Reminder: Create A PSA About The Impact Of Technology On Creativity And You Can Win $1,000
from the step-on-up dept
As you may remember, NBC Universal via New York City, is running a contest trying to get NYC school children to create anti-piracy public service announcement (PSA) propaganda videos. In exchange for that, they’re giving the “winner” $500… but also taking their copyright. We think it’s a bit ironic that a contest where you’re forced to only talk about how great copyright is also forces you to give up your copyright.
Anyway, thanks to some generous Techdirt readers (and a matching grant from us directly), we’re offering our own contest and the deadline is rapidly approaching. You’ve basically got a week left. We’re looking for the PSAs to be about the impact of technology on creativity. We’re not giving you talking points, or even a specific view you have to take. Unlike NBC Universal and New York City, we trust you to make your own arguments, not regurgitate what you’ve been handed. We’re also offering twice the amount of money they are… and we don’t force you to give up your copyright. So, step on up. Details of how to enter can be found here.
Filed Under: culture, nyc, psa, technology
Companies: nbc universal
Comments on “Reminder: Create A PSA About The Impact Of Technology On Creativity And You Can Win $1,000”
Good one Mike
This will be a perfect lesson for you Mike, you will find, (as you allready know).
That people will be MORE THAN HAPPY to hand over copyright for their works, and to take the effort to make that works FOR MONEY
It is a perfect demonstration, (thanks MIKE) of how well the copyright system works, if people did not want to give up the copyright of their work, they would not enter.
But you are demonstrating HOW WELL THE SYSTEM WORKS.
Yes, that right FOR MONEY people will take the effort and create a work, and they wont even mind selling the copyright for that work, (for the money).
THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU Mike….. for creating a REAL WORLD demonstration of how the SYSTEM WORKS.
(for all the interested parties)
Re: Good one Mike
This will be a perfect lesson for you Mike, you will find, (as you allready know).
That people will be MORE THAN HAPPY to hand over copyright for their works, and to take the effort to make that works FOR MONEY
It is a perfect demonstration, (thanks MIKE) of how well the copyright system works, if people did not want to give up the copyright of their work, they would not enter.
But you are demonstrating HOW WELL THE SYSTEM WORKS.
Yes, that right FOR MONEY people will take the effort and create a work, and they wont even mind selling the copyright for that work, (for the money).
THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU Mike….. for creating a REAL WORLD demonstration of how the SYSTEM WORKS.
(for all the interested parties)
Hard to believe that this post got flagged. I guess I understand that you folks are growing tired of having to eat all of the shit sandwiches that reality keeps serving up. But blocking comments like this is pretty weak, particularly from Techdirtbag Nation who opposes provisions in law that block infringing content. Ironic you douches have no qualms about disappearing comments that you simply disagree with. H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y thy name is Techdirt.
Re: Re: Good one Mike
Hard to believe that this post got flagged.
This Darryl guy has been commenting here for years (longer than I have). His posts are always rambling, completely nonsensical, and punctuated by LOTS OF CAPS and ellipses…
He makes so little sense, that I’m pretty sure he has some sort of learning disability. And he does nothing but attack Mike personally.
That you think he served us a “shit sandwich” really speaks to your level of intelligence, not to mention your prejudice.
Still, idiotic as he is, he’s at least superior to you in one respect: he’s not too cowardly to use a name.
Re: Re: Good one Mike
This is a fair point, It was crazy talk from him,(He seems to foget that young children don’t tend to read fine print for starters) but blocking it is hypocritical. (though you could have worded it nicer…)
Re: Re: Re: Good one Mike
Blocked? Funny, but I still managed to read it.
Re: Good one Mike
This will be a perfect lesson for you Mike, you will find, (as you allready know).
That people will be MORE THAN HAPPY to hand over copyright for their works, and to take the effort to make that works FOR MONEY
It is a perfect demonstration, (thanks MIKE) of how well the copyright system works, if people did not want to give up the copyright of their work, they would not enter.
But you are demonstrating HOW WELL THE SYSTEM WORKS.
Yes, that right FOR MONEY people will take the effort and create a work, and they wont even mind selling the copyright for that work, (for the money).
THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU Mike….. for creating a REAL WORLD demonstration of how the SYSTEM WORKS.
(for all the interested parties)
Hard to believe that this post got flagged. I guess I understand that you folks are growing tired of having to eat all of the shit sandwiches that reality keeps serving up. But blocking comments like this is pretty weak, particularly from Techdirtbag Nation who opposes provisions in law that block infringing content. Ironic you douches have no qualms about disappearing comments that you simply disagree with. H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y thy name is Techdirt.
