pressure for it to be, like, beautiful or successful. So, like, I have all these empty sketchbooks and then all of these random pieces of tracing paper for writing and drawing. Um, but I. I did this thing where, like, I bought just, like, cheap notebooks that don't feel like they have any weight to them. And then I've been doing this thing every morning where I kind of write, like, stream of consciousness. Like, I just get up and I write, like, whatever I'm thinking. Um, and then, like, I go back and, like, sometime I glean, like, stories from that or I glean ideas for comics from that. And I. I've been trying to do it so that I'm on my computer the least amount of time as possible. And then being in California, um, I feel like my head is the clearest when I'm outside and I'm, like, physically active. So, um.

Speaker A: You actually seem happier since the last time I've seen you.

Speaker B: Like, yeah, I think I am, actually. I, uh, think the last time we talked to you, I was coming out of a really terrible breakup. It was, like, a really weird time in my life because, like, I. I was, I think, like, the most successful career.

Speaker A: Uh, this is the direction we're going, by the way. We're keeping in this. We're keeping in the real. I told you guys we're going to get somewhere. Go ahead.

Speaker B: It was, it was. It was a strange time in my life because I was like, right before I quit my job, right before I moved out here, um, I think weirdly, like, California has grounded me and, like, being outside all the time, like, I. I surf now very poorly. When I say surf, I mean, like, I. I go in the ocean.

Speaker A: That's more than I'm doing. Yeah.

Speaker B: And, like, it's. It's easy to just, like, be outside and hike and, like, just be physically present. And so I've been finding that. And I think right now I'm trying to get more into, like, actually painting again or actually drawing again where it's not on a cintiq or on a computer, which feels like kind of like it's not old school, but it's not old school because people still do it. But I think, though.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: Yeah. Like the whole, like, eight, eight or nine hours a day on a computer, I just realized I was like, I don't want this. Like, I, I didn't. I. I know, like, being an artist is, like. It's very stationary. I think, like, uh, for people out there who are interested in illustration or character design, you're going to spend so much time on the computer, but I think it's super, super important to have, like, tactile work with your hands and just, like, not be in front of a screen all day. And so that's been the switch for me is like, trying to find motivations that aren't digital. Motivation.

Speaker A: Sure, absolutely. I've been able to do a lot of cool things. You've been able to do a lot of cool things. And we've gotten a chance to work with some cool companies and stuff like that. And now there's this sort of, like, in baseball, they say like a rebuilding year. You know what I mean? Like, we're kind of having. I think we're both sort of in the same boat in that regard. How do you go about navigating those feelings? And I know for me it's always a struggle between, like, that's right, I'm the fucking man to I should quit, then just shut everything down and just, you know, completely check out. How do you navigate those. Those feelings and when the negativity when that, you know.

Speaker B: Oh, man.

Speaker A: When it, when it gets a little loud, how do you mitigate that?

Speaker B: No, this is a really good question. I think it's a great point. Like right now in la, and I'm sure it's the same in New York too. Like, um, we had all of the actors and writer strikes last year, which were resolved. And, um. But despite the resolution, I still know so many people who are unemployed right now. And it's, um. Things are. Some things are being made and then I think other things. There's just like this massive pause in Hollywood where, um, all of the streaming services right now are really struggling and I think people, um, are waiting to greenlight shows. So it is a really scary time. Like, I think I know more talented, creative people out of work right now than are currently working. Um, and that. That is, like, it is really scary. Like, I think that gives me. I. I know that there's, like, cycles with things. So, like, that's how I try to resolve it with myself, is just knowing there are waves. And I think having, um, had freelance experience and then also having had consistent work in Covid, when a lot of people were unemployed, I. I use that as, like a reminder to myself, being like, you did this before. You'. Fine. You, like, you will get through tough times. Like, you'll. You're strategic. You're going to figure out, like, other ways of working.

Speaker A: Um, Michelle Obama likes you.

Speaker B: I hope so. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I, I always tell myself there's like, waves with, with jobs, like, just like, with the economy. And I think we're in a really tough year, and I think last year was a really tough year for most people too. But I, I'm hopeful that, like, in the next year things will change and that it's just sort of Being as proactive as possible. And I had a boss once or some. A mentor who was like, you plant seeds, and, like, later they grow. And I always try to do that. So, like, whenever I transition to different work in my life or I know I'm gonna make a career switch or, uh, get back in, like, right now I'm like, I really want to freelance. Like, that's what I'm trying to do for this year or this period of my life. And I'm planting seeds with people and just trying to make connections with the hope that, like, eventually things will work out and, like, there'll be work. Maybe not right now, but, like, down the road from now. And that's always worked out in my favor. Like, I think I highly recommend people to do that and just grow your network and, like, try to maintain, uh, relationships with people and then also be curious and just constantly ask people, because I think, um, you never know how things pan out, and you never know how they change. Um. So. Yeah, I don't know if that's helpful or not.

