Learning with the Fang

• I think re-mixing digital text, images audio and video is an important part of the future of language
• I am anxious to see legal reforms that will allow safe and legal re-mix of digital versions of the sound and scenes that I grew up with
• I get grumpy when I see important artefacts from my own upbringing locked away under restrictive copyright

But today, I am heartened to see that my tax dollars have been well spent by the ABC on a project called DustEchos that attempts to preserve ancient stories from a very fragile culture by speaking them in a fresh, digital voice and encouraging remix.

I am even more encouraged that one of the animators on two of the stories (mermaid, whirlpool) is young Josh Bowman – a determined young man from the bush who is making his living through digital animation. I have watch Josh develop his interests, talents and now career in animation over the years. From the very start, Josh has been hindered by outdated laws that were designed to protect a creative industry that grew in a very much analog and read only world.

Projects like DustEchos are a very cautious ‘toe in the water’ toward read/write culture. The rather controlled ‘Mash it up’ feature of each story is even more restrictive than YouTube’s server side ‘REMIX’ feature but is a start. Just imagine a world in which all the digital versions of films, songs and images we grew up with were licensed in such a way that anyone could mash them up in any way they like. Think of the powerful new stories that would be told. Imagine how much longer some of the great creative work would survive in future culture.

Go aunty (ABC) and go Josh!

So, do yourself a favour, read the ‘original story’ (top right tab of viewing page) first then watch mermaid. Then tell me you don’t learn something about your own life. Being an old bloke who is somewhat disenfranchised with some of the most important relationships in my life, I was quite moved by the premise of the story. I suspect next time I hear a magpie warble I will think of returning to the things that will sustain me. I would very much like to mash up scenes from mermaid with scenes and songs from my life – re-telling the story as it applies to me. But, alas, the ABC copyright won’t allow it.

Fang – Mike Seyfang

technorati tags:seyfang, mikeseyfang

p.s. If you think mermaid or whirlpool are good you can vote for them HERE.

technorati tags:joshbowman, dustechos