Dear Evan Hansen comments

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 3:09pm

You know how in Dear Evan Hansen, during "You Will Be Found", a bunch of fake tweets come up all saying how important Evan's speech was to them? What if, some time down the line, they start using real tweets from people whose lives were affected by DEH? People with social anxiety or who were suicidal, or felt like the world was against them, who talk on social media about how the show helped them? I just thought that would be a really cool idea.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 3:21pm

Actually, that's a really good idea. Undoubtedly, there are thousands of tweets from which to choose. In addition, the audio clips that they have right now sound really "acted," so I think that having audio from real people would also serve the show well.

Updated On: 4/18/17 at 03:21 PM

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 3:34pm

I'm not sure if they could use the audio from people who send it in (I'm not sure how that would work with Unions and what-not). But the actors doing the recorded voices could read them, and just take the "Dear" out of "Dear Evan Hansen"

[josh147]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 11:16pm

When I saw DEH back in December, I noticed that the emails that popped up on the screens were from "[e-mail]" - so, well, of course I sent an email to that address after the show (out of curiosity). I just assumed that the creative team registered that email address before the run, but it turns out it's just a guy named Evan Hansen who said he had been getting a few emails here or there but had no connection to the show.

Anyone know if they've changed that email address since the end of December? 

Josh

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 11:31pm

I believe we all own the copyright on emails and tweets we send (even on this post I am writing now). If the messages are short, the show might use them and claim they fall under the "fair use" exception. (But I seem to recall someone telling me using all of anything, however short, is considered an infringement beyond fair use.)

If DEH becomes the massive hit that many here expect, some tweeters will be sure to sue.

I'm not a lawyer, obviously, and internet law is still evolving. Perhaps one of our lawyers would like to clarify the law here.

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 11:34pm

I would have to think if they wanted to update the in-show tweets & posts with real ones that they'd reach out to the posters for permission. I also think that many people who tweet about how much the show moved them would be thrilled to become part of the show and would happily grant it!

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 11:42pm

Probably so. Fact of the matter still is they'd probably have to ask permission. 

[sondheimfan3]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 11:44pm

josh147 said: "When I saw DEH back in December, I noticed that the emails that popped up on the screens were from "[e-mail]" - so, well, of course I sent an email to that address after the show (out of curiosity). I just assumed that the creative team registered that email address before the run, but it turns out it's just a guy named Evan Hansen who said he had been getting a few emails here or there but had no connection to the show.

Anyone know if they've changed that email address since the end of December? 

Josh

 

"

In February I listened to an interview with Peter Nigrini, the projection designer, on the In 1 podcast, and he discusses the email address and says it was recently changed. Hard to believe they wouldn't have registered it before the show, but it slipped through the cracks. (By the way, if you're a fansen, I highly recommend listening to the interview. It changed how I experienced the show the next time I saw it. There's another good interview on the same podcast with Dear Evan Hansen's lighting designer Japhy Weideman, but it's a bit technical. The Peter Nigrini interview is really fascinating.)

Updated On: 4/18/17 at 11:44 PM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 4/18/17 at 11:46pm

And that was the only point I was making. I don't doubt they can find plenty of people who would give them permission.

On the other hand, some sort of permission form would have to be signed, so that's a lot of paperwork for the sake of novelty.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 4/19/17 at 9:26am

There are TV shows that read and show viewer's live tweets. I'm sure it's not a whole ton of red tape.

[josh147]

Posted: 4/19/17 at 10:29am

sondheimfan3 said: 

In February I listened to an interview with Peter Nigrini, the projection designer, on the In 1 podcast, and he discusses the email address and says it was recently changed. Hard to believe they wouldn't have registered it before the show, but it slipped through the cracks. (By the way, if you're a fansen, I highly recommend listening to the interview. It changed how I experienced the show the next time I saw it. There's another good interview on the same podcast with Dear Evan Hansen's lighting designer Japhy Weideman, but it's a bit technical. The Peter Nigrini interview is really fascinating.)"

Thanks for the recommendation. Just listened to the whole thing and you're right - fascinating. I'm going to see it a 2nd time next Wednesday, and I'm sure I'll look at it a different way.

Josh