Creativity

New media has allowed creativity and collaborations to catapult into previously uncharted realms. YouTube has allowed individuals to be able to create their own “channels” with video content or even their own shows. There are many like “Mr. Mobile” that have created their careers on this where previously they could have only been able to do something like this by being picked up as a program by a television station.  Likewise, Mashups have allowed those who might not have personal music talent to use existing music, technology and video to create new songs and videos. As Brooks Barnes points out in the New York Times Article “Disney Tolerates a Rap Parody of Its Critters. But Why?”, even Disney which normally considers any use of their characters as infringement has allowed Mashups with their characters to stay on Youtube. Meanwhile, CBS sued the crowdfunded fan made “Axanar” movie until the court settlement reduced the product to something not even close to what it started as. The confusing nature of copyright law doesn’t seem to apply as the resulting product of mashables in the same way as they are something that is unique and different from the originals but not technically claimed as one’s own.  These platforms are making the need for large production corporations less relevant which has made more choices for viewers.