Comments on: Kirby Ferguson on Creativity: Nothing is Original, Everything is a Remix. But Does it Really Matter?

By: Embrace the Remix | Nobody Beats The Biz

Embrace the Remix | Nobody Beats The Biz — Tue, 07 May 2013 04:57:28 +0000

[...] Hive Mind: “It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.” Full Vimeo Series: No Film School [...]

By: 10 Renowned Directors Offer Their Advice on Filmmaking - NoFilmSchool

10 Renowned Directors Offer Their Advice on Filmmaking - NoFilmSchool — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 13:16:28 +0000

[...] artists, we know that to some extent all our creative ventures are based on what has come before. Although, much like the biological evolution, the utilization of creativity recombines and mutates [...]

By: Pablo

Pablo — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 19:17:22 +0000

Does this applies only in music or in everything?

By: Ewa Pazera » 10 Renowned Directors Offer Their Advice on Filmmaking

Ewa Pazera » 10 Renowned Directors Offer Their Advice on Filmmaking — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 04:17:13 +0000

By: Oliver Reichenstein on Authenticity and Simulation

Oliver Reichenstein on Authenticity and Simulation — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:28:15 +0000

[...] as Kirby Ferguson said, “nothing is original.” We should embrace the past and allow it to influence our present and [...]

By: Edward

Edward — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 02:56:15 +0000

Mr. Ferguson has come to a conclusion certainly that many subscribe to, and to a degree his idea can be observed in the popular culture of American and of course historical artistic expression. Indeed, many of my favorite artists, whether they be musicians, filmmakers, or otherwise seek only to make their own small place in the world of art without heed to the idea of coming up with the next new idea.

I would advise however that those of us wishing to be artists must seriously consider when taking our first steps into the world of artistic expression whether each of us is capable of rendering something truly unheard of, or simply utilizing what is to say something that is not, which I believe is the at the heart of the “art is remixed” ideology. It is with this definition that I believe good art is indeed original, that remixing, when it is done well, is simply using what has come before to say something that was not present originally.

When I typically discuss this concept however, I do usually direct others away from the practice of claiming unoriginality of older art. Which is to say, I don’t buy anyone who says Miles Davis did not render unto the earth something totally and unequivocally new, and to then further apply that mentality to the works of say Walt Whitman, or Claude Debussy I think is unfair. Especially Debussy, he created an enigmatic scale for some of his works, I think he can safely say he did something no one else had before.

By: TylerBreeden

TylerBreeden — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 19:53:43 +0000

Kirby has a useful point, but it’s not law. I’m convinced that some inspiration can be derived from an original, spiritual experience– Beethoven being a good example, imho.

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 06:51:31 +0000

The point Kirby – righteously – makes doesn’t stroke with societies’ practice of monopolizing everything (even if temporarily through copyright or patent law). Market societies depend on scarcity rather than abundance. So, even if he’s sooo right about this, I fear it will not make a difference. We should only hope that there will not be yet another extension to copyrights. Enough is enough, even for Disney at some point…

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:25:47 +0000

Society today = GREED. Therein lies the problem.

By: Raphael

Raphael — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 08:05:20 +0000

Wait, this is news to some people?
Gotta thank my college teacher.

By: SayWhat

SayWhat — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 02:15:53 +0000

I refuse to watch the video…it’s only a remix of what others have already said…there can’t possibly be anything new there

By: Hurtersbazaar

Hurtersbazaar — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 02:02:33 +0000

‘Our creativity comes from without, we are dependent on one-another’ So true! Observation is our salvation, be it taste, touch, sight or sound. What we experience through life and the way we remix previous reactions to similar experiences, moulds us into who we become. Life’s all about layers and angles from which to view. Imagine where we’d be if those smartphone lawsuits were turned into partnerships!?

By: moebius22

moebius22 — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 00:46:12 +0000

Things like the Copyright Term Extension Act are disastrous for the public domain, which feeds future creative works.

Shakespeare was one of the greatest remixers.

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 00:43:06 +0000

This is very good stuff. The problem I have most with screenwriting is struggling to come up with an “original” idea. Just write about what you have experienced and what you know and it will always be authentic.