This video’s a little cheezy but it’s also a nice primer about how Creative Commons works. CC is a Copyright alternative that allows for remixing and sharing of media, which we here at Mashit think is of utmost importance.
All content on the Mashit site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution, Noncommercial, Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Video: “A Shared Culture”
Some of you might find CCMixter.org of interest. It’s a website where you can upload and download samples, accapellas, remixes, and collaborate on projects. Like Archive.org’s audio site, it’s a great place to get open-source samples for productions you’re working on.
These projects are a big step in the right direction, but they don’t solve the problem that most of pop culture has not yet opened up to open-source and commons ideas. Digital media and the internet have unleashed a “torrent” of remix and collage culture, and creativity is running wild in the best way, but a large portion of the output is technically illegal. In the immortal words of Peter Tosh, “You’ve got to legalize it.”
At least the issue is on the mind of one VIP. Barack Obama recently wrote a letter to DNC Chairman Howard Dean requesting that all presidential debates be made public domain under a CC license. There is hope!
