After I came back from the inauguration, I compiled my pictures into a short video using Sam  Cooke’s “A Chang is Gonna Come” (which I own on vinyl, cd, and digital via iTunes) and uploaded it to Facebook, and Youtube.  A few days later, Facebook and Youtube yanked my video or yanked the music from my little slideshow due to copyright infringement. Note I “own” the song in three various forms.  I was not giving the song away, but playing with some pictures to share with my friends.  If that is copyright infringement to put a song in a slideshow for friends, it must be copyright infringement for me to play the same song in my house, at work or at a beach for my friends, right?

Well I’m not a lawyer and not sure whether what is considered infringement or not, but I can say this: the concept of copyright law need to be completely redefined for the 21st century.  The documentary film RIP: A Remix Manifesto aims to do that by telling the story of copyright through the central character of Girl Talk.

RIP: A Remix Manifesto is not only a film but an open source film “protected” not under traditional copyright law(which you have to pay to protect) but under Creative Commons which is a new form of copyright which is free and accessible to anyone to use. The type of Creative Commons copyright the filmakers use allows anyone to download, distribute, edit, remix the film in anyway you choose.

The film was based on a manifesto created by author and lawyer Larry Lessig. The Manifesto contains 4 statements:

1. Culture Always Builds on The Past
2. The Past Always Tries to Control the Future.
3. Our Future Becoming Less Free
4. To Build Free Societies, You Must Limit The Control of The Past

The film does a good job of proving that copyright law does not protect but hinder innovation and creativity and progress. You wouldn’t have the “classic” sound of Led Zepplin and Rolling Stones if they didn’t sample Muddy Waters (who and is family was never compensated under the copyright law).  Disney wouldn’t be the cultural icon it is if they took stories that were in public domain and re-creating them (i.e. Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, even the Invisibles which was loosely based on The Watchmen).

RIP: A Remix Manifesto is film that everyone should see. You can download the film for whatever price you think it is worth (sound familiar?)  From Girl Talk to Bert and Ernie to Baile Funk to Amplive’s Radiohead remix project even the distrbution of HIV Drugs, the film covers a lot of ground.

Check out Larry Lessig lecture on Copyright law at TED

The TV anime series is set in a “futuristic, yet feudal Japan,” and stars a samurai named Afro for his hair. The story follows Afro as he tries to avenge his father’s murder. In the world of Afro Samurai, it is said that the one who becomes “Number One” will rule the world, wielding powers akin to a god. Someone becomes Number One by killing the previous Number One and taking his ceremonial headband. However, the only rule in this world is that only the “Number Two” (also designated by a sacred headband) is allowed to fight the “Number One.” The downside of this is that anyone (and typically everyone) can challenge and try to kill the Number Two, to gain the right to move forward and challenge Number One. Afro Samurai’s father was the old Number One, until he was challenged by a gunman named “Justice” (who was then Number Two), who fought him in a duel to become the new Number One (wikipedia).

Well Afro-Samurai is backed with a feature length entitled Afro Samurai:Resurrection. This series will again feature the voice of Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Hamill(Star Wars) and Lucy Liu as a female warrior that clashes with Afro Samurai. In this series, the main character Afro, loses his way, and gets tired of all the killing, and he wakes up to his destiny.  Afro Samurai: Resurrection will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray February 3rd, and will debut on Spike Network on January 25th. The sountrack proudced comes out on January 27th, 2009. 

Kool G Rap, Inspectah Deck, Suga Bang – “You Already Know” from Afro Samurai Resurrection Sountrack
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Here is the tracklisting:

01 RZA, P. Dot – Combat (Afro Season II Open Theme)
02 Kool G Rap, Inspectah Deck, Suga Bang – You Already Know
03 Reverand William Burke, Sly Stone, Stone Mecca – Blood Thicker Than Mud “Family Affair”
04 Kool G Rap, Ghostface Killah, Tash Mahogany, RZA – Whar
05 Rah Digga, Stone Mecca – Girl Samurai Lullaby 
06 Thea Van Seijen – Fight for You
07 Rah Digga – Bitch Gonna Get Ya’
08 Prodgical Sunn, Thea Van Siejen – Bloody Days Bloody Nights
09 Rugged Monk – Kill Kill Kill
10 Boy Jones – Nappy Afro
11 Black Knights, Dexter Wiggles, Thea Van Seijen Bloody Samurai
12 Killah Priest, Prodgical Sunn, Shavo Dead Birds
13 Ace, Moe Rock – Arch Nemesis
14 Reverand William Burke, The RZA, Infinite – Brother’s Keeper
15 Ace, Moe Rock – Yellow Jackets
16 60 Second Assassin, Leggezin, Crisi, Christ Bearer, Rugged Monk, Tré Irie, Kinetic, Reverand William Burks, Bobby Digital – Take the Sword pt. III

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Here at Needledrop, we are big fans of animation well at least just me.  I especially love any animation that involves Tim Burton.  On Septemebr 9, 2009, a movie by the name of “9″ will be released and it will be produced by Tim Burton and directed by Shane Acker.  It is a film adaptation of this short animation film of the same name by Shane Acker who released his short animation film back in 2005 while he was a student. He also recieved a student Oscar for his short film. He spent nearly 4 1/2 years making his short.  The film definitely will have a dark side which I like. 

Acker’s technically astute short follows a brave rag doll creature who calls on all its courage to confront a vile mechanical beast who has attacked all his fellow rag doll peers and trapped their souls within his body. Inspired by the work of stop-motions masters such as Jan Svankeyer and the Brothers Quay, Acker says the non-verbal narrative was loosely based on the English poem Beowulf. (via Animation Magazine)