THOUGHT THIEVE$ CONTENST

Microsoft has put together a film contest thought thieves for film makers to show the damages of ‘stealing’ intellectual property. In response, a group of scrappy media activists are organizing an alternate film contest. THOUGHT THIEVE$, a short film showcase about corporate appropriation of knowledge, culture, and creativity.

It’s to show why having a system where a few multinational corporations control all the rights to the products of our culture is fucked up.

Cultural production is, in it’s essence, a collective act. It’s meaning comes from our common history, understanding, collective development of culture. Just like newton said he stood on the shoulders of giants, all music, video, software, and other intellectual creations are for ever indebted to people who came before.

To take intellectual production and put it under lock and key, is to smother culture.

Hopefully the THOUGHT THIEVE$ contest will be able to bring out an accessible story as to why a culture free from the chains of intellectual property.