Hot Docs 2013: Downloaded Review (Kirk Haviland)

Downloaded

Director: Alex Winter

In 1998, teenage hacker Shawn Fanning cracked the code that enabled peer-to-peer file sharing online. In 1999, he partnered with his friend and fellow teen Sean Parker (later of Facebook fame) to launch a little service known as Napster. The music-sharing website transformed not only the music industry, but technology as a whole. It sparked a revolution and became the touchstone of a new, digital generation. Filmmaker Alex Winter is granted near unlimited access to Fanning and his collaborators, as well as to a roster of famous musicians including Henry Rollins, Snoop Lion, Beastie Boy Mike D and Public Enemy Chuck D, who are only too happy to give their opinions and insights on free downloading and copyright infringement.

It’s hard to imagine how much the music industry was affected and changed with the Napster technology, especially for the children of this digital age. The music store in the local mall used to be the busiest place to shop as it was the only way to get music. Director Winter takes us back to the ground-breaking first days of Napster through to the eventual demise and the impact the site has had on the industry as a whole. For once in music history, Napster tipped the scale in the favor of the consumer and has affected massive change. Fanning and Parker serve to be engaging subjects, and meeting the real Fanning will help you appreciate Justin Timberlake’s turn in the “Social Network” even more.

 With a sharp and brilliant sense of humor, Downloaded dissects the story and the people behind it. With extremely fascinating material and one of the funniest final products of the festival, Downloaded is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

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