This document discusses the concept of "nothing new/nothing original" in postmodern media and culture. It provides examples of how this concept can be seen in TV shows and films that reference or remix previous works, as well as in the music industry where songs, lyrics and beats are often adapted from other sources. Students are asked to consider examples like the Black Mirror episode "USS Callister" and the Bruno Mars/Cardi B music video "Finesse," and analyze the Robin Thicke/Marvin Gaye copyright scandal in relation to this idea of a lack of originality in postmodern works. Arguments for and against this perspective on remixing and inspiration are outlined.
4. Copy and complete in books (I WILL CHECK!)
Write down at least 10 examples of media case studies that you can apply the
theory of ‘nothing new/nothing original’ to
Media Case study Explanation
i.e. Black Mirror (USS Callister) -dark themes/style to a lot of TV shows/films like ‘twilight zone’, intertextual references to Star Trek, intertextual references to
VR, previous black mirror episodes, the Harvey Weinstein scandal, more on…. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Callister
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5. Nothing new/nothing original – music
industry
• Lyrics, songs, melodies, harmonies, beats etc are often copied,
remake, remixed and adapted in the music industry
• Can you think of examples of songs/artists where this happens? Why
does this happen?
• List in your book……(consider positive/negative)
6. Task: Bruno Mars/Cardi B – Finesse
• Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsoLEjrDogU
• Task: How is this nothing new/nothing original? (list all the elements)
• Why would Bruno Mars/Cardi B have so little ‘originality’?
• What do you think about this approach to music videos? Positive/negative?
• Challenge question: Are their intertextual references (to what? You might
need to research this) or any other postmodern features? Why?
• Extra challenge question: Is remixing a form of creativity? How/why?
7. Robin Thicke/Marvin Gaye Scandal
Watch the following:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziz9HW2ZmmY
Then read:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/mar/10/blurred-lines-
pharrell-robin-thicke-copied-marvin-gaye
Then watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj86CJMQbKE
What do you think about
this?
8. Copy and complete in book – at least 3 lines
ARGUMENTS FOR THICKE/GAYE SCANDAL IN
RELATION TO NOTHING NEW/NOTHING ORIGINAL
ARGUMENTS AGAINST THICKE/GAYE SCANDAL IN
RELATION TO NOTHING NEW/NOTHING ORIGINAL
Example: - everything is inspired by something Example: artists/people might not get
money/profit/recognition they deserve
9. Other advantages/disadvantages
• 1st side:
-everything is inspired by something
-they have clear differences
-creation requires inspiration/influence (which is an act of creation)
-how would we have genre without similarities?
-what about homage/pastiche?
-familiarity sells (audiences are familiar)
-where does it end?
-it's impossible to not have 'inspiration'
-remixing (copy/combine/transform) is inevitable and been done for a long time (ie thomas edison) -
(bricolage)
-the most innovative things/texts exist because of remixing (ie. computer), genres
-does money solve the problem? effective deterrent?
2nd side:
-people copy to make profit
-are people entitled to intellectual rights/ownership?
-people might not get credit for their hard work/talent
-context or origin is lost or compromised (what is the original/real? - could tie in with hyperreality)
-too predictable/conventional
-people less creative/motivation?
10. Homework
• Has a similar scandal happened to other artists?
• Who?
• When?
• What happened?
• What do you think about this type of thing happening?
