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Simple English definitions for legal terms
original work of authorship
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A quick definition of original work of authorship:
An original work of authorship is something that someone creates, like a book, song, or picture. To be protected by copyright, the work must be written down or recorded in some way that people can see or hear it. Ideas or things that someone discovers cannot be copyrighted.
A more thorough explanation:
For a work to be protected by copyright, it must be an original work of authorship. This means that the work must be created by the author and not copied from someone else. Examples of works that can be protected by copyright include:
- Literary works, such as books, articles, and poems
- Musical works and accompanying lyrics
- Dramatic works and accompanying music
- Pantomimes and choreography
- Pictures, graphics, and sculptures
- Movies and other audiovisual works
- Sound recordings
- Architecture
It's important to note that the work must be fixed in a tangible medium of expression, such as a book, CD, or digital file. Ideas, procedures, processes, systems, methods of operation, concepts, principles, or discoveries are not copyrightable, regardless of their form.
For example, if a musician writes a song and records it, the song and recording are considered original works of authorship and can be protected by copyright. However, if someone else copies the song and records their own version, that would be considered infringement of the original work's copyright.