Is The LEGO Movie Anti-Copyright? | Idea Channel | PBS Digital Studios

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EVERYTHING IS AWESOME in the LEGO™ movie, except when it isn't and LORD BUSINESS gets in the way and wants to control everything and stifle creativity™! Emmet, Wyldstyle, Batman, and others in the movie seem completely opposed to the imposition of any sort of structure that dictates what will be built and how, which to us at Idea Channel sounds really similar to discussions around copyright law and intellectual property (IP). Are master builders just artists who make good use of the public domain? Can the LEGO movie advocate for open culture even if LEGO itself is historically opposed to it? Find out in this week's episode of Idea Channel!

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COMMENTS:

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Thanks to everyone who sent us records! Our mailbox is now closed and we are no longer accepting submissions.

MUSIC:

"Dream Of Autumn" by Night Shift Master

"Dizor" by Outsider

"Lets go back to the rock" by Outsider

"Something like this" by Outsider

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[HitomiNoRyu]

Personally I think copyright should last only 15 years with only the ability to renew it once so a total of a possible 30 years. That is more than enough time for the copyright holders to able to benefit from the success of their work. After that, it should be public domain.

[Rednetthall]

I feel copyright should be revised. Me and my brother were actually talking about this and how Copyright needs some serious updating. When it comes to copyright a lot of big businesses seem to use it to "protect the image" of their licences or to horde the sources to themselves.

Let's be honest here copyright is bogus when examined now a days on a logical stands. The internet has allowed a new level of sharing and distribution of works like never before.
Let's say I make made made mlp plushes because I thought of a cute design for them.

Now people see my hand made plush and want to buy them from me. Should I get hit with a copyright claim by Hasbro even though I'm buying the materials myself and working on them myself? Why can't I express my creative work and get money from what I work on?

[ljmastertroll]

The first rule of copyright law is DON'T MESS WITH THE MOUSE.

[JustSomeDamnGinger]

I see why people would disqualify a piece of art from certain interpretations if it seems to benefit from what it criticizes, but I disagree. Rage Against The Machine was signed to a Sony music label and to say that disqualifies them from criticizing capitalism and consumer culture is ridiculous. After all, the singer even explained that it was really to reach the most people possible. If they had signed to an indie label, they wouldn't have had the massive voice they gained through Sony.

[PhilosophyTube]

I think it would have been cool if in the Lego movie certain citizens were under less Kragl threat than others, or were uncertain about their possibility of being Kragled. Like here on YouTube, you guys can use animooted jyfes and clips from movies and songs (including Roglok's work) and stuff that I might, maybe, get in trouble for using because you work for PBS and that's officially recognised as non-profit. It would have been cool if there was a "fair use" equivalent of a Kragl immunity that just added to the fear of the Lego citizens that Lord Business might crack down on them.

[CholYerlow]

this video was preceded by a Lego Commercial for me. how fitting.

anyway, the line from this movie that got me the most was from Finn to Lord Business. "Look around you. These people took what you made and created something amazing". That to me is the battle cry for all amv creators, fan-fiction writers, on-line reviewers, parody writers, and fans in general. All these people's create smart, funny, and unique takes on these copywritten works are a form of praise to those copywritten works. Yet companies refuse to see this and slap people with lawsuits and, for youtubers like me, copyright strikes.

[SimonVelazquez]

Lego Mike's hand waving is on point. Props to whoever was in charge of that.

[dethem]

whenever i read about the whole oppressive copyright laws, it makes me depressed and actually cry sometimes, it reminds me that we live in a world governed by greed rather than by progress

[Igneous]

What the fuck, my comment was shown!? Like, holy shit, thank you.

[ArianExtist]

Just finished watching every Idea Channel episode and find "posted 1 min ago" in my sub box... yay?

[shenanigans]

I've passionately argued about the Lego Movie's brilliance multiple times. My friends think I'm crazy, but I think I'm...awesome.

[ottodude]

I completely lost it when he said Vsauce "Micheal here"

[GeorgetheGreat]

You got my record, yay!  I had to send it after I watched the going to Mars and entertainment video.

[biankavenkataramani]

I think the Lego movie shows us how amazing it can be to see our favorite characters from different franchises again in newer situations. And I think when people fall in love with a character, or a franchise for that matter, they should be allowed to create stories using them because the outcome could be pretty amazing. And seeing a major corporation like Lego start this trend in a huge movie is heartening. I think it means creativity gets a chance after all.

[PKMN]

In a way, yes, it does act as a case for anti-copyright. It's a message that's much needed because companies are much greedier now than ever before. That's not the worst of it, either. In countries like Japan, Fair Use doesn't exist so doing movie/video game reviews is not possible. There, you need a license to do so, which most Japanese people can't afford to get.

[Nictator]

I just re-watched The LEGO Movie this morning, and now you post an episode about it. Talk about good timing.

[moncielvariable]

I just really really like how you're being creative in your videos while trying to keep the same work frame. It's pretty good work :)

[Xaeveax]

Oh shite. People are sending in records. I didn't even know that. There is a significant lack of metal on that wall. I think it's too late now though.

[randomgirll]

couldn't we argue that fan fiction is a way that people can get around copyright? As a fan fiction author and reader I know that a lot of copyrighted characters are used in fan fiction to create new and interesting stories. Granted those fan fictions aren't often sold with out being changed. As a matter of fact some of my favorite fan fics are the ones that alter an already existing story line. I honestly think that copyright holders let fan fiction slide under the radar because it's good for business.

 As a music nerd I know that there are a limited number of cord progressions and notes that we have in the human range and eventually we'll run out of ways to evoke the emotion we want if we aren't able sound at all like some one else. If you know a lot of trivia about John Williams music you know a lot of his songs use the same melodies as The Planets by Gustave Holst. The songs from The Planets are in the public domain but he basically ripped part of the song Mars: The Bringer of War and used it as the Imperial March. I don't know. I guess it bugs me a little that pop music gets protected but these great masterpieces are left to the breeze. 

It's also really flustraiting when you try to cover a song you love to put it on youtube and it gets taken down due to copyright issues...

[davisturpin]

I just always viewed the story as the inner monologue of the child. Kinda like how we used to make up stories with toys revolving around real life occurrences that we couldn't yet understand.