Thanks to Wikipedia, we can not only have limitless knowledge at our fingertips; we can create it, edit it, share it, take it or leave it. The web-based software that makes this possible is now being applied in a revolutionary filmmaking project, directed by Matt Hanson. His project is imaginatively called A Swarm of Angels and aims to create a big-budget digital feature film online with the participation of 50,000 artists, technicians, script-writers and film buffs. Facilitating such a massive participatory community (or ‘swarm’) has to be somewhat of a benevolent dictatorship, Hanson admits, but the intention is to encourage as much contribution as possible. Currently, for example, a competition is being run to design the poster for the film, using the image above. As the project develops, users will continue to vote on decisions, suggest edits to the script, submit video or actually be part of the production team. When the film is finished, it will be distributed for free and open for remixing under the copywriting innovation known as Creative Commons. As a non-profit project reliant on the funding of the users, the Hollywood machine is bypassed, and decisions are made according to artistic notions, not financial ones. With nearly 10,000 ‘angels’ already in the swarm, filmmakers and viewers alike are clearly spreading their wings.
