I get jazzed when I hear or see anyone putting the spotlight on the creative aspects of sampling and cut-and-paste technology, and not just towing the usual line about piracy and copyright violation. So I was especially thrilled to find Good Copy Bad Copy, a thoughtful and well made documentary that looks at the subject from both sides of the law, and with an international scope, to boot.
This insightful work explores the topics of hip-hop sampling, remix culture, file-sharing, movie piracy, and the current state of the music business. It also touches upon Russia's rampant DVD black market, Brazil's vibrant Tecno Brega remix scene, and the booming independent film industry in Lagos, Nigeria (Nollywood).
A number of notable names in the copyright debate are interviewed, including mash-up maestro Gregg Gillis (a.k.a. Girl Talk), Creative Commons founder Lawrence Lessig, Grey Album culprit Brian Burton (a.k.a. DJ Danger Mouse), MPAA chief lobbyist Dan Glickman, and Fredrik Neij (a.k.a. TiAMO) and Gottfrid Svartholm (a.k.a. anakata), operators of the Swedish Bit Torrent site The Pirate Bay.
The documentary initially aired on Danish television in 2007, but is now available to view for free on the official website. If you'd like to burn your own copy to disc and share it with others, the directors provide a torrent link for a XviD version. The film is well worth it, and if you have the means, I encourage you to reward their efforts through the optional PayPal donation. Even if you just throw two or three bucks their way (equivalent to the average DVD rental or on-demand title), it would be a nice show of support.
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