What’s New with Wu

Went to see this film, Four Eyed Monsters, in New York’s Cinema Village this Monday.

Actually I was invited, kindly, to speak to the audience after the film, about net neutrality and alternative distributions channels.

The film is important in two ways. First, the film itself is an experience, tons of innovative types of shooting, and the first film I’ve seen where online dating, SMSing, Myspace, and so becomes so much a part of the film. It’s kind of the Web 2.0 version of Annie Hall. If you’re over a certain age, you may have no idea what’s going on.
Second, the film distribution is testing the limits of alternative distribution models. If a Festival film isn’t picked up by a major distributor, is there still any hope? Four Eyed Monsters says yes.
Finally, we’re so used to watching giant productions in a physical theatre that it feels odd but nice to see video that feels more internet.
Meanwhile I watched parts of Clerks on Youtube, and that seemed to fit.

Click here to see more episodes!

“An unbalanced blindside in a tendentious hit piece which is clearly designed to advance an agenda.”

“Wu is not to be taken seriously, and until pigs fly, he hasn’t a prayer of making his kook agenda stick.”

The Sample Troll article has set off lots of debate on forums. I like being criticized — means you’ve hit a nerve!

Most of the criticism I’ve seen revolves around the following:

1. Hip hop artists merely untalented idiots who are just ripping off legitimate artists;

2. Reversing Bridgeport is the same as abolishing copyright and basically a variation of Marxism; once you have collected rights, they are not to be criticized;

3. Tim Wu is working for Universal and/or a hack who has never worked in business (other than the years at Riverstone), or never owned IP (other than my book, photos, and various articles);

4. Nothing he proposes will ever happen, so Wu should be ignored.

If these are the strongest arguments my critics have, bring it on!

I’ll address the fourth argument, which is the only one that isn’t obviously self-defeating. I think odds are that the law in fact will change to make their business untenable. I don’t think that the 6th Circuit’s position will survive scrutiny in other courts–the 2d Circuit, importantly, or the Supreme Court.

In other words, the Second circuit breaking from Bridgeport is a far cry from pigs flying–

Of course, there is plenty of support too, like this

“To register ad hoc the works of an artist ficticiously so as to capitalize on an otherwise vague, difficult-to-enforce law is just a criminal as the purported act. It stinks and everyone is the loser except the vultures and ambulance chasers.”

Other discussions:

At digg
At Muses’sMuse
At KVR