Kirby Ferguson explores creativity in a world where "everything is a remix."
Why you should listen
What's a remix? In Kirby Ferguson's view, any piece of art that contains a recognizable reference to another work--a quote from a lyric, a borrowed riff, a filmic homage. Which makes almost everything a remix, from a Led Zeppelin song to a classic film from George Lucas. His deeply researched and insanely fun four-part web series, "Everything Is a Remix," dives into the question: Is remixing a form of creativity, a production of the new on the shoulders of what precedes it, or is it just copying? He comes out firmly on the side of creativity, calling for protections for people who, with good intentions, weave together bits of existing culture into something fresh and relevant.
His next web series is called "This Is Not a Conspiracy Theory," an attempt to explore how US politics came to be the way they are.
What others say
It's interesting, well researched, and visually delightful.
Kirby Ferguson’s TED Talk
More news and ideas from Kirby Ferguson
Q&A
Are all new things a mash-up of what came before? A Q&A with Kirby Ferguson
August 10, 2012
In today’s TEDTalk, director Kirby Ferguson outlines a bold vision of creativity — that it’s not about dreaming up a new song, a new piece of art or a new form of technology in a vacuum, but instead about remixing what has come before. In his fast-paced talk, Kirby reveals that many of our most […]
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Everything is a remix: Kirby Ferguson at TEDGlobal 2012
June 29, 2012
In 1964 Bob Dylan was near the pinnacle of his career, pouring out now-classic songs at a near-miraculous pace. But a few critics claim that he is stealing other people’s songs. Could it be true? Ferguson plays “Nottamun Town,” a traditional folks song, then Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War,” and asks us to hear the […]
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