The remixers manifesto:
1. Culture always builds on the past.
2. The past always tries to control the future.
3. Our Future is becoming less free.
4. To build free societies, you must limit control of the past.

This manifesto forms the thesis of the excellent new documentary called Rip! Rip! is about the battles raging between copyright and copyleft; between the creators, publishers, protectors, and remixers of culture. Following the mash-up musician Girl Talk, the film is itself a provocative mash-up of numerous copyrighted songs and images. And, true to form, it is partially available online with an explicit invitation to remix the whole damn thing (see Open Source Cinema).

Brilliantly edited and free-flowing, Rip! is important for its courage at shining a light on perhaps the most significant issue surrounding ideas. Art and ideas are inspired by other art and ideas, and laws that refuse this ignore the giants on whose shoulders we stand and shortchange us of new discoveries and crazy good creations like Girl Talk’s and this.

Seriously, how impressive is THRU YOU!

(Thanks Ryan and Benny)

culture documentary Girl Talk intellectual property remix video