“Copyrights protect the “original works of authorship” that are fixed in a tangible form of expression. A tangible form does not need to be directly perceptible if it can be communicated with the aid of a machine or device. For example, you need a movie projector to see a film.
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
* architectural works
These categories should be viewed broadly. For example, computer programs and most “compilations” may be registered as “literary works”; maps and architectural plans may be registered as “pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works.”
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