Freedom Downtime: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|2001 film by Eric Corley}}

[[Image:Shimo-Golstein-Mitnik.jpg|thumb|Left to right: [[Deth Vegetable]], [[Eric Corley|Eric "Emmanuel Golstein" Corley]], [[Joe630]]on the supplementary DVD of ''Freedom Downtime'']]

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}

'''''Freedom Downtime''''' is a [[2001]] [[documentary film]] sympathetic to [[hacker]] [[Kevin Mitnick]], directed by [[Emmanuel Goldstein]] and produced by [[2600 Films]].

{{more citations needed|date=March 2008}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Freedom Downtime

| image =

| caption =

The documentary centers around the fate of [[Kevin Mitnick]], and how they feel it was misrepresented in the reality-based movie ''[[Takedown (movie)|Takedown]]'' produced by [[Miramax]] and adapted from the book by the same name by [[Tsutomu Shimomura]] and [[John Markoff]]. A number of computer enthusiasts drive across the [[United States]] searching for Miramax representatives and demonstrating their discontent with certain aspects of the [[bootleg]] ''Takedown'' script they had acquired. The development of the [[Free Kevin movement]] is also documented.

| director = [[Eric Gordon Corley|Emmanuel Goldstein]]

| producer = Emmanuel Goldstein

| writer =

| narrator = Emmanuel Goldstein

| starring =

| music = Theta Wave State, others

| cinematography = Brian Newman<br />Guy Gustafson<br />Michael Kaegler

| editing = Michael Kaegler

| distributor = [[2600: The Hacker Quarterly|2600 Magazine]]

| released = {{Film date|2001}}

| runtime =

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

| gross =

}}

'''''Freedom Downtime''''' is a [[2001]] [[documentary film]] sympathetic to the convicted [[Hacker (computer security)|computer hacker]] [[Kevin Mitnick]], directed by [[Eric Corley|Emmanuel Goldstein]] and produced by [[2600 Films]].

The documentary centers aroundon the fate of [[Kevin Mitnick]], andwho howis theyclaimed feelto ithave wasbeen misrepresented in the reality-basedfeature moviefilm ''[[TakedownTrack (movie)Down|Takedown]]'' (2000) produced by [[Miramax]] and adapted from the book by the same name by [[Tsutomu Shimomura]] and [[John Markoff]], which is based on disputed events. AThe film also documents a number of computer enthusiasts who drive across the [[United States]] searching for Miramax representatives and demonstrating their discontent with certain aspects of the [[Bootleg recording|bootleg]] script of ''Takedown'' script they had acquired. One of their major points of criticism was that the script ended with Mitnick being convicted to serve a long-term prison sentence, while in reality, at the time the film's production, Mitnick had not yet even had a trial but nonetheless was incarcerated for five years without [[bail]] in a high-security facility. Freedom Downtime also touches on what happened to other hackers after being sentenced. The development of the [[Free Kevin movement]] is also documentedcovered.

One major point of criticism of the ''Takedown'' movie was that it ended with Mitnick being convicted to serve a long-term jail sentence. In the real world, at the time the movie was produced, Mitnick had not been in front of a court, but nevertheless was imprisoned for five years without bail in high-security prisons.

Several notable hackerand iconsiconic figures from the hacking community appear in the movie, including [[Phiber Optik]] ([[Mark Abene]]), [[Bernie S]] (Ed Cummings), Alexis Kasperavičius, and director [[Eric Corley|Emmanuel Goldstein]] (Eric Corley). ''Freedom Downtime'' tries to communicate a different view of the "hacker community" thanfrom what isthat usually shown inby the [[mainstream media]]., Hackerswith arehackers being depicted as curious people who rarely intend to cause damage, driven by a desire to explore and conduct pranks. The film questions the rationality of placing computer hackers who went "over the line" in the same environment as serious felons.

The movie also touches on what has happened to other hackers, particularly after being sentenced to jail. It questions the rationality of placing computer hackers who went over the edge in the same jail as sex offenders and murderers.

