Star Wars Mash-Up: DIY Empire

Before today Star Wars video parodies were submerged beneath a cold layer of Hoth obscurity, but now suddenly, with the news of George Lucas releasing 250 video clips into the ether, video editors are transported to a veritable Endor oasis! That’s right, tomorrow morning StarWars.com will feature clips sanctioned for user-generated mash-ups.

Visitors will edit clips using Eyespot Corp.’s video editing software and upload them to their blogs, sites and profiles. Thousands of Star Wars parodies, mash-ups and compilations already exist including the above ever-popular Star Wars Kid meme created by a 14-year-old Quebecois high school student. However, in the past some creators have had to suffer legal consequences for their actions. One memorable instance was in 2000, when Lucas took Dr. Dre to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California for copyright infringement regarding unauthorized use of the THX Deep Note (a sound signature) in the rapper’s 2001 album.

According to the Wall Street Journal, this new stance to encourage mash-ups is not without its limitations. Lucas Arts spokesperson Jeffrey Ulin puts it plainly, “If fans are using Star Wars material for fun, that's one thing. If someone tries to commercialize it, that's where we've drawn the line."

Similar user-release tactics include Jay Z's Black Album and Canadian agency Nettwerk’s Terry McBride's release of the 2006 album Barenaked Ladies are Me. The difference between these efforts and the new Star Wars content is that previous incarnations did not confine the user-experience to customized software. My hunch is that the Star Wars mash-ups will all link back nicely to the official Star Wars site further boosting sales and fandemonium. This is absolute proof that while George Lucas may look like an Ewok, he is certainly no stranger to amassing and stewarding a shrewd empire.

RANT
Can I just say that I've been trying to release an open-source campaign since 2005 and everyone I've approached is afraid to do it? God. Maybe in a few years when the market is completely saturated I'll be given a shot.

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Star Wars Mash-Up: DIY Empire

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