Attention is scarce, information is not. This is the phrase that lasted in my mind after learning about of copyright in this digital age. Mozart, Shakespeare and Newton have imprinted their genius into history because of their talent. Today, it is scare in itself to find a pure form of talent in the media, which needs copyright because of its talented creator.
And so enters the Blockbuster film. Don`t get me wrong, I love special affects, adventure and action, however not as much as I love a great plot, interesting characters and depth in a story. “Pirates of the Caribbean, The Curse of the Black Pearl,” definitely had all of the above. The trilogy as a whole, I believe did not. I need to ask, does this trilogy deserve all the attention it is getting? How many times have we said, “The first was better,” or “that wasn’t as good as the book.” So why are these pieces of media still being made? Because the Big 4 makes so much money through copyright laws, that the why factor isn’t an issue.
Which brings me back to the phrase “Attention is scarce, Information is not.” As Cucco (2009) explains, the movie Jaws displayed how effective advertising can be. The phrase, “just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water” was brilliant. This sort of attention was scarce, back then. Now this has become information and is everywhere.
Because of Copyright Laws trying to keep up with this digital age, the talent put into the media is diminishing. Particularly with film, the medium should not be the only message. I want to see a great movie, read an addictive book and ponder the world after reading an article. This is why I got into studying the media, because of its potential power. Because of copyright, this power has gone to the dark side of the force.
REFERENCE LIST:
Cucco, Marco (2009), ‘The Promise is great: the blockbuster and the Hollywood economy’, Media, Culture & Society, 31/2: 215-230
PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A PREVIOUS POST WHICH HAS BEEN RE EDITED
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