Which side of the ideas war are you on?
July 3rd, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Canadian web activist and filmmaker Brett Gaylor has released a fascinating documentary about the debate surrounding copyright issues and the struggle against the ‘privatization of ideas.’ Prior to the film’s release Gaylor spent years following and collecting the work of hundreds of artists and activists on the Open Source Cinema Website and remixed the work of several contributors into his film to produce the “world’s first open source documentary.” Rip!: A Remix Manifesto touches on various issues which are relevant to any mass media user including the pros and cons of downloading media off the Internet without paying for it, the legal consequences of remixing existing forms of media like film and music to produce new forms, and the frightening measures that corporations are taking to ensure that those who violate copyright terms are punished legally.
Viewers are encouraged to create their own remixes of the movie as a form of Web 2.0 activism, can pay what they want to download the film from the official website and can even host their own screenings that way. The entire film is also divided into parts which can be viewed on YouTube — you can start with Part 1 by going here.
Existing screening dates in the United States can be viewed here.
The film’s trailer can also be watched below — be sure to check it out.
