Everything is a Remix

Creativity is dying, and the laws made to protect it are killing it.  This is the central thesis to the four-part web series “Everything is a Remix” by Kirby Ferguson. “Everything is a Remix” is a series of videos that break down various films and music to reveal how they have been influenced by the creative works of others. In the first part, Ferguson breaks down Led Zeppelin, revealing how blatant a role influence plays in their music, and then showing bands that Led Zeppelin influenced. 

Ferguson continues in the second part, this time talking about film. His focus is on George Lucas, and how he was influenced and then his role in influencing the film industry. Ferguson makes a note on how Quentin Tarantino sits on the throne of remixing other peoples work. At this point, Ferguson raises the intriguing question: although it’s not an original work, does that mean it isn’t creative? Does remixing other people’s creative works makes something of less worth? As Isaac Newton once said, “I have seen further by standing on the shoulders of giants.”  Nobody can present a new idea without copying, transforming, and combining the ideas of many other people.

In the third part, Ferguson moves out of the entertainment industry and begins to explain “remixing” in inventions. The typewriter has influences from the way piano keys work. The printing press would have never been invented if paper, ink, moveable type and screw press had not existed beforehand.

The fourth part pulls it all together in one brilliant stroke.  With so many ideas being “stolen” in order to create new stronger ideas, why aren’t these people suing each the hell out of each other?  Well, they are now. Steve Jobs might admit that Apple was created on the foundations of ideas from Xerox, and has stolen concepts from many different companies since it’s creation, but the moment Android becomes a threat to the iPhone, Jobs declares war on the “stolen product.” Even worse, intellectual property laws make it easy to gain legal protection for something that you could invent, but haven’t bothered to build. This leads to companies doing something called “opportunistic litigation,” suing to make a buck. There are whole companies based on the idea that they could own patents on things that don’t exist, and suing people who present similar ideas. Ferguson argues this is a major block for any progress forward in creativity. The laws that allow this to happen were created to promote progress, not inhibit it.

Overall, “Everything is a Remix” is brilliantly put together. It’s very well structured to keep you involved as you watch the 45-minute series.  Ferguson also supplies references on his website, everythingisaremix.info, giving his documentary series a high level of credibility. The series is also very visually appealing, using images and video clips in a well-edited montage. This insightful series is a must-watch for anybody in the creative industry or with interest in the arts.