Community Cinema Series presents Copyright Criminals this Wednesday
Published: October 19, 2009
What do you think when you hear the opening chords of Kanye West’s “Jesus Walks?” P. Diddy’s “I’ll Be Missing You?” Or Vanilla Ice’s campy hit “Ice Ice Baby?”
Whether the notes make you think of the hip-hop songs listed, or of The ARC Choir’s “Walk With Me;” The Police’s “I’ll Be Watching You;” and Queen’s “Under Pressure” (respectively), one thing is clear: the idea of “sampling” music has been part of hip-hop’s rise to prominence.
The question is, will it be part of the genre’s future?
“Copyright Criminals,” the second film in the 2009-10 UE/WNIN/Evansville Courier & Press Community Cinema Series, explores that question, tracing the rise of hip-hop from the urban streets of New York to its current status as a multibillion-dollar industry. For more than 30 years, innovative hip-hop artists have been re-using portions of previously recorded music in new and otherwise original compositions; today, though, record company lawyers are getting involved, and what used to be known as “borrowing a melody” now is becoming known as “copyright infringement.” The film will screen at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 21, in the Smythe Lecture Hall (room 170) of UE’s Schroeder Family School of Business Administration building.
Attendance is free and open to the public.
“The rise of ‘sampling,’ and the effect lawyers are having on it now, makes up the storyline for ‘Copyright Criminals,’ which we’re proud to show as part of this year’s Community Cinema Series,” said Suzanne Hudson Smith, vice president of development for WNIN. “Like all of the films in this series, ‘Copyright Criminals’ raises interesting questions about the subject at hand – and we’re looking forward to discussing those issues with the audience afterward.”
“Copyright Criminals” will begin airing at 7 p.m.; at 8 p.m., the discussion will begin, led by local musician Scott Brown, whose own experiences have brought him into contact with the issue of sampling.
“As always, we’re excited to see another Community Cinema Series film air on the UE campus, and are grateful to WNIN for sharing this opportunity with us,” said Rachel Carpenter, UE’s assistant dean of students and director of the Center for Student Engagement. “Not only is this a wonderful educational opportunity for our students, but it’s a great opportunity for the entire community to learn about the issues presented in the film, and to be part – along with the panel and others in the audience – of a discussion of those issues.”
As with all films in the series, “Copyright Criminals” also will air on PBS about a month after its showing in Evansville.
For more information on the series, please contact UE Director of News Services Joe Atkinson at (812) 488-2562.
