By Kirby Ferguson
Summary Notes
Remixing has become popular in other forms of media and is seen in many of Hollywood's biggest films. Major inventions have come from combining ideas, and modern personal computers are a prime example. Copyrights and patents were created to protect original creations, but they have led to legal disputes and a loss of wealth. Everything is Remix is celebrating its 5 year anniversary with a Kickstarter and Patreon campaign to help produce new videos.
Key Learnings
• Remixing has become popular in other forms of media, beyond just music. • Major inventions have come from combining ideas, and modern personal computers are a prime example. • Copyrights and patents were created to protect original creations, but they have led to legal disputes and a loss of wealth. • Sample trolls and patent trolls are businesses that litigate for profit, making it difficult for artists to sample music and for tech companies to innovate.
- Summary Notes
- Key Learnings
- Exploring the Art of Remixing: A Look at its History and Expansion in Popular Culture
- Hollywood Reimagines Classic Films - Star Wars as a Prime Example
- Remixing Techniques: The Key to Creative Invention
- Exploring the Interdependence of Creativity: The Evolution of the Personal Computer
- Protecting Original Creativity Through Copyrights and Patents
- The Transformation of the Common Good to Intellectual Property: Legal Disputes Costing Half a Trillion Dollars
- Helping Artists and Innovators Fight Against Sample and Patent Trolls
Exploring the Art of Remixing: A Look at its History and Expansion in Popular Culture
Remixing has been popular in the music industry since the 1970s, when artists like Led Zeppelin borrowed from other sources without giving proper credit. Remixing has now spread to other forms of media, with people copying and transforming existing works to create new ones. “Remixing has become popular in other forms of media, beyond just music.” Remixing has expanded into many other forms of media, showing its versatility and widespread acceptance. It has become a popular tool for creating new content.
Hollywood Reimagines Classic Films - Star Wars as a Prime Example
Hollywood's greatest talent is transforming the old into the new, with 74 of the 100 highest-grossing films from the last 10 years being sequels, remakes, or adaptations. Star Wars is a prime example of a genre film that draws inspiration from Joseph Campbell, Flash Gordon, Akira Kurosawa, and other classic films. “Transforming the old into the new is Hollywood’s greatest talent.” Creativity often involves taking existing ideas and adapting them in new, innovative ways. This is true for both Hollywood and the tech industry, which has allowed for the creation of major inventions like the personal computer.
Remixing Techniques: The Key to Creative Invention
George Lucas, Quentin Tarantino and other filmmakers have used remixing techniques to create original works from existing materials; creativity is built on copying, emulation and transformation. Major advances in invention have come from combining ideas, producing some of history's biggest breakthroughs. “We stand on the shoulders of giants” We rely on the work of those who came before us to build our own creations.
Exploring the Interdependence of Creativity: The Evolution of the Personal Computer
Xerox created the modern personal computer in the early '70s and Apple later released the Lisa and Macintosh, which incorporated Xerox's innovations. Apple aimed to make the Mac a simple, household appliance and achieved this through various transformations. This demonstrates the power of combining ideas and the interdependence of creativity. "The Mac was to be a simple device like a TV or a stereo" Apple wanted to make computing more accessible by making it more akin to familiar, everyday appliances. This relates to the key learning that remixing has become popular in other forms of media, as the Mac was a combination of existing pieces of technology.
Protecting Original Creativity Through Copyrights and Patents
We have often seen multiple discoveries emerge from different places, showing that ideas are interwoven and layered. Copyrights and patents were introduced to protect original creations and encourage the creation and spread of new ideas. This system aims to create a robust public domain of affordable ideas to be built upon. “Everything is Remix celebrates its 5 year anniversary with a Kickstarter and Patreon campaign to help produce new videos.” Even after 5 years, the movement of remixing is still alive and well, with the help of crowdfunding platforms.
The Transformation of the Common Good to Intellectual Property: Legal Disputes Costing Half a Trillion Dollars
The core belief of the common good has transformed over time into the concept of intellectual property, driven by human psychology and laws. This has led to legal disputes over copyright, patents, and trade agreements, resulting in a loss of wealth estimated at half a trillion dollars. “People tend to place a much higher value on losses than on gains so the gains we get from copying the work of others don’t make a big impression but when it’s our ideas being copied we perceive this as a loss and we get territorial.” We care more when our own ideas are taken than when we take someone else's. When it comes to intellectual property, we are deeply protective of what we have created.
Helping Artists and Innovators Fight Against Sample and Patent Trolls
Sample trolls and patent trolls are businesses that litigate for profit, often settling out of court due to costly legal defense. This has made it difficult for artists to sample music and for tech companies to innovate. To celebrate the five year anniversary of Everything is Remix, Kirby has launched a Kickstarter campaign and a Patreon account to help produce new free videos. “Copyright Act of 1790 is entitled an act for the encouragement of learning” Copyrights were created to promote learning and knowledge, not to limit it. "Everything is Remix is celebrating its 5 year anniversary with a Kickstarter and Patreon campaign to help produce new videos." Remixing has become popular enough to drive major investments in new content, allowing it to continue to be produced and shared with the world.