|
>>
|
f14228.jpg
Sandy Desire
f14228
No worries, you get it. You want that blip too, some days. Though a lifetime spent teaching doesn't sound like all opportunities missed, per se. Sociology and... tragology, was it? You're not sure you're familiar with the field. Does it relate to study of the classic tragedies?
Hm. There may be pieces of a more complete variant in one of those boxes. There's seldom only one draft as ideas are iterated and developed over time. There could be early notes, abstracts or summaries that could help point the way Jason's story could've gone. Maybe let some other writer pick it up in a way that does the rest some honor.
(Though if Devon got some other writer - say you - to finish the second half, they'd obviously add their own touches, and for movie adaptations the studio will have its due on the cutting floor as well - usually. It also sounds like his son wants his father to gain some recognition out there for the work being his. Might be an issue if you'd want recognition of your own for, like, coming up with half the story, rather than be a ghost author's ghost writer.)
Devon would know best whether there's any hope of that existing, though. You can at least state that the Jason script as-is has captivated you, a fellow tryhard in the literary arts, so his father did good on that one. You're glad to have read it and sad to hear it may lack a second half altogether. Honestly, if the first half shows this much potential... it need not be over yet. For any of Devon's hopes here.
Unless Osman was really poor at sticking landings, it may be many of the rejections of his father's works were more out of a lack of name recognition, of not actually reading the application properly (all too easy if it got sent in semi-incomplete and old/oddly structured formats, seeing as his son just took copies of what was there and sent it in), or unwillingness to try unique-ish and untested ideas and themes, even if the story seems great. Rejection reasons sadly all too present in the industry. Hearing the original writer is dead may also have been a turn-off - did any of the studios that responded be frank about their reasons for not following up?
You do feel if Devon could find someone to finish this story, based on notes or not, the core tale here may have the potential to become a classic. A cult one, for sure.
You can't promise anything, but if he's got anything else he'd like to send your way - or if he lives close enough - you'd welcome the opportunity to read more of Osman's works and provide your honest assessment, maybe even a bit of aid. You doubt you'd be able to jump straight to do Jason's second half justice, but you do have some spare time on your hand to work on a draft, a start, something. Unpaid work in this day and age (and in your situation) is a bit eesh though.
Hm. Also this is not the kind of offer you need drop now - could work up to it - but maybe there's an opportunity for a trade, of sorts? You spend effort looking over his father's stories and use your ex-movie studio secretary-fu to send them off how and where they might stand a better chance of actually getting picked up by somebody, fulfilling Devon's wish. And he gives you the right to attempt to wrap up Jason. If no notes for the second half exists, that is.
|