High Concept: What it is and how to apply it to your story ideas.
yes dead Pool “High concept”? How about it midnight in paris? or Clean?
The fact that you could ask ten different writers and get ten different opinions kind of sums up how confusing The concept of “high concept” has become.
• What exactly does this word mean?
• Should you write “high-concept” scripts?
• Will this make them easier to sell?
In this article, we’ll explain exactly what “high concept” traditionally means. but also how and why You should apply high-concept principles to your story ideas. No matter what genre.
So let’s get started.
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What exactly does “high concept” mean?
The term “high concept film” (traditionally) refers to films with “hook”– A unique idea that sells easily and usually does well at the box office.
think…
Big!
Be bold!
The original!
pleasure!
High concept films are often considered more Idea driven rather than character driven. As such, they are more easily associated with creatively driven genres such as comedy and action/adventure. Rather than a coming-of-age drama.
High concept movie ideas in The heyday of the spec era In the 80s and 90s. Imagine you are a senior executive in 1980 and a writer pitches you Tusi. You’ll be hooked in no time, right? but why?
because…
• You can see the entire movie in your mind’s eye.
• You can easily imagine the funny situations Michael got himself into.
• You’ll know you can sell it easily.
• You instinctively know the audience will love it.
This perfectly captures the essence of the traditional view of high-concept cinema:
A screamingly grand and original idea.”Why haven’t you done this before?“
Many other hits from the 80s and 90s such as Groundhog Day, Jurassic Park and wild wildeveryone does the same thing.
You’ve probably heard some or most of these ideas before, but here’s a quick list of classic high-concept constructs:
• unique and original
• Have strong visual effects
• Contain clear sources of conflict
• Have strong commercial appeal
• Instantly catch the eye
• Simple enough for an eighth grader to understand
• Can be written in one or two sentences
• May contain twists and/or “fish out of water” scenes
• It makes one wonder: “Why hasn’t this been done before?”
Modern high concept film.
We’re in a completely different era now than the days when high-concept spec scripts sold for millions of dollars. But they are still being made.
Here are some examples of high concept movies:
•After realizing how much better his life would be, a man paid a company to shrink himself to five inches tall, allowing him to live a life of wealth and splendor alongside others who had undergone the same surgery. (downsize)
• A small group of former classmates compete in an elaborate annual doubles game that requires cross-country travel and dedication. (Label)
• After a man gets his childhood wish to have his own teddy bear come true, he must now decide whether to keep his relationship with his girlfriend or his teddy bear.
(Ted)
It’s time to rethink “high concept.”
Unless you’re writing a passion project that you plan to film yourself, you’ll want to sell your script. That means coming up with a screenplay idea and guess what?
• unique and original
• Have strong visual effects
• Contain clear sources of conflict
etc…
In fact, there is almost no difference between what some people define as “high concept” and a cool, original idea worth developing. An idea that will ultimately lead to your script best selling opportunity.
Try not to think that high concept only applies to high-voltage action and comedy movies. Or the high-concept movie is “over there,” and your movie idea is “over there.”
almost all If you want to sell ideas, they can benefit by becoming “higher.” So start thinking of “high concepts” as simply great Concept – A concept that will make selling your script easier.
How to make an ordinary concept “high concept” and more marketable.
Ninety percent of spec scripts fail at the first hurdle because their story concepts are either derivative, uninteresting, or uncommercial. Or all three.
Part of the problem is that much of the advice on how to come up with a marketable concept revolves around unhelpful clichés. Anyone can walk around all day asking “What if?” for example. But can it take you anywhere?
The truth is, there’s no set way to come up with a great, marketable, unique story concept. Every writer finds it in his or her own way. if there is a secret But for it, it goes like this:
Never settle for ordinary. Once you think you have a “good” idea, never let up. It could probably do better.
In fact, if you want to give yourself the best chance of selling your script, you have to break it down, stretch it, and explore it until it’s as good as it can possibly be.
Let’s say you haven’t been inspired yet and sit down and think about an idea you want to write about. Maybe you have a great character. Or a situation. Or a complete storyline. it’s time brainstorming…
• How could the stakes be higher?
• How is the protagonist’s struggle more difficult?
• How can we care more about them?
• How can we force them to take more extreme actions?
