Why you should be a Clever Thief while Stealing Inspirations

Introduction

It is easy to stand tall by perching on the shoulders of giants. Or being inspired by them, if put politely. A classic can be safely plagiarized since the concept of that classic has been known to all for a long period of time. In such cases, imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and it usually adds to the fame of the author. Shakespeare for example is still being interpreted in both his original and fit-to-suit-modern audience forms, and such a creation is critically and legally blameless. Copying from a recent work that is of some note however is a different proposition altogether.

Success generates followers. A popular idea however recent is emulated, lauded and parodied in original and translation, and is usually received with favor. Artists are requested by the audience to sing that particular song, play that precise shot, write that specific line or dance that particular dance and generally not frowned up on. A work of creation belongs to the creator. His is the concept, the process, the toil and the love that forms an original work. If made for commercial purposes, the idea is bought or leased by a broadcasting company or manufacturing agency and mass produced. The aim is to earn profit, and a section of the gain is due to the creator in the form of royalty or price. An imitation of that work brings the profit to the imitator and thus is a loss of the creator.

What is designing inspirations?

Design is an idea prior to being made flesh. It is a structure of word figure and paper that awaits its making in the real world with cloth, concrete, metal by technicians or engineers or tailors. In case of architecture clever stealing is recognized and acknowledged. The architecture of the Kolkata High Court is a transplantation of the Hall of the Cloth guild in the Belgia town of Ypres. The Taj Mahal is an updated and more sublime version of humayun’s tomb, Rushmore Mountain is a gigantic version of the Baniyan Buddha and the Chicago Sears Tower was successfully copied in the erstwhile World Trade Centre.

Stealing music designing inspirations

In the music industry clever stealing is an open unethical but rarely take action against practice. Commercial Bollywood Movies, for example are famous for their adaptation of foreign music into desi words and faster rhythms. Such songs are generally hits, such as Disco Dancer, Jawani Jaaneman, Pal Pal Har Pal and Jaane Koi. The inspiration is commonly acknowledged if not broadcast by the composer and the entire business is successful to the benefit of all except the original composer.

A band playing at a high school prom will not be castigated for playing Iron Maidens “Dance of Death” but encouraged. But if the band decides to alter the lyrics of the song, keep the tune and market the result commercially, plagiarism will occur. The intellectual right of Iron Maiden would be infringed, protested against, taken to court and penalized. If on the other hand the band decided to amalgamate the aria of “The End” by The doors, the rhythm of “Jesus of Suburbia” and the sentiment of “Fear of the Dark” and manage ot put a credible lyric version of it, it becomes a case of clever stealing.

In the case of apparel manufacture the original design cannot be successfully copied in mass quantity and marketed globally without copies being made by retail boutiques, using less expensive material and charging lower prices. Therefore the original designer or manufacturer creates the aura of exclusivity and uniqueness and relies on the brand consciousness and brand loyalty of the customer.

In the case of weapon design the practice is highly popular, as also in the manufacture of heavy machinery and construction of factories. The INSAS is an updated version of the Belgian FN FAL, the AK 47 has been copied in and out of license by Yugoslavia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and other erstwhile USSR countries. The original design of the bull dozer is now common property, the construction of an escalator public knowledge and the design of the crucible in steel factories a universal common. The layout of a petrochemical plant is according the laws of Physics and Commerce, the structure of a coal mine dependent on geology of terrain and the construction of a hydroelectric power project an engineering initiative where accurate reproduction is not frowned upon.

So we see that you need to be intelligent while stealing designing inspirations so that your design is unique and better than the rest.