Speaker A: No, it's super helpful. You seem like you're in a very patient place, and you're in a place of, like, acceptance. That's, like, what I get from, um, you.

Speaker B: Oh, gosh. Well, I try. I mean, I think. I think that's something that I've learned over the course of my career. Like, that there's, like, a saying, very generic saying, where it's like, your. Your career is a marathon, not a sprint. And I think that's true. Like, I think that's. That's been totally true with me. Where it's just, like, pacing yourself and being persistent, being really patient, putting in the. Putting in, like, building your network and talking to people. Like, I think if anything I've learned too, is, like, you can be super, super talented, but I think that only gets you so far. I think you also have to be a, um, really good person to work with. Because I've seen people be. And then they just, like, completely destroy relationships with people and burn bridges. And then I'm like, you're working with this person again because, like, you couldn't contain yourself. Yeah. So I don't know. It's. It's. But it is such a weird time. Like, I think, um, if I. I think right now we're kind of in a season where it's. It is planting seeds and it's, like, waiting for stuff to grow and. And. And to see how it pans out later. Like, I think, um, uh, for those students who are like looking for, for full time jobs, like especially in the TV industry right now. It sucks. Like it's, it's not just sugarcoat, like not going to sugarcoat it. Like I think um, jobs right now I think are few and far between. I know a lot of people who've just been out of work for like over a year at least or more. Um, and I think um, it's just persistence I guess, and like figuring out like an ulterior thing to do in the meantime of like waiting for like uh, a job that you really, really, really are excited by. Um, it's a weird time.

Speaker A: Yeah. I think also to that point about like the marathon. I think that from a financial standpoint that's true because I see so many people that will just like rush into a job, a uh, full time job where they're like subservient to like a big company for like six, you know, 60, 70, $80,000. Not that's, don't get me wrong, like that's a lot of money. But like they'll rush into those things and like I'm gonna climb my way up the corporate ladder. Whereas like, had they just put the money like on the back burner and just focus on like what it is they really wanted to do and what it is they're able to like sort of put out in the world as a creative person. Um, I think that takes a lot of sacrifice and that's been a kind of a through line. Like people always ask like, what are the through lines you hear from interviewing all these people? And that's one of them. It's like, are you willing to sacrifice those short term gains for like a long term. Oh yeah, thing, you know what I mean? Like yeah, yeah.

Speaker B: I, I had been working for Nickelodeon for like a year and a half, like a little over a year and a half for their preschool department called Noggin. And it's like for very young kids. We did um, shows for kids that were like live action shows. We did like animation. They're all like really short form stuff on the Noggin app and on Paramount plus. And then I would also like art, direct games, like the interface of the app. So it was, it was a lot of work. It was like three jobs in one. Um, but at the time before I took the job, I was a freelancer and I was, I was, my freelance work was kind of drying up and I did the thing where I panicked and like I, I don't know if this will relate to anyone but like I, I had really, um, pretty, uh, steady freelance work since I, I moved to la. And it was something that happened where just like a bunch of my contracts fell through. And it was a period that was like less than two months, but I freaked, I freaked out. And I remember being like, oh my God, like I don't know what's happening. Like the economy. Good. And I applied for this job and ultimately I got this job. And I remember at the time, um, an old boss of mine who, he's phenomenal illustrator, he's super talented. He is, um, creative director for a studio I worked with in California and he lives in New York now. And he's just phenomenal artist. And he was just like, he was like, what are you doing? He's like, why are you applying for a job? Like, he, he was just like, give yourself the grace, um, and the freedom to just like really see what happens with your life as a freelancer. He's like, you've only done this for two years. Like you don't know how it's going to pan out. That's very early. Um, and then like he, he basically like, was like, you need to give yourself a chance to grow and like, see what happens. Like, don't do a disservice for yourself on your journey. But then I ended up taking this full time job and it, I have no regrets. Like, I think I, I learned so much from this job, but it was so hard and it really, really like, um, uh, it ate away at my soul. Like, it was like I, I learned so much. I worked with really good people, we worked on very cool projects. So I have no regrets from the learning experience from that. But I often think about that time in my life and I was like, I was living in Hawaii, I was surfing and I was freelancing. I wonder sometimes about staying the course and like following that gut intuition of being like, I should be, I should really like bet on myself, you know, like, and see what happens. Because I think, um, and I'm, I'm guilty of this because I did this. Like, I was nervous about my career. I took something stable. Um, again, no regrets. Like I learned from it. And I have all these experiences I wouldn't have had. But I think often people don't bet on themselves and then they settle for like stability at a company and that's fine. But there's also no stability at a corporation either. You know, Like, I think people need to realize that and I, I'm curious, like, to see what people will do if they like fully commit and bet on themselves.

