In a bit of a quandary. A few years back I decided to write a script about an historical figure (athlete) and purchased the rights to the only book on him. I had the rights for 3 years but being a newbie to screenwriting had little success marketing (I'm a published novelist but live well north of Toronto) and those rights expired last summer.
Since then I've optioned a couple of other scripts and another producer is seriously interested in my orig project with the elapsed rights. Although they like the storyline they're not crazy about the structure and themes in that early attempt and are considering going at the story in a completely different direction.
My concern is what is my position as a writer who once held the rights if we go ahead? Are my hands tied from ever writing anything about this character for the rest of my life without those rights? There's a significant amount of info on him in the public domain, but some facets of his life which could have only been known through the book.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Since then I've optioned a couple of other scripts and another producer is seriously interested in my orig project with the elapsed rights. Although they like the storyline they're not crazy about the structure and themes in that early attempt and are considering going at the story in a completely different direction.
My concern is what is my position as a writer who once held the rights if we go ahead? Are my hands tied from ever writing anything about this character for the rest of my life without those rights? There's a significant amount of info on him in the public domain, but some facets of his life which could have only been known through the book.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
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