RiP! The Remix Manifesto
RiP! The Remix Manifesto directed by Brett Gaylor is a documentary film revealing the problems and concerns with Copyright's, copyright infringement and how it plays a part in what people are legally and illegally allowed to create. It directly related to our discussion on the legalities of design and how copyrights have a huge impact on what we can legally use and draw upon in our own creations.
I really enjoyed the documentary overall. Some viewers were turned off by Gaylor's strong stance against copyrights. It is important to remember that he is an activist and as a result his documentary will exemplify a strong opinion in what he believes. If one can look past that tho and take some thoughts with a "grain of salt" I think this film offers some very valid points.
The main issue focused around the music sensation that is Girl Talk. Girl Talk is really Gregg Gillis, a one man band who remixes popular songs and sounds from all decades. By cutting and splicing different clips, some only a second or so long, he works them together to create a one of a kind track that is sure to get you moving. Doing this though means that he is taking from what other artists have created and using it as his own. This is technically copyright infringement and is punishable by law. Gaylor uses Girl Talk as his main example to then goes to look into things like how other artists have done the same (old rock bands drawing from even older blues songs) and then gets the opinion of people who are actually working to stop copyright infringement.
I think that both sides have a valid argument. However, I also think that if someone pays 1.29 on iTunes for their song, then at that point it should be theirs to do with what they will. Even I have bought songs, imported them to garage band and remixed my own. Overall the creators should receive royalties, but once they do from a certain person at a fair price, that purchaser should not have to worry about the record company coming and suing them.








