You should only copy or use a copyrighted work with the copyright owner's permission.
Copyright protects:
- literature, including novels, instruction manuals, computer programs, song lyrics, newspaper articles, website content and some types of database
- drama, including dance or mime
- music
- photographs
- art, including paintings, engravings, photographs, sculptures, collages, architecture, technical drawings, diagrams, maps and logos
- layouts used to publish a work, for example a book
- storyboards outlining the scene sequence and major changes of action or plot in a production to be shot on film or video
- recordings of a work, including sound and film
- broadcasts of a work
Copyright applies to any medium. This means that you must not reproduce copyright protected work in another medium without permission. This includes, publishing photographs on the internet, making a sound recording of a book, and so on.
Copyright does not protect ideas for a work. However, when an idea is fixed, for example in writing, copyright automatically protects it. This means that you do not have to apply for copyright.
A copyright protected work can have more than one copyright, or another intellectual property right, connected to it. For example, an album of music can have separate copyrights for individual songs, sound recordings, artwork, and so on, whilst, copyright protects the artwork of your logo, but you could also register the logo as a trade mark.
source: UK Intellectual Property Office website © Crown copyright 2006 with minor additions