Speaker A: One of the things that you're touching on is sort of like living your life predicated off of like fear. And I remember the scariest slash most liberating. And I think that for people that are just starting out, that feeling is actually when that comes around, sort of wrestle with that a little bit. Because I remember I had this full time job when I first left school and, um, I worked at a refurbished battery company. This is like I'm talking to, like talking to the Michael Beirut and all these titans of industry and I'm working out this like, secretly under lock and key. I work at the refurbished battery company in my town. And I remember quitting that job and we had just moved into our apartment. I quit my job and I was in our kitchen. Um, if you think that this kitchen looks small, my other kitchen was like a shoebox. And I remember I, I just, that first day, like waking up like at 9am Having worked in that corporate setting and just being like, all right, this is scary. But like, I could just go and do whatever I want and go to the park and I could be free and I could see what this feels like. On paper. I was such a fucking loser at that time in the scheme of my life. And not to say that I'm doing anything that extraordinary, but so much of what has now transpired came from that time of like, let me be a loser and stretch the notions of who I can be and what I could do. And then I would have these periods where I go, like you said, I'd freak out. I take a job in the city. I would go work at like AT&T Creative Group. I'd be home, like, smoking weed and like doing mushrooms. All that, I don't know, fucking disaster. I'm not practicing anything. Um, there was a whole period of my life and I think that, you know, coming up on four years and they're drinking and like, these are in the rearview mirror now. Like, that period was really critical for me. But I just, I'll never forget that feeling of waking up that first day and being like, I'm so scared, but I'm so excited. And you know, cut scene. Now like, I make my own schedule. I went to bed last night at like 4 o' clock in the morning and I woke up at like 11:30, but I'm chilling and I'm like, I'm, um, making money like hand over fist. I have this amazing life because I forced myself to live in that space of the uncertainty. And now, um, people are like, oh, well, you'll be fired. I'm like, fuck you. Okay? I'll be, I'll be right back to somewhere awesome very soon. Like, I've done this before. I've been all the way down, all the way up.

Speaker B: I think that's true. Like, I think it's. I'm particularly bad. Like, I'm a perfectionist and a workaholic, so. Which I think a lot of designers and artists and creatives are. And I think that, like, the downtime or the scary feeling, like, really sitting with that is terrifying. It's scary. And I think, um, a lot of us have trouble resisting the urge to jump back into something that's safe. And I, I'm, personally, I'm terrible at sitting with it. Like, I, I hate feeling like I'm underperforming or like I don't have a goal to work towards or like, um. Like, I like working with people. And so when I don't have a clear vision of that, I start freaking out. But I think reminding yourself that, like, there are cycles and that, like, you can get through it and that you'll be fine and like, you, you might have to sit in the fear in order to figure out what you really want to do. That's something. Like, I'm always learning that over and over again, you know? Like, I think, um, I'm at a point right now where I'm just like, I need to really sit with what, who I am and, like, what I genuinely want, like, what my soul needs. Like, what type of work would bring me the most joy? Like, how can I work best with people and figure that out? Because I know if I just take a job, I'm going to go back into the same old, same old, and then I'm going to be, like, trapped in, like, that rat race again of being like, oh, I'm not really totally fulfilled with what I'm doing, but I'm stable, you know? And I don't know, it's. It's weird. I, I'm, I'm not like, the person to ask because I feel like I, I struggle with this all the time. And.

Speaker A: Yeah, um.

