File 028958
Email Chain: Poetry in America Project Release Request from Woody Allen (File 028958)
Email correspondence regarding a request for Woody Allen to grant a release for footage of a poetry discussion to be used in the Poetry in America educational initiative, referencing conversations with other notable figures including Bill Clinton.
Summary
Leah Reis-Dennis, operations head for the non-profit Verse Video Education, contacts Jeffrey E. to request a release from Woody Allen for unedited footage of a poetry conversation about William Carlos Williams' "This is Just to Say." The footage would be incorporated into the Poetry in America initiative, a Harvard-based project including an online course, television series with PBS, and professional development programs. The email notes that similar conversations have been filmed with prominent Americans including Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John McCain, and others, and indicates flexibility regarding which project components would use the footage pending legal review.
From: soon yi previnSent: 12/8/2015 5:58:45 PMTo: jeffrey E. [jeevacation@gmail.com]Subject: Re: following up: WA poetry releaseImportance: HighOpen in principle depending on specially how and where it would be shown and how it would be advertised-both subject to particular requirements and/or restrictions.Also dependent on approval of final cut. Would enterproject with positive attitude but release would be reworked by lawyer.Sent from Soon-Yi's iPhoneOn Dec 8, 2015, at 10:40 AM, jeffrey E. <jeevacation@gmail.com> wrote:----------Forwarded messageFrom: Leah Reis-Dennis <1Date: Tue, Dec 8, 2015 at 11:33 AMSubject: following up: WA poetry release_To: jeevacation@gmail.com, Lisa New <Dear Jeffrey,>My name is Leah Reis-Dennis, and I'll be heading operations for Lisa's new non-profit, Verse Video Education.She's asked me to be in touch with you about helping us get a release from Woody Allen.First, I wanted to send along the rough stringout of footage from the conversation with Woody a couple of yearsago on "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams. This is totally unedited and uncut footage, but wewould love the opportunity to turn it into something great.https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cObnljj xeo0654g/uWZ6KBVbLS?preview=WoodyAllen+Basic+Clip+for+Viewing.movIf Woody Allen agrees to let us use the footage, he will be in distinguished company. To date, we have filmedconversations about poetry with dozens of distinguished Americans including:Bill ClintonAl GoreJohn McCainMayor Rahm EmanuelMayor Tom MeninoSupreme Court Justice Elena KaganSir Mervyn KingFormer Secretary of the Treasury Larry SummersThe conversation would be part of a large multiplatform initiative that Harvard Professor Lisa New has underway to bring poetry into the mainstream, and, especially, into English Language Arts classrooms in the UnitedStates and around the world. The initiative, Poetry in America, includes a HarvardX online course, a televisionseries we're creating with WGBH to be paired with PBS LearningMedia segments for the classroom, and, aseries of online professional development courses we're creating for ELA Middle and High School teachers andfor their students.HOUSE OVERSIGHT 028958Let us know if Woody Allen might be open to our sending another release form his way. Of course, if he'sinterested in releasing the footage for only certain parts of our project, we're open to having a conversationabout that, too.Thank you, and I hope to meet you soon.Best, LeahLeah Reis-DennisPoetry in Americaplease noteThe information contained in this communication isconfidential, may be attorney-client privileged, mayconstitute inside information, and is intended only forthe use of the addressee. It is the property ofJEEUnauthorized use, disclosure or copying of thiscommunication or any part thereof is strictly prohibitedand may be unlawful. If you have received thiscommunication in error, please notify us immediately byreturn e-mail or by e-mail to jeevacation@gmail.com, anddestroy this communication and all copies thereof,including all attachments. copyright -all rights reservedHOUSE OVERSIGHT 028959