Until you explore the rights and determine if they are even available, or at what price, there's no way you can ethically or legally raise money from investors.
Typically, someone in your position would contact the owners or their agent, and ask them for an inexpensive 1-year option on the property. Such an option would grant you the right to make an effort in good faith to develop the project and to raise necessary funding in the hope that you might get the project off the ground, to the benefit of all involved (i.e. you, the investors, and those who own the legal rights to the property.
Furthermore, until you get an option from those who hold the rights, you shouldn't lift a finger, because any work you do could well be wasted if you are unable to acquire the rights down the road at a later time.
Make sense???
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
http://www.drwfilms.com
POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
Creative COW contributing editor and a forum host of the Business & Marketing and Apple Final Cut Pro forums.
