Copyright....schocsmisright

Reading the Molotov and Letham articles, I agree with both authors and their regard to plagiarism.  It is harmful and bad, but if the image is used in a different sense then it is understandable.  Hold on, let me say this is a good way, in the Molotov article the author talks about how she used the image from a selection of pictures captured from the rebellion in Nicaragua.  Using a documenting photo was ok in what the artist did with it.  But in the other cases as the original photographer rebutted, the photo was stripped of the original meaning and symbolism.  The way it was used to promote everyone else's ideals and beliefs was wrong.  I believe if something is used to help another persons art, then it should b to support it in the same lines as the original artist intended it to be.

It was quite interesting to see though, all the different ways the simple image of the Molotov man was used t represent commercialism.  The entire force that pushed this movement was Joy's attempt to spark a debate about the issue of the Molotov man and what copyright that it has.  The original photographer spite was rightly placed in the Nicaraguan propaganda that was released that went against the original feelings of the man throwing the molotov.  What this brings us to is that the image was throw up in the air so whoever could snag it first could do what they wanted to it.  

The next article that we read was written by Letham, and delved into a different aspect of plagiarism and the concept of copyright.  I liked that he explained that in some cases the other people that take things from others actually helps their writing and cannot be looked down upon badly.  I thought both articles were good and proved to be insightful into this ever so complicated issue of copyright.

In experimental film, we rely on using past images to be used as a critique on either our culture and on social structure of today.  We warp the images out of their original context but reuse them in a completely new and creative fashion.  All in all, the line of crossing over this boundary is dependent on the terms of the use and how one goes about using the image.  I am still going to use found footage and use the works of others as inspiration and never dilute or strip what the originals authors wanted to mean in their works.