Derivative works are works based upon preexisting material to which the author has added significant original expression and, therefore, may copyright independent of the original work. A copyright in a derivative work extends only to new material contributed to such work by the author. This means that it may be necessary to get permission from the author of the underlying work and that the copyrights in the new work have no effect on any existing copyrights in the preexisting material. For more information, see the definition in the Copyright Act.
