„Five years in the making, we listened as 49 communities in the Americas, Europe and south Asia told us what has made their Commons work over the centuries. Many have lost much – but in the face of commodification and privatization, when everything seems to have a dollar value, Commoners are now saying, we’re taking a new path forward…“

Have a look at the protagonists and at this trailer:

Well, the question is, is it possible to make a film about the commons without turning it into a common? And if so, how to do it within a world of cultural commodity production?  Film-maker Kevin Hansen explains the internal discussions, concerns and the approach the film-team finally opted for. Copyright decisions are potentially expensive (for both sides), let alone the legal affairs. Moreover, this is still pioneer’s terrain:

„There is a raging debate among those who care about sharing information. For us, this debate is about sharing the The Commons film itself: Should we Copyright The Commons film and the terabytes of material we have collected to make it? Or, should we make all of our film work for The Commons free and open, now, releasing it to public download, letting people decide how best to use it? We recognize this is an evolving area of understanding. New social agreements are being tested all around us. Occasionally, justice and sharing may conflict – and many attitudes and expectations are colored by legacy issues. We’ve spent a lot of time debating this – especially since our film (we hope!) will inspire people to move forward in a world where sharing is a normal, everyday part of Commoners’ lives – including the natural world’s needs. Here are three ways of looking at fair use: … more“

Because: It’s not about having much, but being many.