Copyright, fair use and the digital age
First read this: tinyurl.com/dlb6b6
What lawyers and old skool copyright owners just can't seem to understand is that times have changed. I personally feel the copyright extension (see sonny Bono copyright extension act) was one of the worst setbacks to art to happen in refer years.
We live in the infinite elastic world of the digital. We grew up with tape dubbing/mixtapes, VCR to VCR copying, and napster. We live in an age where the old rules simply do not apply.
As a musician I have always known that all music is in some manner a derivative art. There are standard chord progressions, but wothing them there are untold numbers of variation and room to go in your own direction. I've sampled illegally, made bootleg tracks, and I never really considered it stealing, more a re-imagining. And this mindset is a core belief of our generation I believe.
Visual art, music, performance, it is all up for interpretation now. With cheap software a 12 year old kid can now mash up brittney spears, john coltrane and afrika bambatta and share it with the world. That same kid can make policitcal commentary by editing political speeches and broadcasting it over the Internet via YouTube.
So why is the AP up in arms? Because they, like the MPAA/RIAA mafia see this as potential lost profit as opposed to one artists interpretation of the world around them. The record companies keep putting crap out, but blame p2p for slow growth (they are STILL making a profit).
My message is this: remix, re-use and re-imagine the world around YOU! hate how that movie was edited? Do it better yourself. (see the phantom edit). Want to put Rush limbaughs image over a church with the thousands of pain pills he has popped? Do it. Want to make Ashley simpson sing over a track made up if a crowd booing her? Do it. Use your voice and share it with the rest of us.