Meet Jordan Rosato

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jordan Rosato and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jordan, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
I’ve found that being a team player has been the most important principal in my career. It’s the guiding light that motivates me to do good work, to choose the right battles, and to continue to be employed. I work in animation and it’s incredibly collaborative. You wouldn’t be able to do what we do without a team of people working on each and every episode or long form movie. So, the fact that everyone is a talented professional holds me accountable to do good work-you don’t want to be the weak link that brings down other people’s work, and it’s so inspirational to be surrounded by talent. It also reminds me when working with other departments that there’s a time to push the team to do better, and there’s a time to call it and make sure deadlines are hit. And last but not least, it’s that ability to play nice that keeps my coworkers happy and wanting to work with me again. Some advice I heard early on was that there are 3 great pillars of a good employee: talent, punctuality with deadlines, and being fun to work with. Ideally, you want all 3, but having 2 of 3 makes up for the one area you’re lacking. The talent/punctuality can be easily learned over time, being fun to work with takes a daily commitment and is harder to train, so I’ve always felt that prioritizing that one makes you stand out to your coworkers and managers, and makes it so they’re more forgiving if you’re still catching up in the other 2 pillars.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve always loved character. Capturing a story in the expression and pose of the figure is what interests me. I love extrapolating on experiences or ideas and finding the story/lesson/joke in them. That’s the biggest job of a storyboard artist in my opinion, there’s a reason animation is a visual art form and not just a written book, so ya gotta make the visuals compelling! The biggest challenge for me in my journey was, after I decided what I wanted to do, was picking myself back up after a rejection. I’m an artist, we’re sensitive. In college, I studied animation and I went to a professor (who was known for being critical) to review my portfolio. In my portfolio, I stated I was a storyboard artist, because that was the profession I wanted to pursue. After reviewing my work, he asked me why I was calling myself a storyboard artist, as it was my weakest area in my work. This-of course-crushed me, and after having feelings about it, I came to the fork in the road of either taking what he said to heart and pursuing a different avenue, or working at building up my boarding skills and proving him wrong. After I graduated college, I faced more rejection after testing and applying to several jobs. Some interviews were for storyboarding positions (some of which you have to take a “test” and demo your skills). After every test (and rejection) I learned something new and got a little better, especially after I started asking for critical feedback from those reviewing the tests (always ask! it’s a great way to learn). Finally, when I applied and tested for the show that eventually became my first gig on “the Loud House”, I tested for several roles, including storyboard artist. My tests were well received and then-miracle of miracles-I was offered the choice of being a character designer or storyboard artist (my goal!). With the professor’s critique echoing in my head, I almost went the character design route because I was more comfortable with my skills in that area. But in the end, I took the risk of storyboarding because I felt it would be a greater learning opportunity, plus that was the job I was more excited about and that production was keen on us new comers developing our potential and offered the security of mentorship. I’m so grateful for that.
And I’m so glad I ended up taking that storyboarding job, because as risk averse as I am, I think you have to take a chance, and starting something new is always going to feel risky. Plus, having a little healthy fear makes me produce better art in a way feeling comfortable never will!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I typically make my friends tag along for my daily routine, but ok we’re gonna be wild. If I’m trying to impress my guests:
I’d start us off at one of my favorite coffee spots near Burbank: Black Elephant, Coffea, Moby’s, or Coffee Commissary. Sometimes I grab a coffee and go for a walk just to talk and look at houses in the neighborhood. Or I bring a sketchbook, so we can hangout side by side chitchatting and drawing.
Or grab coffee to go on the way to hit up Malibu or Heromsa beach, visitors always want to see a beach! These beach options are a full day trip though, save that for a weekend so you can make a full day of it. Grab a big blanket, a book, a cooler of snacks and a bluetooth speaker. Return exhausted so your guest doesn’t get bored and destroy your home.
If I’m working and can’t get away, I like to sign my friends in for lunch and give a little studio tour. Doesn’t matter where you work, people usually want to see what your day-to-day is like! And then you get a chance to introduce them to friends and coworkers, so now they have a face to match a name when you inevitably gossip about them!
Going out to food and drinks for dinner is one of life’s great joys. Broken Compass Tiki is quickly becoming a favorite of mine because I love a Mai Tai, it clearly labels what’s gluten free on the menu, AND it’s right down the street in Burbank! More notable food, if you’re close and you want take out, Soo Raa Thai has my favorite Pad Thai, and it pairs well with any movie you want to watch at home.
I also like to subject my friends to live music, so if the visit is timed well I can bring them to a classic LA venue to see a band we like (go to Hotel Cafe, the Lodge Room, the Echo/Echoplex, Hollywood Bowl… I love a small or an outdoor venue over a stadium and there are so many options in LA).
I’m also a sucker for themed bars: check out Sassafras Saloon, a converted Savannah Townhouse bar, it often has a live band and swing dancing.
And when there’s an open afternoon, it’s time to go shopping and thrifting! Check out Melrose Ave., York St. in Highland Park, or the Americana depending on your mood/location.
Phew, there may be enough options to stretch over a week!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to recognize Amanda Rynda. We worked together on “the Loud House” at Nickelodeon, my first industry gig. She was the art director and while I was a storyboard artist, and was always so encouraging as I found my sea legs professionally. When I eventually moved on from that gig and was looking for new work, she was working as the show runner on “DC Superhero Girls” at Warner Bros. and was looking for directors. She believed in me enough to give me a shot as a first time director and mentored me through the process. Since then, it’s been much easier for me to believe in myself and I’ve since directed on several shows. I’m so grateful to her for giving me that first experience and making it a good first experience.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordie_lala/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-rosato-96626a55/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-505850424 

Image Credits
Fallon Scherzinger (headshot) Karen Marx (photo of me doing a workshop for a Girl Scout Troop) @AlienRosie (photo of me and my band performing in Boston) Liz Tapang (photo of me sipping a cocktail)