Artifact Nine: Remix
Objectives:
- Become acquainted with copyright as a historic, cultural and economic paradigm and its value and pertinence to creative works.
- Explore the changing nature of copyright in the context of “Remix Culture”
- Examine your own and others values and paradigms of ownership and authorship of cultural media.
This is a great example of a remix of Sam Smith’s Stay With Me, that is traditionally a slow song, and is now remixed into an upbeat mix, with more techno like sounds. Recognizing the lyrics but being able to change the beat makes remixes so wonderful and unique!
Artifact:
READ ONLY vs. READ/WRITE
In the TED talk “Laws That Choke Creativity”, the differences between read only (RO) vs. read/write (RW) are discussed, along with examples of how copyright has affected our culture. Digital technology can be the revival of RW, and allow “ameutuer culture” where people produce for the love rather than the money.
In the article Remix Planet, the variety of “remixes” that now exist is extensive, ranging from music to movies to games and TV! An excerpt I thought was very powerful is “Who owns the words?” asked a disembodied but very persistent voice throughout much of Burroughs’ work. Who does own them now? Who owns the music and the rest of our culture? We do. All of us.”
This weeks reading stresses the importance of RW cultures, and how we need much more. A quote that describes copyright from Baker goes as follows, “Copyright is a trail lawyer’s dream – a regulatory program enforced by private lawsuits where the plaintiffs have all the advantages, from injury-free damages awards to liability doctrines that extract damages from anyone who was in the neighborhood when an infringement occurred”. Lessig believes that these “rights” and controversy over them are all caused by competition, and that that although protection from competition is important, it should not stop creative abilities and projects.
Copyrights are very important in modern society. There is now infinite social media outlets (blogs, websites, youtube, etc) where people express themselves, and occasionally involving incorporating works from original creators. Copyrights limit creativity because it puts barriers and other restrictions on people who just want to create something, but fear they may be penalized for their remix or mashup. I think that RW needs to be prioritized over RO (but read only should not be entirely eliminated). This will allow for people to express themselves in ways that help them grow as individuals, and is not based on profit, but self-expression.
Reflection:
I had a very basic understanding of copyright before this weeks assignment. I know that there is issues in the modern day of legality getting in the way of actual justice, and how money and power play significant roles in determining who is in the right and wrong. I do believe, especially after listening to Lawrence Lessig, that laws can choke creativity. If someone has a great concept, and it incorporates bits and pieces of someone else’s creation, they most likely will not pursue it in fear they will be punished.
To be honest, most popular songs that play on the radio, I have listened to at least 2-4 versions of that same song by others artists, and each has their own unique spin. I don’t think it takes away from the original creator by any means, from my perspective it should be seen as a compliment because people are so inspired that they want to take that masterpiece and alter it in a new light. Remixing has become so popular, and I think it is a modern day artistic outlet that needs to be recognized and validated. It is not just copying or stealing from the creator, it is unique and one of a kind.
Future:
I plan on reading more into current cases going on regarding copyright and remix, and trying to identify if these laws continue hampering societies creativity. I also am hopeful for the future, and that legislators realize the downfalls of having such tight guidelines now that artist have evolved and changed from what they were like 100 years ago. There is no saying what will happen in the future, but technology has exploded over the last 50 years, and remixes are related to the advanced technologies regarding sounds and beats and redoing already made tracks, so I am hopeful people will realize the great potential of remixing.
Bibliography:
Artifact seven: Creative Spirituality