With a name like AWESOMEPEDIA, it’s gotta be AWESOME
Category: copyleft
Understanding Free Content
Content is an unlimited resource. People can now make perfect copies of digital content for free. That’s why they expect content to be free — because it is in fact free. That is GOOD.
Think of “content” — culture — as water. Where water flows, life flourishes.
Sita DVD announcement list
We’re almost done authoring the Sita Sings the Blues DVD packaging and getting an order fulfillment service to ship it. Meanwhile, here’s something to do: sign up here with just your email address, and we’ll send you an mail with ordering information as soon as it’s ready.
Because the “content” is free – you can download it all online – what we’re actually selling is DVD packaging, not the film itself. This includes a nicely printed full color recycled cardstock “eco” case, and a silkscreened “pre-downloaded” DVD with the film and various features like subtitles, the trailer, and some video interviews of me ranting about copyright. The DVD is a nice package, a real object, and you can actually own it – it’ll still be there even if the internet (or your connection to it) disappears.
We’re planning two “Official” editions of the DVD packaging. The basic consumer version will be about $20:
Then there’s the Artist’s Edition, which will be about $100. This will be a more elaborate package – 6 panels instead of 4 – numbered and signed by me. This edition will be limited to 4,999. Why 4,999? Because for every 5,000 DVDs sold, I have to make additional payments (beyond the $50,000 I have already paid) to the corporations that hold copyright monopolies on some of the music used in the film. I don’t believe culture can be owned, and I’ve released my film under a free license to ensure that it can never be similarly trapped, but as long as the government enforces these monopolies, I must count DVDs.
The cover art isn’t final but will be in a few days. I could use the “happy Sita” image on the artist’s edition, and the “artsy Sita” on the consumer version. Leave your suggestions now or forever hold your peace. Thanks!
MY OFFICIAL POSITION ON COPYRIGHT
Now that I’m a full-time free culture activist, some have expressed the concern, “You don’t think there should be any copyright at all! You want to take away my right to protect my intellectual property!”
Let me assure you this is not true.
I completely support your right to copy-restrict your works. The more you copyright (restrict access to) your work, the more wide-open the field is for free culture like Sita Sings the Blues. Open-licensed work has a tremendous competitive advantage over copy-restricted work. So by all means, please “protect” your “property.”
See you on the other side of success!
Copying Isn’t Theft
UPDATE: can anyone arrange this as a show tune? I originally heard it in my head as a show tune, but I’m musically illiterate. See the growing links list of awesome covers here.
Feel free to remix, re-record, or otherwise re-make this song so I can animate to it.Full interview on Thirteen.org.
High Res “Sita” Stills, wiki
Big ol’ hi-res “Sita” PNGs now at archive.org! They’re suitable for print publication.
More coming, as I get time to deal with everything. Whenever that is.
Speaking of which, does anyone want to help make the “Frequently Asked Interview Questions” part of the Sita FAQ? This would involve going through all the interviews I’ve done about Sita Sings the Blues (a few are linked to here, the rest need to be googled), determining which questions are asked over and over again, and consolidating the answers based on what I’ve already said. If I tackle it now that’ll mean another day I don’t get to the new DVD packaging and other tasks I have to do myself. We’ve got a wiki; I’m still learning how to use it, but feel free to start a FAQ there with a brand new FAQ section. Thanks!