Woody Allen
By Duncan
I go to YouTube for my television content to escape the “News of the Day” and the rock-um sock-em shoot-um-ups on network television. The other night, I stumbled across an interview on YouTube of (Allan Stewart Konigsberg) Woody Allen, and I thought this might be interesting. I didn’t realize Woody is eighty-eight years old.
If you are unaware of YouTube's algorithms, if I show interest in a subject or a personality, YouTube will load more of the same for me. I had plenty of Woody Allen interviews to watch if that interested me. And last night, I thought, “What the Hey.”
I’m not a fan of Woody Allen; I don’t follow or know much about him. Oh sure, I know his name; I knew he was a screenwriter, film director, actor, comedian, musician, and playwright with a net worth of One Hundred and Forty Million. ($140 million.) I found out he produces one movie a year.
Currently, he has made fifty (50) movies. Some of them are considered good, and some are not so hot. I guess I should mention ”Annie Hall.”
Diane Keaton - Woody Allen - Annie Hall - 1977
What I found most interesting is how he likes to work. Let’s say he needs ten million to finance a film. So he goes to the Movie Studio, likely his first stop.
The studio tells Woody they want to review the script, choose the actors in the movie, learn about the music, access the sound stage, and make changes.
Woody says, “No Way! I use the money to produce a film for you. I’m not a banker; I don’t tell you how to bank, and you don’t tell me how to make a movie.”
I assume he has made more money from his films than he’s lost.
For example, in 1977, he had a budget of four million ($4 Million) to make Annie Hall. The film grossed thirty-eight million dollars. ($38 Million)
Midnight in Paris was another hit. It was well received at the box office, with a budget of seventeen million ($17 million) and a gross of one hundred fifty million. ($150 Million)
Allen said some of his movies lost money, but only a little. Woody Allen's total box office is Five Hundred Seventy-five million dollars. ($575 million) An average of fourteen million a movie. ($14 million) So, he has a solid track record.
Why bring all this up, and how does it help me live my best life? Well, I’m not sure it will help me live my best life, but after hours of watching interviews with Mr. Allen, he said when he was growing up he wasn’t interested in school and made some very poor grades.
The women in Woody Allen's life.
I won’t bore you with the dynamics of his marriages and girlfriends. And yes, I’m aware of the controversies.
I have not seen Annie Hall or any other Woody Allen film. I should watch Annie Hall. I have watched some of his earlier stand-up comedy. When he started in show business.
Okay, how does this help you and me improve our lives? It says to find something you are good at and enjoy doing. Then focus … focus … focus.