“We think it’s a bit ironic that a contest where you’re forced to only talk about how great copyright is also forces you to give up our copyright.”
“our” copyright? Riiight.
Re: Re:
Typo… fixed.
I think that’s why copyright is so great: one can give it to someone because one is to stupid to have it. [end of sarcasm]
Now, for the serious stuff. It’s dangerous to teach children not to share. I still remember being a kid and the teachers – and almost everyone around me – telling me to share and that it was a good thing. Nowadays, they say it’s not. Strange and sick world we live in…
Holy hell
Teaching children not to share? Destroying unalienable human rights? Thinking that raising the price and treating potential clients like criminals will boost sales? It’s like we’re under attack by Bizarro World.
Re: Holy hell
You mean reality isn’t already Bizarro World?
I’m shocked, I tell you! SHOCKED!
From Facebook to Google to popular blogs and forums like Techdirt and Slashdot, among others, technology has enabled us to take libraries of information several stories high from all across the world and to deliver searchable and quick access to them to many remote locations in an instant. Up to the minute news, opinions, and comments can be delivered to you very quickly from all around the world or from your local neighborhood and you yourself can comment, contribute your opinion, and participate in related discussions and have others provide you with valuable feedback that you can learn from. Businesses of all sizes can have their location and information searched and can create websites that allow others to learn of their presence, location, and to patronize them and make orders online from all around the world. Consumers can review businesses and products and give feedback and read the opinions of others before making purchase decisions. Businesses can use this feedback to improve their products and services as well. People who have problems from health to math can search medical websites to math video tutorials in an instant or they can ask for help on various IRC and other chat forums or on message boards and receive assistance from many experts around the world. People may quickly self publish and distribute things from books to music to video footage to a very wide audience and they may conveniently communicate with their family, friends, and fans in remote locations personally and publicly using technologies such as twitter, text messaging, and e-mail.
This comment is released under a Creative Commons Share Alike with Derivatives License (so long as those derivatives are shared alike as well) and may also be used for commercial purposes as well so long as you share it alike and any commercial derivatives are shared alike as well.
Re: Re:
Yes – the internet is one of humans’ greatest achievements. It is up there with fire, navigation, sterile surgical procedures, flight, etc.
We think it’s a bit ironic that a contest where you’re forced to only talk about how great copyright is also forces you to give up your copyright.
Considering the fact that the contestant agrees to this, it’s hardly accurate to frame it as them being forced to do it. Nor do I see how it’s ironic at all.
Re: Re:
Considering the fact that the contestant agrees to this, it’s hardly accurate to frame it as them being forced to do it.
He meant, obviously, that you’re forced to give up your copyright if you actually want to participate.
Nor do I see how it’s ironic at all.
You don’t see the irony in a contest that promotes respect for copyright, that doesn’t respect the copyright of the contestants? I guess irony really is dead.
Re: Re: Re:
“You don’t see the irony in a contest that promotes respect for copyright, that doesn’t respect the copyright of the contestants? “
Is it ironic that a copyright cheerleader turns a blind eye to the irony within a contest which disrespects copyright or is this simply to be expected?
Re: Re: Re:
He meant, obviously, that you’re forced to give up your copyright if you actually want to participate.
If you agree to something willingly, then you’re not being forced. Give me a break.
You don’t see the irony in a contest that promotes respect for copyright, that doesn’t respect the copyright of the contestants? I guess irony really is dead.
How does having the contestant assign their copyright show a lack of respect for copyright? That’s a non sequitur. If anything, it shows a respect for the copyright’s value.
Look, I think Mike’s contest is cool. But give me a break with whining about the details of the other contest.
"Create A PSA About The Impact Of Technology On Creativity"
Know what? The technology enables so much more entertaining uses of it for distraction that creativity /plummets/. I can go to Pirate Bay and pick from thousands — hundreds — well, for me, tens… maybe at least a couple — anyway, a hypothetical “consumer” has potentially thousands of movies or videos or games available for easy and quick entertainment. I might have to sit around waiting for the download to complete especially on the less popular ones, but just means I should have started last night. Point is, technology is a double edged sword, and “creating” a PSA on short notice /might/ appeal to a few, but I doubt it: could be a deal of grinding work, and one needs inspiration for a start.
