I just finished watching RIP: A Remix Manifesto - a documentary film about copyright and remix culture in the United States. The film’s central protagonist is Girl Talk, a mash-up musician topping the charts with his sample-based songs, and the film examines whether his music should be seen as piracy.
The resounding answer the film gives is no- "mash-ups" are not piracy but are instead a creative re-imagining essential to Free Culture. Director Brett Gaylor rails against restrictive copyright laws, sounding a call to action. Gaylor even adopted Radiohead’s name-your-own-price business model when he made the movie available online. He's been called a copyfight crusader more than once.
It's a relevant and instructive film, highlighting information age questions and a movie that you can dance to, ta boot.
If you're in San Francisco, check out the film and and a live set by mash-up VJ legends Eclectic Method at the San Francisco Film Society's SF360 Film + Club on July 23rd at club Mezzanine. Tickets are $12 for SFFS members and $17 for non-members.
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