Monday, May 14, 2012

Review- RiP!: A Remix Manifesto


RiP!: A Remix Manifesto is a documentary narrated and directed by Brett Gaylor that focuses around remixing, art and copyright laws. It also focuses on Girl Talk- a remix dj dealing with modern music and art making, but battling copyright laws.

The film is interesting and eye opening. Gaylor says in the film, “copyright is out of control…it’s been manipulated for profit at everyone’s expense”. Record companies and corporations just want money. To clear an album of remixes and samples it would cost 4 million dollars, according to the film. In the film there is a montage of songs that build from older songs. Remixes aren’t that different from how people have made art in the past and how people have made music. It is a new medium, but the idea is basically the same. Gaylor says, “Artists build on the work that came before them…Shakespeare, Thomas Edison…from the Dadaists to the Beat artists to Warhol”. Recording companies and corporations are taking that freedom to art away from people in order to make money.

            The film is an important commentary on the way our culture and society works today. In the film the artist Girl Talks says, “it’s beneficial to share ideas”. With the internet ideas are shared faster and faster than ever before. It is important for society to share ideas and to build upon those ideas for a better future. 

No comments:

Post a Comment