What does rejection even mean? Sure, it implies a refusal of sorts but if one rejects something, what qualifies them as the final arbiter? Nothing. Well…okay, perhaps, if they reject something on the grounds of science, they have a solid point, but for this blog, I’ll be discussing art. And art is subjective. So, how weighty is a rejection?

In the eyes of the creator, often times it’s meaningless. In the mind of the audience, it can be influential, but those with a head of their own, will hopefully draw their own conclusion. I can’t tell you how many times I disagree with the supposed “top critics” and find beauty in “rejected” pieces of art, often made by those who create for the sake of their art rather than for the sake of appeasing the masses or those who dangle a paycheck in front of them. (Hence, the often poverty of artists.) But I should note that this is a decision of the individual artist, to decide what path they plan to take, with no one telling them what is right or wrong as only they can determine that…

Perhaps though, E.B. White said it best when he remarked, “Your whole duty as a writer is to please  and satisfy yourself, and the true writer always plays to an audience of one. Start sniffing the air or glancing at the trend machine and you’re as good as dead, although you may make a nice living.”

The 2010 film festival circuit begins soon and as an independent filmmaker, I find myself once again faced with the inevitable reality of being “rejected” and dealing with such. Considering this is my fourth time out there, one would think I’ve grown a hard shell to rejection but the truth is, although I will continue to create work that is true to me, the rejection is never fun nor easy. I have no children but my films, in a sense, are my progeny. And not wanting to play favorites, I still must say this latest short film, “Rhythm of Causality”, is especially significant for me because it is based on the feature film I am raising financing for and plan to fight to the end to get made.  I’ve grown with this short and nurtured it for the past year and a half of my life, and now, I feel this strong desire to protect and defend it. But then I realize, NO, Christina,  “Rhythm of Causality” needs to take on a life of its own now and deal with the realities of the world, both wonderful and harsh. I can be there to guide it but it will be what it will be. Kind-of what many wish their parents would remember. They’ve raised us but now, we are our own person. I’m starting to understand how difficult that actually is…