This Book Is a Movie: The “Faithful Adaptation” as a Benchmark for Analyzing the Substantial Similarity of Works in Different Media

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Date

2014-11-20

Authors

Rennie, Douglas Campbell

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Publisher

University of Oregon School of Law

Abstract

In this Article, drawing on the nature of the statutory derivative work right as clarified by the theoretical research and related case law, I argue that courts should translate the expressive elements of the plaintiff’s original work into equivalent modes of expression in the new medium to create a hypothetical “faithful adaptation.” The faithful adaptation would then serve as the benchmark for comparison to the defendant’s work. The author’s right to create transformations (or derivatives) of the original work must serve as the basis for comparison because it is the right that has allegedly been infringed.

Description

42 pages

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Copyright

Citation

93 OR. L. REV. 49