What Does 'High Concept' Mean in Film? (2024)

FAQs

What Does 'High Concept' Mean in Film? ›

High concept movies are when that sentence or two have something unique or interesting enough in their own right to really drive a whole movie. In other words, the premise is the point. Snakes on a plane is always a good example. That story is about snakes on a plane.

In filmmaking, the term “high concept” refers to a type of movie with a simple yet compelling premise. Typically, a high-concept film has the chance of mass audience appeal. Learn about examples of high-concept films and tips for writing a high-concept screenplay.

A high concept movie must have a clean, simple, and basic idea. We can even go more granular by talking about the idea of a story-conceit, which we would define as the “central premise of the story.” With the movie K-9, it was the premise of a human cop teamed up with a dog cop.

High-Concept Definition

These ideas tend to result in blockbuster ideas, like "What if scientists learned how to clone dinosaurs for a theme park, but they escaped?" Sometimes, they can be distilled down to their titles, like Snakes on a Plane or Godzilla versus Kong.

An example of a high concept statement is: “go for a bike ride on the moon”. Once you've come up with a few ideas, try them out on a friend to see how they respond. Pick the one you are most excited about to carry through the rest of this lesson.

A high-concept story is a clear, easy-to-communicate premise that makes the book effortless to pitch. High-concept books have stories that rely on a concept or main idea rather than a style. The term was originally coined in the film industry for movies with an attention-grabbing yet easy pitch.

The concept is simply an idea of what the Movie will be about. Generally a writer or director will develop a concept. From there, if funding is required, a "Spec Script" may be written and presented to a board.

Concept Films

The most important part of a concept film is the ''idea,'' rather than the execution. For example, the dinosaur-chasing film, Jurassic Park, is a high-concept film with broad appeal. The movie, The Sixth Sense, works as a concept film because of it compelling hook and interesting storyline.

They can be defined as a type of comedy that can be easily pitched with a succinctly stated premise, typically characterized by an overarching “What If…” or "Fish out of water" scenario that acts as a catalyst for the events and characterizations portrayed within the screenplay.

Although things change as a project goes on, the story you come up with in the beginning will serve as the foundation on which everything else will be built. Start thinking about the kind of story you want your film to tell and all the important story elements involved: plot, characters, conflict, etc.

What is high concept thinking? ›

'High-concept' thinking is what's separating successful innovators from the rest of the field. A high concept creates clarity about an innovative idea and ensures the idea is developed and delivered as originally intended.

What Is High Concept Fiction? A high concept story is one with a clear, easily-communicable premise. It typically involves a premise that is easy to pitch and driven by a straightforward plot. This is in contrast to low concept stories, which tend to be more character-driven with less of an obvious narrative hook.

A high-concept document is primarily a sales tool, although you can write one for yourself as well, just as a way of keeping a record of ideas you've had. Think of it as a résumé for a video game.

They are simply methods to determine what kind of concept your film is dealing with to understand how to better market it. High-concept films are easier to translate into posters, trailers, press releases, etc. Low-concept films rely on character and style and thus rely on other elements to sell themselves.

Core concept is the director's determination of the most important of the many images, ideas, and emotions that should emerge from the play. High concept is changing the time period in which it is set and placing it in another.

Higher-order concepts refer to percepts-that-refer-to-concepts (i.e. symbols). Ultimately, the meaning of concepts derives from percepts, and the meaning of percepts derives from objects.

A high-concept document is primarily a sales tool, although you can write one for yourself as well, just as a way of keeping a record of ideas you've had. Think of it as a résumé for a video game.