1. An apparatus for creating a digital work, the apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and one or more memories operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and containing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to: receive information related to an instance of content; associate at least one usage right with the instance of the content before the instance of the content is recorded; and record the instance of the content on a storage medium in a format appropriate to the environment of a computing device to thereby, in association with the at least one usage right, create a digital work.