There Will Be Success!

In my weekly column that I write for The Wichita Eagle — “Movie Maniac” — this week I write about David Willis, who starred as Paul Dano’s father in “There Will Be Blood.” He’s from Wichita, and still has family living here.

It was a great conversation, and I didn’t get to include a lot of stuff just because of space restraints. But David has finally gotten a break — now at age 61 — after years of rejection and road blocks.

It’s very inspiring. Because we ALL know, especially among these contributors, how hard it is to do anything creatively. Just the act of creation is monumental, but getting it seen, heard, played or viewed is another matter. We all appreciate it when someone gets a good break, because we know how hard a struggle it is. And when I see that happen — like seeing the work of everyone here — it makes it seem possible that I can accomplish something, too.

I loved a quote from Brad Bird after he won the Oscar for “Ratatoille”: “Life has a way of knocking you down. If you get up enough times, eventually something’s bound to happen.”

Here’s to standing back up. And staying there,
-rawd