Derivative works

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Derivative work is a phrase used in copyright law. It is peice of work ( for example: a novel, a song or a painting) that is based on what someone else created.

Copyright law says that if someone writes a book, or draws a picture, or writes a song, then it belongs to them. Other people are not allowed to copy it unless the person who created it says that they can. This is important because it means The person who created the work can sell what they created and get money.

A derivative work is one that is based on something else. If a person watchs a film, and then writes a story about the people in the film, that story is a derivative work. If after hearing a song, someone sings the same tune with different words, the song they sung is a derivative work.

In the law, if someone else has a copyright on something, no one is allowed to create a derivative work unless they say it is allowed. So if someone watchs a film, they are not allowed to write a story about the people in the film unless the people who made the film give them permission.

This only applies to the things that are known about by the person creating the work. If a film is made, but they do not go and see the film, and then they write a book that has the same story as the film, that is not a derivative work.