Month: March 2014
Remixing Google Image
Discussion: Remixing Culture
Richard Koman’s piece, “Remixing Cutlure: An Interview with Lawrence Lessig”, explored the controversies of copyrighting. Copyrights were implemented as a form of legal protection, ensuring that the copyright holders received appropriate recognition and financial benefits. Komon recognizes the importance of copyright, but at the same time believes that it has turned into a “strategic opportunity to exercise control over the future of content development and distribution, and not so much as a way of protecting copyrights.” (Koman) People who are trying to create small documentaries of their hometown are unable to afford the legal costs of the strict copyright rules that 20th Century fox can afford.
Koman included a great analogy relating a butcher to the copyright industry. A butcher spends his entire life dealing with cut-up meat. This is the only way he knows how to make money by slicing up meet and then distributing its portions. When he comes across a racehorse, his first instinct is to cut it up and distribute its parts, because that’s all he’s ever known. Of course, from an outsider’s perspective we recognize how much more valuable a racehorse would be hole than in tiny little pieces. This is the parallel he draws with our culture. It is not beneficial for society. “If all content is locked in these little separate containers and you have to seek permission to do anything with it, then a huge potential, both economic and social, will have been lost.” (Koman)
Instead of discouraging creativity, copyright industries need to create a method to “distinguish between content that needs the benefit of an exclusive right and content that doesn’t”. (Koman) Now that you have a better understanding of the copyright dilemma, what is your opinion? Do you think congress needs to take the time to re-write a copyright law allowing more room for remixing and creativity? If not, why do you believe the copyright law should remain unchanged?
Art, Games, and Technology Research
In Jone’s, “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins”, he examined the trends in computer graphics and how they have evolved throughout history. He exemplifies how new forms of art and computer technologies are often presented in old forms. “In this paper the origins and practices of computer graphics from 1945 to the present are examined to reveal cultural patterns embedded in their material and symbolic form.” (Jones, pg 21) The transition from static alphanumeric hard copy to dynamic interactive multisensory output is explored. He also goes on to explain how old cultural patterns do not die, but become either de-emphasized or emphasized.
Jone’s offers numerous examples to illustrate her thesis. One example is the transition from the 1940’s analogue computers to Henry drawing computer that produced imagery that replaced the prevailing analog imagery. Some examples of his digitally computed imagery are alphanumeric hardcopy from teletypes, line printers and flat bed plotters. Around the same time, linear-drawn hardcopy of geometric forms was produced for geometric calculations. The images were used not only for practical purposes or technological research, but were also performed by engineers and technicians to produce aesthetic imagery. For example, an image known as Stained Glass Windows, is present in the Army Ballistics Research Laboratory. Another example of digitally computed imagery used at this time was William Fetter’s seven-system man, which was a program that produced an image of a man with seven movable components. The man represented a pilot of the US Air Force. The purpose of this software was to aid in the design of an ergonomically efficient cockpit. Additionally, Fetter tried creating a computer-graphic landing simulation for the air forces. “By combining photographic and geometric data, this group produced graphics that may be read as political commentary”. (Jones, pg 23)
Jone’s kinesthetic techniques are used today in the modern 3D kinematic analysis systems. This software is used to map out the movement of the human body while performing various movements. I’ve actually had a little experience with this technology in a Motor control class I took at the university, where I was able to analyze students’ gates and jumping movements. This computer technology is used not only to analyze movement, but also in creating video games and special effects for movies. These 3D kinematic analysis systems show how “science and art may be shown to share embedded patterns.” In Tyson Hedrick’s article, “Software techniques for two and three dimensional kinematic measurements of biological and biomimetic systems”, he demostrates how the software can be used to measure position velocity and acceleration. This information aids in the examination of locomotion or in biological and biomimetic systems.
References:
Hedrick, T. L. (2008). Software techniques for two- and three-dimensional kinematic measurements of biological and biomimetic systems. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, 3(3), 034001. doi:10.1088/1748-3182/3/3/034001