Speaker B: Like, I've, I, I've. I have been so good at saving that. Like, I could probably not work at all for like, a year and just be fine. And, And I have a friend who's, she's always just like, sarah, like, you need to, you need to chill. She's like, what are you doing? Like, you, you were. You're fine. Like, you have time to, like, figure it out. And it' myself that, you know, um, and I think, like a lot of people right now, uh, maybe not everyone is in that situation with savings. And so I understand, like, it's different depending where you are and, like, where you're coming from. But, like, there's always some kind of work. So, like, there's always something to support yourself that you can find, even if it's not the thing that, like, you're looking for at the moment. I would recommend for people just starting out. Like, I think for students or recent graduates, like, young, younger people in their 20s. Like, I think it's always easier to try to land a job somewhere first and, like, have some kind of stability with, like, an entry level job, like you to get an understanding of, like, how does the world work? How does corporate America work? Um, how do, how do I speak professionally at companies? Uh, how do I work with different clients, different vendors? I think it's so important. Um, I think doing that and then eventually going into freelance is a thousand times better because you have an idea of the working world and then also how to be professional, which I think is a skill in itself. And I think, um, it's not always taught in schools. Like, like understanding of, like, professional settings or like, understanding of business, understanding of taxes. Like, things like that I think should be taught in schools for, for even for art students.

Speaker A: Yeah. Hell yes, I'm in agreement. Yes.

Speaker B: And I. And. But I think m. I think just being. Graduating and being like, oh, I'm going to freelance right away. Um, I did that only because of the housing crisis when I graduated and there weren't jobs.

Speaker A: I forgot about that. That's right. Yeah.

Speaker B: Yeah. Like, I freelanced for a year, guys,

Speaker A: listen, Part one's really good, by the way. I'm so serious, if you enjoy this. Conversation's been all over the place, but. And I love it. It's what I wanted. I'm thrilled about that. But the first, uh, episode was very, like, buttoned up and normal. If you're like, this is crazy, and then it all makes sense.

Speaker B: No, no, we're doing well. We're doing well. I think our first episode, like, we were, we were in the office at Sesame Street. We're sitting on our top floor. I remember it well, but I recorded

Speaker A: with my, with my iPhone.

Speaker B: You did? The sound was great. I was very impressed.

Speaker A: Fun fact, that was the same iPhone. I interviewed Greg Hahn, who was like, one of the biggest people in the advertising industry. So that was, uh, that was an iPhone 8, by the way. So if you ever, like, wondering the tools. Yeah. No, exactly, exactly. No, but it's probably worse now, honestly. No, I'm just kidding.

Speaker B: Oh no. If the sound quality is weird, I totally blame either my computer or my Internet because.

Speaker A: No, it's been good, it's been holding out, it's, it's been doing good. We've been at least 720the whole time, so it's good, good.

Speaker B: But I think, I think for, for students who graduate and they, they want to freelance right away, I would almost advise not to do that. And I would say like, try to find work first. Like, even if it's not your dream job, it's like some kind of, some kind of work to just like stabilize yourself and like understand how the world works and how, how it is to like work with other people, work with clients. I think that's almost better. Um, I, I don't know many people who started out right away and like, we're immediately like, I'm an illustrator. Like I'm, I'm an artist. Like I'm working artists. Like I'm freelance, you know. Yeah, um, but I, yeah, that would be my recommendation, I think. I, you know, I don't know how it is now.

Speaker A: Oh well, my experience was that I, I went out and I worked at all these different places and I tried and failed and tried and failed and tried and failed and learned a lot in that process. And I do agree with you. I feel like I might be undermining everything that I've said today, but, but I will say though that like, um, I, like it's very cool to be 33 years old, like talking all this shit about like, yeah, just like, you know, just be free and do whatever you want. But don't get me wrong, like the success that I now have came on the heels of me failing miserably and be like, I never want that to happen again. I need to learn what a clipping mask is or I need to learn what this is. Like kind of stack, kind of stacking those together. Well, I was talking to this girl recently, um, my friend Katie. Shout out Katie. I'm social. Listen to this. What's up? We'll connect you guys. Um, she's going to be a friggin star. But she's very, she's very driven and she's like, she got this opportunity, um, to work with this really cool agency with some people I know, they're like, I just, I don't know if I helped at all, but I tried to help facilitate. Anyway, she got the interview, she got a Little different stuff. And she's, like, freaked out. Just like. Like, what if this doesn't work out? I'm like, it's probably not going to. I. Like, I don't say that, like, to be. I'm just saying, like, in terms of this being, like, the end all. Be all. Like, you're gonna spend the rest of your life here. Get that idea out of your head. Like, it's either gonna be like, you're gonna learn. Like, you're gonna try and you're gonna fail and you're gonna learn, or you're gonna try and you're gonna succeed and you're gonna learn. But, like, do not put all your eggs. And I speak from experience on this. Do not put all your eggs in one basket. Because the odds are that, like. Like, you. You make plans and, like, the universe laughs or, like, whatever that expression is. Like, that's the realest ever. And so much, uh. If. If you were to ask me at, like, 21, like, or, you know, whenever I graduated, like, 24, 25, like, if you were to ask me, like, what does it look like? Like, I was way off. Like, I was completely. You know, I'd be in, you know, Menlo park, and I would work at Facebook, and I would. Like, I'd be. It would not be where I am now, but I wouldn't trade anything. And it's way better than it would have been.

