Legal Definitions - dramatic composition

A dramatic composition, within the realm of copyright law, refers to a written work specifically created to be performed by actors. This type of work typically presents a story, an incident, or a scene through dialogue, action, and stage directions, with the primary intention that it will be brought to life on a stage, screen, or other performance venue. While it can include musical accompaniment, the core element is its design for theatrical or cinematic presentation rather than solely for reading.

• Example 1: A Stage Play Script
  Imagine a playwright who finishes writing the complete script for a new Broadway-bound play titled "The Clockwork Heart." The script includes all character dialogue, detailed stage directions for movement and set changes, and cues for lighting and sound effects.

  Explanation: This script is a dramatic composition because it is a literary work expressly designed for actors to perform on a stage. It outlines a narrative with specific actions and dialogue, intended to be presented visually and audibly to an audience.

• Example 2: A Feature Film Screenplay
  Consider a screenwriter who develops a comprehensive screenplay for a new science fiction movie, "Echoes of Andromeda." The screenplay details every scene, character interaction, camera shot, and special effect, all structured to be filmed and acted out.

  Explanation: This screenplay qualifies as a dramatic composition because it is a written work intended for performance by actors, albeit for a cinematic medium rather than a live stage. It provides the blueprint for a story to be told through moving images and sound, which is its ultimate performed form.

• Example 3: The Book and Lyrics for a Musical
  A writing team collaborates on the "book" (the spoken dialogue and plot) and lyrics for a new musical called "The Baker's Secret." This written material provides the entire narrative, character development, and all the words that will be sung and spoken by performers, which will then be set to music by a composer.

  Explanation: The combined book and lyrics for the musical constitute a dramatic composition. They provide the complete story and dialogue that actors (singers) will perform, and their design explicitly includes musical accompaniment, fitting the definition of a work intended for theatrical presentation.