Author: David Newhoff

David is an author, communications professional, and copyright advocate. After more than 20 years providing creative services and consulting in corporate communications, he shifted his attention to law and policy, beginning with advocacy of copyright and the value of creative professionals to America’s economy, core principles, and culture.

“Heads, I win. Tails, you lose.” by Masnick

Okay, this video is three years old, but it’s still relevant because it represents a persistent, underlying faith in an “economic model” that enables even well-meaning people to think they’re doing the world a favor by pimping for the Web industry.  What Mike Masnick, editor of TechDirt, says in this video is that if your business makes a product that can be converted into a digital file — a movie, an album, a TV show — that the natural price for that product is zero.  Moreover, if you fail to understand why this a good thing, it’s because you’re “unwilling to embrace new opportunities.”  In other words, the basic premise of Investor + Producer = ROI may still apply to making iPads, but it no longer applies to the music or motion pictures that might play on them.

I know I’m not the economic futurist Masnick is, and maybe I just have a knee-jerk reaction to white boards, but if I saw this same video fifteen years ago, I’d assume it was satire.  Sadly, no. Masnick actually believes what he’s saying here, and he reflects either the belief, or at least the PR talking points, of the tech industry he represents. And when you engage a firmly-held belief in a debate on policy (let’s say regarding the digital exploitation of creators), your opponent is only pretending to talk about the details.  In a nutshell, you can’t have a debate about how to solve a problem with someone who believes the problem doesn’t exist.

UPDATE:  As if on cue, read this article by Adam Lipsius from the Huffington Post.

Talking Digital Cinema with Steven Poster (Podcast)

While it’s true that affordable digital cameras and editing software have put impressive means of production into the hands any boot-strapping filmmaker with a dream, digital filmmaking at the highest end of TV and motion pictures is actually more complex and more expensive than the days of celluloid-only production.  As part of my focus on digital cinema, I interviewed cinematographer Steven Poster (ASC) via Skype in Los Angeles.

Steven has more than 50 credits as a Director of Photography. He has served as president of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) and is currently the National President of the International Cinematographer’s Guild (Local600/IATSE). Steven has also been on the forefront of technical and creative examination into the use of digital cinema technologies.

“Insight” by TechDirt

Photo by GlobalIP

I really shouldn’t Google myself with a mouthful of coffee because spit-takes are bad for computers. Until this morning, I had no idea that a guest post I wrote back in June inspired the top-ranked offering TechDirt considered among the “funniest and most insightful comments of the week.” But I have to agree with Mike Masnick that, when it comes to both humor and insight, the following does indeed represent the paragon to be found on his blog:

*walks up to the podium, a small amount of feedback echoes across the loudspeakers* Mr. Newhoff, on behalf of “My People”… GO FUCK YOURSELF. I’d say something eloquent, but GO FUCK YOURSELF says so much more. How DARE you try to equate copyright with the discrimination “My People” face on a daily fucking basis. How dare you try to frame your pathetic argument that the bad people are stealing from you when my people are regularly discriminated against, beaten, and murdered. Fuck you, Fuck your shilling, Fuck the lobbyist asswipes you shill for. As soon as I can get married and not have to keep looking over my shoulder wondering if this might be the next bigoted asshole to beat the shit out of me we can discuss copyright. Until then… GO FUCK YOURSELF. *drops microphone and walks off stage*

This insightful and funny commenter, Anonymous Coward, was responding to a poor interpretation of this piece I had written on what I perceive as a preposterous assertion that copyright is antithetical to free speech.  It’s not clear whether or not Mr. Coward actually read my post or only read Tim Geigner’s purposely inflammatory response to it, but it is certainly my opinion that nobody is reading very carefully over there.  I leave it to you to decide.