Speaker B: Oh, yeah.

Speaker A: But I didn't know that at the time.

Speaker B: No. Things work out how they're supposed to. I really believe that. And I think. I think every experience is different. Um, I would say, like, I. I had a weird experience where, like, I was at the same company for so long. Like, I. I was at Sesame Street, I think, for nine. It was a little over nine years. And I. You know, I spent, like, the majority of my 20s and early 30s at this company. And, um, I think. No regrets. Like, I'm so grateful that I had that and that I learned so much from it. Um, but I think for people to sort of jump from job to job and have all these different experiences in their twenties and really understand how, like, different places, like, I learned so much as a freelancer. My. And I only did it for two and a half years before I was staffed again. Um, I learned more in my two and a half years, I think, than I did in my entire career.

Speaker A: It was at Sesame Street. That's so crazy.

Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, it's working with so many different clients, and then you're really learning how to, like, manage yourself. As a business, you're learning how to, like, network with people. Um, no regrets at all. Like, I think I'm really glad that I've gone back and forth between being full time and then freelance and then I'm, you know, I'm really excited for whatever is next. Like, I have no idea what it is. And that's kind of, uh, it's terrifying but exciting. But I, I think it's sort of like you take things as they come and you kind of learn as you go. And that's like, the best you can do. Yeah.

Speaker A: Do you ever think about, I don't know why, this is like my ADHD imagination brain. I think that's one of the reasons why you and I, like, hit it off so much in the beginning because I too, have like, that, that like, imagination can just, like, picture things in my head.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker A: I, for whatever reason, have like, this vision of like, you, like, not now, but like, maybe in like 10 years or whatever. And like, you just like, make your triumphant return to Sesame street. And like, you're the, you're the person who helps to like, build like, the, the streaming plat, like Sesame street, like this streaming platform. And there's just like a picture of you, like, with your arms crossed, like, leaning back to back with like, Big Bird or something like that. Like, and it's like a really well arts artsy picture. And it's on the COVID of Ad Age and it's like, the future is Female at Sesame street with Sarah Rebar. I, uh, I could see this happening,

Speaker B: you know, I, I, I think, uh, what I want to do next, it's kind of scary because, like, I've never done it before.

Speaker A: You have to go back to Sesame Street Because I have to go to Sesame Street. I don't give a fuck what to do after that. But then I have to go, I want to get a picture on the stairs with like, you know, Elmo or whoever.

Speaker B: At least one Muppet. Yeah.

Speaker A: Or the Snuffleuphagus or Oscar the Grouch or Burton Ernie, your personal favorite.

Speaker B: We can figure that out. We can, we can make that.

Speaker A: This would be Bert's head. This would be my head, and this would be Ernie.

Speaker B: It's like, I think I have every single one of those pictures just from randomly being there. But yeah, I, I, I really want to try to write next for a living, which is, uh, chaotic and scary. And I know I'm saying that. And like, all the writers that I worked with at Nickelodeon were like, seriously, Sarah, you want to right? Now, you know, like no one is working, like no one is making things. Um, you know, I talked to like a manager here in LA that I, she's phenomenal. I love her. Like, she's wonderful. I'd love for her to eventually represent me, but she was, she was like, your writing's really good, but like there's no work. And she's like, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it for you. Like there's no work right now. So like the best thing I can can tell you is just like keep writing and make your own stuff and then try to film it. And I was like, okay. Like I think that's what I want to do. So I'm putting it out in the universe where like I wan do live action stuff. I don't want it to be for kids. I'd like for it to either be adults or teenagers or maybe older kids, but not preschool and kid it out. I want to start making stuff. Yeah, like I, I, I feel like I've been in really super close proximity to um, really talented writers and showrunners and people making things for like the majority of my career. But I haven't actually professionally done it myself. And so that's my, my goal. And if I ever did go back to Sesame Street, I would love to for it to be either as a writer or directing episodes. But I know all the people who work.

