What is a dramatic work?

A dramatic work, as the name suggests, is a work with an element of drama in it. It includes any piece created for recitation, choreography or mime, "the scenic arrangement or acting form of which is fixed in writing or otherwise." It also includes a cinematographic work.

Examples of dramatic works are as follows:

• a screenplay
• a ballet
• a movie
• a radio sketch

The important feature of a dramatic work is its fixed nature. A sporting event, although it can be very dramatic, is not considered a dramatic work, for example, because it is not determined. The outcome of the game, and the arrangement of the plays are not set or controlled by a writer or producer. A broadcast of a sporting event, however, is protected by copyright, because communication signals are copyrighted.

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