Copyright law protects a wide range of original works of authorship, reflecting the diverse ways human creativity manifests. Each category of work protected under copyright law encompasses a broad array of expressions:
Literary Works: This category includes not only novels, poetry, and short stories but also other textual works such as reference works, directories, advertisements, and even software code. The protection extends to the expression of ideas, stories, and information, not the ideas themselves.
Musical Compositions: These are works consisting of music, including any accompanying words. The protection covers the musical notes and lyrics (if any) as written or recorded. Variations, arrangements, and orchestrations of existing music can also be protected as new works if original.
Dramatic Works: This category includes plays, screenplays, scripts, and any accompanying music. Dramatic works are characterized by their intended performance before an audience.
Pantomimes and Choreographic Works: Copyright law protects the nonverbal storytelling and artistic expression inherent in dance and pantomime. The protection requires that the work be fixed in a tangible medium, such as in a video recording or detailed notation.
Pictorial, Graphic, and Sculptural Works: This broad category encompasses two-dimensional and three-dimensional works of fine, graphic, and applied art. This includes photographs, paintings, drawings, sculptures, architectural models, and even fabric designs.
Motion Pictures and Other Audiovisual Works: Copyright protects works that consist of a series of related images that are intended to be shown with a sequence and accompanied by sounds, such as movies, television shows, and online videos.
Sound Recordings: These are works that result from the fixation of a series of musical, spoken, or other sounds. The protection covers the recording itself, not the underlying work (such as the song or performance).
Architectural Works: Protection in this category includes the design of buildings as embodied in any tangible medium of expression, including drawings, plans, or buildings themselves.