BUY “SILLY KINGDOM” ONLINE
For more information, check out the sillykingdom.com
Links
Tag Archives: Fashion
Copyright: The end of stories retold
“Out with the old, in with… oh, wait, the old is still here?”
In the process of adapting the Norwegian folktale Tatterhood into a comic to be enjoyed by today’s audience, something occurred to me: modern copyright practices have really screwed our narrative culture.
No, I don’t mean “WE SHOULD ALL BE ABLE TO SELL ANYONE’S WORK AND MAKE MAD MONEYS OFF IT”, but… ok, here’s the set up.
Back in the day, people shared tales. The Brother’s Grimm where just some scholarly fellows who traveled around Germany (or where ever), collecting and retelling a lot of these cautionary and cultural stories. As they actually put their findings down in writing, their version of stories had often become the definitive versions we know today… at least until Disney did the same thing and became the new standard.
The point is, a story that one individual made up was shared, re-interpreted by ANYONE through either cultural sensibilities or ‘broken telephone’, and was presented through the mediums of the time.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is one such tale that I feel has been re-interpreted, retold, and even referenced more than most. Written by Lewis Caroll back in 1865, the book has been out of copyright protection since 1907, meaning, it’s public domain. According to wiki: public domain refers to works, ideas, and information which are intangible toprivate ownership and/or which are available for use by members of the public.
(or) “free reign. Everyone get to re-making that shizz.”
And though there was a silent film and many book re-prints and translations prior to 1907, afterword and as technology evolved, every medium had Alice adventuring throughout.
Children’s picture books, tv series & specials, animated films, stop motion, live action feature films, stage plays, comics and so on. And no one owed anyone to do so. You wanna make Alice in Wonder Cereal? Go nuts. Hell, PUT nuts in it.
And don’t even get started on Japan, with the manga and anime. There’s something about a girl being ‘spirited away’ into another fantastical world that they love in their story telling. Interest in the tale of Alice also has an influence on the Victorian / Rococo period inspired Lolita fashion scene.
Now here’s the interesting part.
This will never happen to Harry Potter.
This will never happen to Buzz Lightyear.
This will never happen to… Idonno, the animals from Madagascar.
Where creative content in the past had a certain amount of years after being created or a certain time after the creator’s death before becoming public domain, today we’re living among companies that still exist and own properties that have long outlived their original creators, and are constantly pushing for revisions to copyright law so that it ensures properties never become public domain.
I could write more about his, but really, there’s two videos you can watch that cover it a lot better. Be sure to check out CGPGrey’s Copyright: Forever Less One Day, and Kirby Ferguson’s Everything is a Remix Part 4, for a better explanation to the end of public domain, and WHY it’s such a great loss to us all.
- S
Posted in Shaggy Writes
Tagged alice, anthology, Brothers Grimm, Cautionary Fables and Fairy tales, CGPGrey, Comic, copyright, disney, everything is a remix, Fashion, forever, japan, kirby ferguson, lolita, manga, public domain, rococo, tatterhood, wonderland
1 Comment
Does That Rocket Launcher Come In Mauve? A Fashionable Girl’s Guide To Gaming.
As a fashionable young lady, I have certain expectations when it comes to my life. I have fashionable clothing, a modish apartment, a cat that is simply très chic, and a rather dashing twitter background. When it comes to video games, I expect that my virtual avatars be just as en mode as I am. Now I know that it’s too much to ask for to have Miu Miu breastplates, Gaultier hauberks and Jimmy Choo greaves, but sometimes I feel like – give me a break! Ladies, if you can’t stand spending hours as a dowdy or utterly outré leading lady, let me take the guesswork out of your next gaming purchase.
First up, a staple of nostalgic Generation Y’ers – Pokémon!
Now I’ll admit, not to toot my own horn, but I’m a bit of a Pokémaster. As soon as Pokemon Black was released, I trotted out in my Ferragamo booties to pick up a shiny new copy. You can imagine, however, the look of consternation on my face as soon as I started it up and discovered that, for the whole of the game, this was to be me:
Well, er, howdy y’all!
Now I know we’re in a recession, but do “I” really have to look like I woke up on the wrong side of the trailer park? Where on earth do I even start?
My eyes cannot seem to peel themselves away from that mangled abomination that barely covers her, ahem, lady area. I can hardly call those “cut-offs” since they look more like they were exploded from a pair of pants, rather than cut. Girl, if I can see the lining of your pockets poking out – your shorts are past the point of human decency.
Next – what is with the black wristbands? Either she raided the Hot Topic section of her local Pokémart, or she’s afraid of getting sweaty wrists when she’s throwing Pokéballs. Fashionable? Non! Necessary? I think not!
And – a white t-shirt? True, it is a wardrobe staple – but not when you’re going off to live in the wilderness for a few days months years. I shudder to think of the Pokédirt, Pokéslobber, and Pokésweat that’ll be coating this unfortunate bit of fabric by the end of the first hour. No one wants to challenge their first gym leader with yellowing pit stains! Not that I sweat, or ever find myself outside – but the mere thought of it is making me shiver in my silk Chanel pyjamas.
The bag and hat I can write off to functionality and some sort of youthful exuberance, but my eye twitch returns as soon as I hit those honking combat boots and black socks. Whoa there, GI Jane, what do you think you’ll be stomping around on? Landmines? I think I nice pair of moccasins (very chic for the fall) or some vintage Puma trainers would be perfectly adequate, and much more fashionable.
Sigh. Young lady – toss the shirt, the shorts and the vest. Replace with a pair of YSL jodhpurs (so fun! so fashionable!), a colourful tee with blouson (in case it gets cold!), and a sturdy, but soft pair of suede moccaboots and voila! I’m no longer embarrassed to be seen, and I’m the envy of all the cookie cutter NPCs in the land!
Now don’t even get me started on her best friend…
Blech!
Au revoir for now!
XOXO,
Stella