Project 2: Remediation/Remix Project

What are We Doing?

For this project, you will be remixing or remediating a text(s) of your choosing. To begin this unit, well
familiarize ourselves with Jay David Bolter and Richard Grusins theory of remediation. Well be reading
chapters from their book (aptly titled Remediation), critically analyze examples of remediation, and unpack
the consequences of and motivations behind remediation. In addition, well acquaint ourselves with the
practice of remix by watching a web-series titled Everythings a Remix and the documentary RiP: A
Remix Manifesto as well as by reading excerpts from Lawrence Lessigs book Remix. Lastly, well explore
the ways in which copyright works to limit the practice of remediation/remix, and well examine the ways
fair use provides us the opportunity to continue this practice. All of this will help prepare us to tackle the
culminating project: to remediate or remix a text or set of textsyour own and/or someone elses. The
text(s) you decide to remediate/remix is up to you, but youll want to think critically about what texts lend
themselves best to remediation and remix and how that remediation or remix might come to fruition.
Since this is so open-ended, my in short section will be incredibly short, but nonetheless, here we are! So,
in short, youll want to:

1. Choose a text or set of texts.

2. Apply the process and theory of either remix or remediation to it as described by Bolter &
Grusin or Lessig.
3. Create a remediated or remixed text by building on the works of others and explain the choices you
made in your rhetorical rationale.

How are We Doing It?

While youre required to create a remediation or remix, you do have the agency to shape the rest of your
rhetorical situation. In other words, youll need to determine your exigence and your audience. Youll
articulate your rhetorical situation in full within your rhetorical rationale. However, as you begin to think
about this project, be sure to consider the following:

The content you remediate/remix (what, how much, and why?).

The purpose for your remediation/remix, the function it serves (besides earning a grade, of course).
The genre of both the original text(s) and the new remediated/remixed one (make sure the medium
you work in makes sense as a compliment/criticism of the original[s]).
The text-technologies youll use to create the remediation/remix and the medium/platform(s) in
which youll subsequently deliver the remediation/remix.
 The modes your choice of medium allow you to use, and how to use them effectively.
The affordances of those text-technologies, media, and platforms and the ways they affect your
content.
Finally, the audience of both the original text(s) and the remediated/remixed one.

Youll also need to think about issues of copyright and the way your remediation/remix qualifies as an
instance of fair use, which youll also articulate in your rationale. In short, youll want to consider our past
readings, discussions, and activities and the way they inform your understanding and composing of this
remediation/remix.

So, How Should I Approach This?

Similar to some of our other in-class exercises and journals, this project is intentionally vague. As well
soon learn, remediation and remix, while practices that have been occurring for years, are nonetheless
complex and difficult to grasp in full. Moreover, remediation in particular is a broad concept, applied to
both technologies and texts, that can manifest itself in various ways. In other words, each of you will
probably approach and conceive of your remediation/remix differentlyand thats a good thing.

As a reminder, if it wasnt clear already, your remediation/remix should not exist in a vacuum, and I dont
want you to think of your rhetorical situation as exclusively satisfying an assignment but rather as
responding to a real world exigence. Create a remediation/remix that serves a purpose other than earning
you a grade; think of an audience other than me. Just as important, think about how your remediated/remix
text will circulate, how it will reach its intended audience.

Finally, a quick note on the medium. As noted above, youll want to consider the affordances of the
medium you choose and the ways those affordances affect the content you intend to remediate/remix. As
for actual media, you can go in almost any direction; that is, these remediations/remixes can be written, oral,
visual, digital: in short, you can work with any text-technologies and choose any medium (or media) as
long as it aligns with and is pertinent to the rhetorical situation you lay out for yourself. (The only
program/genre I encourage you to avoid is PowerPoint, so if you want to use it, please run your project
idea by me in advance.)

Alternative Project: If this type of assignment isnt up your alley and you would prefer to compose within
a different rhetorical situation, Im open to suggestions as long as the content of the text pertains to
remediation and/or remix. For example, a case study that traced and explicated an instance of remediation
using the theories and terminologies from Bolter and Grusins Remediation. If you are going to create an
alternative project, you need to send me a proposal by Tuesday, October 31st.


Why are We Doing This Project?
This is a new and different form of composing than what many of you are used to completing, and I want
you to starting shifting and seeing yourselves as producers of these kinds of texts, to understand the
process of text creation and manipulation done by others (outside of the kinds of work weve done while
quoting and building on others with the written word) entails. In the process of doing so in this project you
will also:

Participate in the practice of remediation/remix by using the old to create something new (and
understand how this practice is generative and epistemic).
Compose for a purpose and an audience.
Understand how content is repurposed and/or refashioned for different genres, media, and
audiences.
Compose in a style that is appropriate for your genre and audience.
Arrange your text in a way that is appropriate for your genre and audience and that fosters an ideal
reading experience.
Deliver your text to your target audience (there is a difference between publication and circulation).
Understand how copyright and fair use affect the practice of remediation/remix and defend your text
as an instance of fair use.

When is it Due?
Draft Due for Workshops:

Thursday, November 2nd

Remix/Remediation Text Due:

Tuesday, November 14th

Reflection Due:

Thursday, November 16th