Speaker A: That's what I'm saying. It's you as a director. You know what, you're helping me to see this picture now. There's you with like the little like timestamp thing that like snaps close. It's like you and it's like Sesame street.

Speaker B: That's the dream. That's the dream. It's, it's funny with Sesame street because

Speaker A: I think this is what I'm really like people. By the way, if you ever wonder what I'm like in real life, this is it just uh, completely unhinged, too talkative.

Speaker B: You're, you're doing, you're great, you're great. You're not unhinged at all.

Speaker A: I think that, read the comments and see down here.

Speaker B: No, but, but I think with, with Sesame street it's interesting because people stay there for so long. Like people are there for 20 or 30 years. It was that like across the whole company. So writers have been there forever. Directors, um, have been there forever. Uh, the art department, people like I, they're people that I worked with who are still there and they've been there for over 20 years. So I think It's a very unusual place where people. People stay. Um, and I. But I, you know, maybe one day, like, I can come back in some proximity, but I don't think it'll be for design. Like, I really. I think this, this next part of my life is like, figuring out storytelling and how to work with storytellers and actually make shows. But I am still new to that. That's something where I'm like, maybe one day, maybe one day. But. But I think, honestly, um, this is

Speaker A: all just some selfish, elaborate ploy for me to get that selfie. And then at the exact expense of

Speaker B: your career, you will get it one day.

Speaker A: I'm sure. I'll just photoshop that. Honestly, I'm about, like, you have to

Speaker B: be there in person. That is. That is a great, A great experience. Like, it's so magical being on.

Speaker A: Um, I'm gonna chop this. I'm gonna chop this up and then we're gonna send this clip to the person, a person that, you know, that might be able to get it to the right people, and then we can see.

Speaker B: I have to think at this point,

Speaker A: we have to get it. I'm hoping that, like, we roll the credits at the end of this podcast and by like, next week. There's just a picture. Like, it's already done. What's that tick tock sound? I already did it. I already did it.

Speaker B: Oh, my God.

Speaker A: All right, we gotta wrap this up. I have. I have a wedding app to go to. Uh, where. Where can people. But yeah, I don't know what the. I'm still doing this podcast for who knows?

Speaker B: No, I'm so glad that you are though, because I honestly, people have contacted me being like, I've heard you on this podcast, or like, they've sent me episodes of, like, other things you've done. So I'm so glad you're still doing it.

Speaker A: Well, thank you, M. Thank you. Yeah, it's weird because I look at the numbers and sometimes It'd be like 400, 500 people listen. Or like a thousand or 3,000 or whatever it is. Like, it's not nothing that crazy, right? But he's still like, oh, that's cool. And like, they're listening from all these different places. But recently I was at private event. Some girl, like, and some cool, good looking, like, cool girl came up to me and was like, oh, my God, are you Rob Johnson from Read the Creatives? And, uh, this has never happened. Like, I'm not fucking like, Debbie Mealman. People don't know who I am. Like, this girl came up to me. She's like, I listen to your show, like, all the time. Like, we get a picture. I was. It was. Freaked me out. But it made me recognize though, that this. This has been. If people only knew the imposter syndrome that I struggle with. Like, I don't. It's completely lost on me. I'm just. I'm just, like, trying to fill some sort of, like, trauma void and just talking to everyone.

Speaker B: We. We all have imposter syndrome, though. Like, every single person does. Like, but it's just.

Speaker A: It's been so cool. It's all been so cool. Like, I've done some. I' done epic with this podcast. Like, I had the people from, like, Euphoria, and, uh, that was, like, a goal of mine. And then I did it. I'm like, yeah, that's. It was fun. It's cool. Yeah, I get all, like, weird and modest. I don't know. This shit's awesome. More people should know about it. Tell your friends, because. Tell your friends and share it, because I sure as hell I'm not going to put it out there. So if you enjoy this episode today with Sarah, where can people find you online? What's the best place to get in touch? I'm going to edit the crap out of this.

Speaker B: Um, my website is just. Just my name. It's sarah.com and then my Instagram is. Hey, Sarah, Rebar. I'm. You know, send me a message, right?

Speaker A: Spell it so people know.

Speaker B: Oh, S A, R A H, R,

Speaker A: E, B A, R. Oh, thank you so much. I'll be in touch soon. Okay.

Speaker B: Okay, thank you.

Speaker A: Bye. See you later.