• How can this concept be more intuitive, more original, simpler, etc.?
A great way to learn how to transform a mediocre concept into a higher concept is to compare synopses.
High concept journaling example.
Below are some examples of ordinary log lines, followed by an enhanced version with added high-concept elements.
1a. General concepts.
To get over a messy breakup, one woman decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.
1b. After applying higher concepts.
After the breakdown of her marriage, the death of her mother and years of self-destructive behavior, [visual, high stakes] Women make decisions – completely inexperienced—[higher stakes, fish-out-of-water] Hiking over a thousand miles [visual] Pacific Crest Trail, alone [even higher stakes, clear conflict, simple, unique].
2a. Ordinary cconcept.
After a man whose clients included a chef and a soccer mom had his marijuana stash robbed by some street kids, he hatched a foolproof plan to get a shipment from Mexico planned for delivery during the Fourth of July weekend.
2b.pass aUse higher ideas.
Senior pot dealer [visual] create a fake family [twist, clear conflict, fish-out-of-water] as part of his plan to transport large quantities of marijuana from Mexico to the United States [high stakes, visual, clear conflict, simple, unique].
3a. Ordinary concept.
At a music school, a drummer’s life is turned upside down by bullying from his teacher.
3b.pass aUse higher ideas.
a promising young drummer [visual] Get into a competitive music school [visual, fish-out-of-water] His great dream is there [high stakes] Be guided by a mentor who will do whatever it takes to bring out the best in his students [clear conflict, simple, unique].
Watch out for more in the second version visual, original Someone may well ask “How come this hasn’t been done before?”
In other words, they are of a higher concept. Even if you don’t necessarily nail Examples #1 and #3 (wilderness and whipping) as a “high concept movie.”
Also note how it is easier to become emotional investment in the second version. This is because they specify the dilemma the protagonist will face in the movie.
they let you see it In a way, the first version didn’t.
This is a sign great concept— is not reserved for high-concept action, thrillers or comedy films.
Brainstorm, refine and repeat.
Not many story concepts come fully formed in the mind of a professional screenwriter. Often, the only way to get to these high-concept “post” versions is through intense brainstorming.
For example, how did Zach Helm come up with this idea? stranger than fiction? It’s a novel idea, if you’ll pardon the pun:
An IRS auditor realizes he is a character in a novel that is still being written and must find the author before he kills him.
We don’t know. Maybe he dreamed it. Maybe he watched too many Woody Allen movies that month. The point is, this may not be a complete synopsis for him.
So once you come up with an initial idea, brainstorm and refine it. Add to more bet, do it more Visually, create conflict cleareretc.
Get feedback on your story concepts.
Don’t make the same mistake many writers make, which is relying solely on their own judgment When deciding if their story concept is good enough.
Before you type “FADE IN,” get some feedback on your story concept. Preferably from within and outside the industry.
We offer a plot analysis service that can give you an opinion on your story concept from one of our professional writers.
Ultimately, it comes down to this…
You know you have a great idea for a movie when you tell people about it and nine times out of ten people will be excited about it. They want to know more. They were jealous that they hadn’t thought of that.
If the person you just told didn’t say something like “I wish I’d thought of that” or “Oh no, what happens next?” Then this idea may still need to be adjusted.
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in conclusion.
As we have outlined in this article, most of the criteria that make up what is called “high concept” are designed to make any The concept is great.
However, coming up with an original, marketable, and exciting story concept can still be difficult, to say the least. Of course, the last thing you want to happen is to finish a script and then realize that the central story idea wasn’t good enough.
The way to avoid this is to brainstorm and refine your story concept as much as possible. Don’t settle for just “okay.” Forget worrying about people stealing your ideas. Take it out. Get a range of opinions about it. Add some high concept elements and make it as awesome as possible.
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What is your approach to making a high-concept film? Or do you agree that many ideas can be turned into higher concepts if the author hopes to sell the script? Let us know in the comments below.
Like this article? Read more about how to write a high-concept and plot a screenplay.
How to use the script analysis worksheet to complete Bulletproof Act 1
How to Write a Story Synopsis: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide
How to Outline a Script and Save Months of Rewriting Time
[© Photo credits: Flickr / Unsplash]
