What is a copyright and what type of work can be protected by it?
A copyright is a form of federal protection
that exists for published and unpublished "original works of
authorship" when they become fixed in a tangible form of
expression. Copyrightable works include the following categories:
- literary works;
- musical works, including any accompanying words;
- dramatic works, including any accompanying music;
- pantomimes and choreographic works;
- pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works;
- motion pictures and other audiovisual works;
- sound recordings; and
- architectural works.