what does high concept mean exactly? - Page 2 - Writers Forum

lin · 04-13-2008, 12:58 AM

By the way, I just saw American Gangster. Now there's an example of a true-life story adapted to film, but it "reads" just like a novel. It's hard to imagine that Russell Crowe's role in the film wasn't HEAVILY fiction. But more than that the staging, sequencing, intercutting is incredible.

I should have known it would be great, but wasn't aware of one of the big names associated with the film. Director: Ridley Scott. He's still The Man.

Wallmaker · 04-13-2008, 01:32 AM

He's been a good writer to beat in many mediums for a long time from Comics, novels, to children's books. It seems as if his filmic conquest was just a matter of the inevitable.

As for Stardust as a film, it's kinda like a Princess Bride in genre. That didn't do too well in theaters either. I'm sure rentals and DVD sales did better. And yeah, uh... that multi generational sex curse is kind what kept me away from Beowulf. I studied the poem a lot in my trek throug academia and just didn't want to see Beowulf get it on with a sea serpent. Still don't.

Shrek is lifted from a children's book called "shrek!" in the 90's.

workingauthor · 04-13-2008, 04:10 AM

Well, this thread seems to have veered way off course. Just wanted to throw in with Lin on he definition of "High Concept." Heck, I'll also agree with Lin's "originality" argument.

Guitar_chick133 · 04-13-2008, 06:03 PM

Well, sometimes something that has the same general concept as one of my ideas will just come on T.V. and I watch it on accident. and I will admit that it does make me think of how to rewrite it, or how mine is different. I recently had this happen to me. I was watching a "The Outer Limits" marathon one day and one of the stories had almost the same exact idea I had for the first act of one of my SciFi ideas. I watched at forst and was like" Well, Damn it!" then i continued to watch it ( a habit of mine. it doesn't matter if I love it or hate it, If I haven't seen something I'm, more often than not, going watch it till the end.) and I realized that it wasn't anything like mine except for how the main character got to where he is, and even that wasn't REALLY the same.

I quite like how this thead has turned out. I'm a music and movie person and I love discussing the latter the most.

Oh, yeah and I finished the rough draft of my new Screenplay!!! YAY!

Wallmaker · 04-13-2008, 06:41 PM

CONGRATS! Buy yourself a slice of pie in celebration. There are so many people who want to write but don't make it this far! It's a totally awesome achievement!

lin · 04-13-2008, 07:56 PM

Way to go, guitar chick. Now post some scenes here so we can all make you wish you'd never started it.

Guitar_chick133 · 04-13-2008, 09:59 PM

LOL!!

Mklangelo · 04-16-2008, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guitar_chick133

I see it being used on here alot and I'm not to sure what that means. how do you know if you have one?

It's a slippery one, as far as concepts go. Apparently it means something different to each writer.

To me it means: describe your movie in one sentence/statement. That sentence must convey the meaning or "theme" of it so perfectly, that nobody will ask questions of what you mean. Which we all know, is impossible (or nearly so). If you present any idea to 10 people, you will get that many opinions.

High Concept of "Die Hard" A great movie. What was the "High Concept" of it?

A Cop must rescue his wife. "High Concept" as far as I understand it.

Did he let her go to L.A. thinking she would come back, tail between her legs? Yes. But that's not the jist of the movie.

Mklangelo · 04-16-2008, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vee

I sit corrected on 'High Concept'. I maintain there is no such thing as something 'original'.

I agree. Hollywood wants the same old thing. Only different.

Mklangelo · 04-16-2008, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lin

I come back to this one because that "nothing new is possible" stuff is SO prevalent on this type of site, and so confusing to new writers.

What I suggest is that people think about it. If there is nothing ever new, then there wouldn't be anything, right? Was the first novel a copy? Was the first story ever told a knockoff?

Well if, as is pretty patently obvious, it was once possible to have original thoughts and works...when did it become impossible to have them?

Or is it that there is a certain amount of original work possible, but it's all been used up?

Of COURSE there is original work done every day. Don't cripple yourself by pretending otherwise just becuase it sounds hip.

Amen. There are only 12 (count em' twelve) musical notes in the "Western" style of music. How many great songs are still written with just those 12 notes?

lin · 04-17-2008, 01:16 AM

Quote:

A Cop must rescue his wife. "High Concept" as far as I understand it.

Not really. You can reduce anything to one line. There's a difference between something as generic and that and something like, "Cop has to kills his wife" or "Cop's dead wife gives him angel advice."

One thing, you hear "High concept comedy" a lot more than anything else. This isn't that obscure: it's a concept, an idea, a gimmick, a twist, a punchline.

Mklangelo · 04-17-2008, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lin

Not really. You can reduce anything to one line. There's a difference between something as generic and that and something like, "Cop has to kills his wife" or "Cop's dead wife gives him angel advice."

One thing, you hear "High concept comedy" a lot more than anything else. This isn't that obscure: it's a concept, an idea, a gimmick, a twist, a punchline.

I hear ya' lin. But can't you boil down "Die Hard" to A Cop Must rescue his Wife? It's the definition of the "through line." The essence of the continuous line of action/dramatic tension.

It's what the movie is about. Isn't it? It's what the protagonist has as his goal. It just so happens that it's nice and clean in this case. That's what makes it such a great movie. It's simple. The definition of "High Concept"

lin · 04-17-2008, 09:07 PM

That is not a high concept movie, it's a generic acdtion movie. Somebody always has to rescue somebody.

Mklangelo · 04-18-2008, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lin

That is not a high concept movie, it's a generic acdtion movie. Somebody always has to rescue somebody.

It is indeed a generic action movie. But I don't think High Concept means "lofty" It just means A brief statement of a movie's basic idea that is felt to have tremendous public appeal.

Wallmaker · 04-18-2008, 10:55 AM

Mklangelo,

The throughline is essential to know, but it's not the logline becuase it lacks specifics on what the movie is about. I think it would be a great idea to expand your throughline into a logline:

A cop must rescue his estranged wife held hostage by terrorists in a skyscraper.

Not many more words... a HELL of a lot more clear what this movie specifically is about. It says it's in a skyscraper. It says the cop is going against terrorists (1 good guy, MANY bad guys). It says the wife is estranged... and probably not likely to run into his arms easily. THESE are what's sellable about the movie and what has appeal. People want to see gunfights in skyscrapers! People want to see a failed romance reignited! And people want to see one guy kick major ass on a whole fleet of forgein "terrorists".