Today, Moira Dennis, a former student, presented a fantastic program at the Keokuk Art Center about how to fail in Hollywood. Her key ideas were based on the following points:

1. Recognize opportunity and take advantage
2. You only get one chance with people – don’t ruin it
3. Timing
4. Figure out the industry
5. Find a champion
6. Network
7. Luck

Moira used specific anecdotes for how she did not follow through correctly for each point. However, near the end of her talk, she showed how she was able to completely change each of these points around. She is currently in the process of having a screenplay she wrote produced; she has a champion helping her, and for once the timing is right.

I felt really badly for Moira as she shared several anecdotes about how she did not do what she should have done. For example, not being aggressive enough or selling herself when it was important to do so. She’s from a small Iowa town where you learned to be polite. Moira is brilliant and always has been. Many people in the audience shared memories of seeing Moira on stage at a very young age, wowing the audience. However, Moria shared that she did not know the industry well enough to succeed.

I’m so glad she is succeeding now. Two former classmates came to listen to her program as well which I thought was also amazing.

Moira’s presentation had me pondering life circumstances and filled my mind with questions. How many dreams have been derailed because we failed to understand the correct protocols or found ourselves in the wrong place at exactly the wrong time? Although most of life successes are not because of lucky circumstances, I do believe luck can heavily influence any outcome.

Wishing you some special luck today!

A Prayer for Lost Dreams & Souls

hold tightly to light
let it shine along uncertain
roads and twisted turns
let it glide like colorful butterflies
illuminating paths to lead
you safely home again

Barb Edler
25 March 2024