It also contains interviews with people related to KevinMitnick and [[hacker culture]] in general. The authors of ''[[Cyberpunk: Outlaws and Hackers on the Computer Frontier]]'',<ref>{{cite book |last=Hafner |first=Katie |authorlink=Katie Hafner |last2=Markoff |first2=John |authorlink2=John Markoff |year=1991 |title=Cyberpunk: Outlaws and Hackers on the Computer Frontier |___location=New York |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |isbn=0-671-68322-5 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/cyberpunk00kati }}</ref> ex-couple [[Katie Hafner]] and [[John Markoff]], appear in very different roles. While Katie Hafner's empathy for Mitnick hasis shown to have grown, John Markoff continues to defend his critical book and articles in ''[[The New York Times]]'' newspaper about the hacker. Markoff is ridiculed, as the narrator, director Goldstein (a hacker himself), points out his factual errors induring the interview he agreed to. Reba Vartanian, Mitnick's grandmother, also appears in a number of interview segments. Furthermore, lawyers, friends, and libertarians give their view of the story. Footage and interviews from the [[DEF CON]] and [[H.O.P.E.|Hackers on Planet Earth]] conventions try to dispel some hacker myths and confirm others.

Several notable hacker icons appear in the movie, including [[Phiber Optik]] ([[Mark Abene]]), [[Bernie S]] (Ed Cummings) and [[Emmanuel Goldstein]] (Eric Corley). ''Freedom Downtime'' tries to communicate a different view of the "hacker community" than what is usually shown in [[mainstream media]]. Hackers are depicted as curious people who rarely intend to cause damage, driven by a desire to explore and conduct pranks.

The film premiered at H2K, the 2000 H.O.P.E. convention. After that the film saw a limited independent theatrical release and was shown at film festivals. It was released on VHS and sold via the ''[[2600 The Hacker Quarterly|2600]]'' website.

It also contains interviews with people related to Kevin and hacker culture in general. The authors of ''[[Cyberpunk: Outlaws and Hackers on the Computer Frontier]]'', ex-couple [[Katie Hafner]] and [[John Markoff]] appear in very different roles. While Katie Hafner's empathy for Mitnick has grown, John Markoff continues to defend his book and articles in ''[[The New York Times]]'' about the hacker. Markoff is ridiculed, as the narrator points out his factual errors in the interview he agreed to. Reba Vartanian, Mitnick's grandmother, also appears in a number of interview segments. Furthermore, lawyers, friends and libertarians give their view of the story. Footage and interviews from [[DEF CON]] and [[H.O.P.E.]] try to dispel some hacker myths and confirm others.

In June 2004, a DVD was released. The DVD includes a wealth of extra material spread over two discs, including three hours of extra footage, an interview with Kevin Mitnick in January 2003 (shortly after his supervised release ended), and various [[Easter egg (virtual)|DVD eggs]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.2600.com/easter/eggs.html |title = Freedom Downtime Easter Eggs}}</ref> It also includes subtitles in 20 languages, provided by volunteers.

The film saw a limited release, but was shown on some [[film festival]]s and independent [[movie theater|theatre]]s. It has also been released on [[VHS]], and sold from the ''[[2600 The Hacker Quarterly|2600: The Hacker Quarterly]]'' web site. In June [[2004]], a [[DVD]] release, after years in production, was released, including 3 hours of extra footage on two discs. There is also an interview with Kevin Mitnick after his release from prison. It also included [[subtitle]]s in 20 languages, provided by volunteers.

== Music ==

* [[Jimi Hendrix]] - [[All Along the Watchtower|All Along The Watchtower]]

* [[The Specials]] - Bad Boys

* [[The Rutles]] - [[Archaeology (album)|Easy Listening]]

* [[The Electric Hellfire Club|Electric Hellfire Club]] - Hellflower

* DJ SY - Helter Skelter

* [[Klaatu (band)|Klaatu]] - Perpetual Motion Machine

* [[Tupac Shakur]] - [[R U Still Down? (Remember Me)]]

* [[Daniel Johnston]] - Sad Sac and Tarzan

* The Specials - Time Has Come

* [[Dead Kennedys]] - [[Viva Las Vegas (song)|Viva Las Vegas]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

* ''[http://www.freedomdowntime.com/ Freedom Downtime]'' {{official website}}

* {{imdbIMDb title|id=0309614|title=Freedom Downtime}}

* {{archive.org|FreedomDowntime-TheStoryOfKevinMitnick}}

[[Category:2001 films]]

[[Category:DocumentaryAmerican documentary films]]

[[Category:2600: The Hacker Quarterly]]

[[Category:Documentary films about the Internet]]

[[Category:Hacker culture]]

[[Category:Works about computer hacking]]

[[Category:2000s English-language films]]

[[Category:2000s American films]]

[[Category:English-language documentary films]]