Being as charitable as I can here, Mike, assuming — well, never mind. However, you’re not only up against reality that creating is hard work, you’re also up against the reality that your fanboy-trolls are sufficiently entertained by only clicking the flag button on “darryl’s” post, and I think that’s about all they’re capable of. But maybe they’re all too busy “creating” a PSA to do more.
Anyway, that’s what I hold is the actual /effect/ of technology on creativity. (One sign of dropping creativity is the lamentable spread of misusing words like “impact” under the illusion that it has more force.) Consider my first paragraph of text up there my entry, unless the rules explicitly specify has to be a video. — Or anyone can take the idea as basis for their own instantion in video.
Re: "Create A PSA About The Impact Of Technology On Creativity"
You state your opinion as though it were fact.
I am certain there is empirical evidence which contradicts your statements about technology being an impediment to creativity.
Re: "Create A PSA About The Impact Of Technology On Creativity"
I love how you gloss over the fact that more people are creating new works today than ever before. Hasn’t it been stated enough that everything is based off of some other work? The fact that there is a lot of output to choose from, as you so helpfully pointed out, also shows that there is a lot of creative work to draw from. Since there is a lot of creative work to listen to, watch, read, etc. it should come as no surprise that people are creating even more works.
Having a lot of creative works around does not cause a dearth of new creative works simply because creativity is always based on the stuff that is around you. The more stuff around you, the more inspired one is to create their own new stuff.
Creativity needs to be viewed more like a conversation than a spark of genius. Lots of conversations around you doesn’t lead you to do less talking. Quite the opposite, it leads to more participation. Having lots of creativity around doesn’t dull your mind. Quite the opposite, since every work is based on what has been done before, the more creativity you surround yourself with, the more works you’ll create.
There are some people who don’t want to create, who only want to consume, just like there are some people who don’t want to participate in conversations, opting instead to just listen. But what then is the harm of that? It may be that at some point they will be motivated to participate, and the creative output is increased, or the conversation is enriched. But if they decide to never participate, it is unlikely that they would have done so had their been less creative works, or less conversation.
A side note...which is actually the important part.
First, let me say that I think this counter-contest is a cool idea. Having said that, I lack the time, skills and materials to submit my own entry, so I will suffice myself with these thoughts:
I believe that the majority of the submissions, if indeed, not all of them, will focus of the effects of technology on commercial creativity. On the bands that can distribute their music to the populous without the intervention of a label, on the film-makers who can film with their phones, on the authors who can publish 99 cent ebooks.
Those (And many more examples, but I believe in the rhetoric value of triplets) are all valuable things, however they are far…FAR…from the most valuable impact that technology has on creativity.
I think, the most meaningful impact to be had is the non-commercial. Though I’ll admit I’m somewhat biased…permit me to explain.
I’m an American ex-pat in Honduras, down here, I run a program loosely based on the notions of the SOLE model (which is to say, it started out wholly based on that model, before it was discovered that our local use-case made that problematic, and thus the center evolved.).
The kids who come into my center, as their parents before them, have had the creativity and curiosity (To my mind, the two are different sides of the same coin.) beaten out of them…unfortunately, sometimes literally.
One of the mainstays of my program is that I have three computers capable of running Minecraft, and almost every child (I should clarify, ages 8-18) who comes into my center participates in the 15 minute rotation to play MC. These kids, in this virtual world devoid of consequences (Well, in creative mode, at least.), have the opportunity to finally explore the possibilities of creativity.
I cannot help but to believe that in this exercise these children grow to be better people, people who no matter where they wind up, will make a greater contribution to society as a whole, be it ever so infinitesimal. Of such minor feats…snowballed across the worlds population…does a generation advance.
That’s my belief, anyhow…but then, I’ve already admitted I’m biased.
(Sorry, btw, I’ve always been rather too fond of the parenthetical.)
Incentives
Mike, add a pic of you and Marcus in underwear and you’ll see a huge increase in video submissions from our friendly ACs. You know, some of them (like the first comment) just love you guys and would get all wet with this 😉
Ahem, I’m thinking of participating. Do you mind crappy movie maker videos? I think I got an idea, some music video with a collage and a cherry at the top lmao. Wonder if I’ll actually make anything worth more than a laugh (which, for me, is pretty much enough).
I have an idea. We can go out and film all the empty store fronts that use to be record stores, all the live music venues that are closed, and interview musicians hard at work (at McDonalds or driving a truck). Yup, Technology has has such a positive influence on things.
Re: Re:
Do you also lament the invention of mechanical means to weave cloth by any chance?