Do you ever feel like the world won't give you the respect you deserve? Well cool it, Rodney Dangerfield, because you're not alone. Sometimes the only thing standing between an artist and success is a little extra persistence. Don't believe me? Ask King Arthur: Legend of the Sword composer Daniel Pemberton. The Hollywood musician recently opened up about entering a film contest with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director Gareth Edwards before either of them became big names in Hollywood, and the story should be enough to inspire anyone out there that feels like he or she has a story to tell. Pemberton explained:
My mate wanted to be a film director. He did a lot of special effects graphics in his bedroom but no one took him seriously as a director. He got one TV gig but they didn't really take him seriously either. He was a bit down and didn't know what to do. I wanted to do movies too. So one day instead of moaning about it all the time, just to do something we all entered a 48 hour film contest together to show what we could do. The other entries were pretty good, I wasn't sure we actually stood a chance. We won. Eight years later that guy got to direct Star Wars: Rogue One. His name is Gareth Edwards and it's one of the freakingest insane stories of working crazy crazy hard at what you believe in and catching some good luck on the way.
If Daniel Pemberton's recent remarks during a Reddit AMA session don't force you to believe in the power of friendship and hard work, then nothing will. After years of not being taken seriously by people in the entertainment industry, Pemberton and Gareth Edwards decided to take a shot in the dark and enter a film contest to test their mettle. Against all the odds, they ended up winning the competition, and the rest is history. It's not the most typical story of success in the film industry, but it's an inspiring tale nonetheless.
Things seem to have worked out quite well for Daniel Pemberton and Gareth Edwards in the wake of that contest. Edwards went on to direct Godzilla (the first installment in a brand new MonsterVerse) before helming the critically acclaimed Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Pemberton has seen similar success -- going on to compose the music for Steve Jobs, The Man from U.N.C.L.E and now King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Both men appear to be on notable upward swings in their respective careers, and they can trace much of that success back to their persistence in the face of adversity.
Daniel Pemberton and Gareth Edwards have produced some phenomenal work over the last few years, so I think I speak for all of us when I say that I'm very glad that they decided to take a chance. For now, you can catch Pemberton's excellent music in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, which is now in theaters!
