Dramatic work
Copyright Protection

A dramatic work for the purposes of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 UK is a work of action with or without words or music that may be performed. A dramatic work must involve movement, and this is made clear by the inclusion of dance and mime by the Act. Works that are simply intended to be sung or spoken without movement do not qualify for copyright protection as dramatic works as they do not incorporate action or movement - their performances would be stationary. Dramatic works are not specifically defined in the Act, and the words take their natural and ordinary meaning.

In the event that a dramatic work includes music, the music is protected as a musical work and the music may also be protected as part of the dramatic work.

A literary work (which may be performed) such as a short story (as a play) is excluded from the definition: section 3(1). Films may qualify as dramatic works, provided the portrayal of movement is able to be performed in reality by human actors and such may not be the case when the film is edited.