Wk #1 Classmate Comment: Nykoll Hyatt

Nykoll's original post:

What's the real deal?

A Fairy(y) Use tale explained it best. The video was to the point but quite disjointed. I guess I don't really have an opinion one way or the other about the copyright issues.  On some level I understand it.  The artists and their management team want all the financial gains that I guess are rightfully theirs.  But as was stated by some in the Good Copy, Bad Copy video, the main people who are sampling and pirating are the artists fans.

These kinds of copyright violations are ways that poor people make money and are able to feed their families.  Why has the law changed from 14 years to 'forever' now anyway? Who is really making the big bucks behind this? Yes, these artists are losing revenue, but why not let others reap a little bit too? I heard something once about Li'l Wayne 'giving' his work away on the Internet, yet he's still making money. If that is the case, then I think there is much more going on.

How can they (the US, it seems) prohibit people in other countries from doing what they are doing? Like Charles Igwe said, "how can you be bigger than me and smaller than me at the same time?"  The article on, 'US government finally admits most piracy estimates are bogus', clearly shows that there is more to this issue than meets the eyes and the ears.

I don't get the big deal. I kind of understand getting permission to use someone's work before you make it into a money making venture for yourself. But how much would they want from what these fans or poor people are making and, is it only the original artist that these 'entrepreneurs' would have to split the money with?

My Comments:

Hi Nykoll;


Unfortunately, music has become too much of a "business" than "music". The Internet has become a big place where artists can promote their work and still make a profit. The problem is, I think, that record companies are losing their grip on the artist output, without the consent of managers or the record companies. Artists/musicians, can make the record they want, the style or genre of music they like and still get approval by us, the fans. I think that same thing happens with independent filmmakers. They can do great movies or shorts without giving away their rights or a big part of the revenue to the big movie studios. Check on You Tube all the fan based movies. The quality of the image as well as sound and special effects are great.

I think that the extension of copyright law is a way to guarantee that the record companies or film studios can still profit from the musicians/actors/filmmakers for years and years.