What makes High Concept?

Mklangelo · Apr 1, 2008

I know each writer starts their project in their own unique way. For me, I'm thinking that having a great High Concept seems like a very logical initial step.

Does this ring true for anyone else?

I read somewhere (sorry I can't remember where. I'm all over the place reading stuff all the time) that the High Concept contains these things:

1.) Fascinating Subject.

2.) Great Title for your work.

3.) Inciting Incident. (the cause or revelation of the problem and the reason action must be taken)

4.) Hook (unique aspect of the problem that makes it more diffucult)

Example: Not only does the volcano erupt, it erupts in a city. (something like that)

I'm a little dubious on the Great Title as part of a High Concept. I'm thinking the title can come later or right away and certainly is important but not part of the High Concept?

dpaterso · Apr 1, 2008

I'm not sure about the inciting incident. The "high concept" definition pretty much revolves around: must be able to explain the story in one short sentence. People have to "get it" from just one line. So the title has to carry its weight too, helping to paint the mental image that will sell the idea. Star Wars, good knights battle evil knights in another galaxy. Jaws, giant shark menaces tourist town. Die Hard, lone no-surrender cop battles terrorists in skyscraper. Chinatown, cynical private eye falls for powerful businessman's abused wife.

Shrug, just my opinion.

-Derek

C.bronco · Apr 1, 2008

Thanks Derek!

dpaterso · Apr 1, 2008

Those well-known, over-analyzed films are easy to define, people have been taking them apart and putting them back together for years, it's tougher x 1000 when you try to think up a high concept line for less famous films -- or worse, your own scripts.

-Derek

Phaeal · Apr 2, 2008

Rep points for naming these high-concept works of fiction from their hook lines!

Mutilated sea captain chases down the whale responsible. :e2steer:

Adultery and clergy high jinks erupt in newly-founded Boston! :e2kissy:

High-society wife lives double life in a London wracked by interminable lawsuits. :e2file:

First impressions run wild, leaving girl from dysfunctional family with an on-again, off-again dance partner. :e2slap:

Maybe-crazy prince fondles human skull, everyone dies. :e2crown:

Old coot puts a pan on his head and runs around thinking he's a real knight. :banana:

Veteran's wife thinks he's dead and is going to remarry; can he battle his way home through all sorts of cool monsters in time to reclaim her? :e2teeth:

Ghost takes love-lorn poet on a tour of Hell -- literally! :e2seesaw:

After providing a useful contrast to lawful lovers, adulteress makes a bloody mess on train tracks. :e2faint:

Battle looms for a blue guy and his buddy, the handsome young prince! :whip:

Lyra Jean · Apr 2, 2008

Mutilated sea captain chases down the whale responsible. :e2steer:

Moby Dick

Adultery and clergy high jinks erupt in newly-founded Boston! :e2kissy:

The Scarlet Letter

High-society wife lives double life in a London wracked by interminable lawsuits. :e2file:

First impressions run wild, leaving girl from dysfunctional family with an on-again, off-again dance partner. :e2slap:

Dirty Dancing
Maybe-crazy prince fondles human skull, everyone dies. :e2crown:

Hamlet
Old coot puts a pan on his head and runs around thinking he's a real knight. :banana:

The Adventures of Don Quixote

Veteran's wife thinks he's dead and is going to remarry; can he battle his way home through all sorts of cool monsters in time to reclaim her? :e2teeth:

The Illiad

Ghost takes love-lorn poet on a tour of Hell -- literally! :e2seesaw:

Dante's Inferno

After providing a useful contrast to lawful lovers, adulteress makes a bloody mess on train tracks. :e2faint:

Battle looms for a blue guy and his buddy, the handsome young prince! :whip:

ReneC · Apr 2, 2008

rosemerry got most of them.

Phaeal said:
After providing a useful contrast to lawful lovers, adulteress makes a bloody mess on train tracks.

Anna Karenina

Julie Worth · Apr 2, 2008

dpaterso said:
The "high concept" definition pretty much revolves around: must be able to explain the story in one short sentence. People have to "get it" from just one line.

I agree--it's an ironic phrase. The higher the concept, the lower the brow that can appreciate it.

Phaeal · Apr 2, 2008

rosemerry said:
Mutilated sea captain chases down the whale responsible.
Moby Dick

Adultery and clergy high jinks erupt in newly-founded Boston!
The Scarlet Letter

High-society wife lives double life in a London wracked by interminable lawsuits.

First impressions run wild, leaving girl from dysfunctional family with an on-again, off-again dance partner.
Dirty Dancing
Maybe-crazy prince fondles human skull, everyone dies.
Hamlet
Old coot puts a pan on his head and runs around thinking he's a real knight. The Adventures of Don Quixote

Veteran's wife thinks he's dead and is going to remarry; can he battle his way home through all sorts of cool monsters in time to reclaim her? The Illiad

Ghost takes love-lorn poet on a tour of Hell -- literally!
Dante's Inferno

After providing a useful contrast to lawful lovers, adulteress makes a bloody mess on train tracks.

Battle looms for a blue guy and his buddy, the handsome young prince!

FIVE OUT OF TEN. "Dirty Dancing" and "The Iliad" are incorrect. So still five chances for rep points!

Phaeal · Apr 2, 2008

ReneC said:
rosemerry got most of them.

Anna Karenina

And another winner! Four left!

StephanieFox · Apr 2, 2008

After providing a useful contrast to lawful lovers, adulteress makes a bloody mess on train tracks. :e2faint:

[/quote]

The Odessy and the tracks one in Anna Karina.

I hate cpmputers. Can't make 'em work.

Phaeal · Apr 2, 2008

StephanieFox said:
The Odessy and the tracks one in Anna Karina.

I hate cpmputers. Can't make 'em work.

Anna's already taken. And which one is the Odyssey? Aw, it's one of them, though not the one associated with the blue guy and CHARIOT whip.

Rep point for Stephanie and another for whoever makes the Odyssey match and three tough ones still open:

High-society wife lives double life in a London wracked by interminable lawsuits. :e2file:

First impressions run wild, leaving girl from dysfunctional family with an on-again, off-again dance partner. :e2slap:

Battle looms for a blue guy and his buddy, the handsome young prince! :whip:

dawinsor · Apr 2, 2008

The high society might be Bleak House.

First impressions: Pride and Prejudice?

Phaeal · Apr 2, 2008

dawinsor said:
The high society might be Bleak House.

First impressions: Pride and Prejudice?

Dawinsor scores twice! Heh, I thought the P & P would be easier -- wasn't First Impressions Austen's original title?

The last and hardest hook line remains!

dawinsor · Apr 2, 2008

Yay! My best guess for the blue guy and the prince was one of the Henry plays but I'm doubtful and I get them mixed up anyway. Henry IV Part 2?

StephanieFox · Apr 2, 2008

The Great Gatspy?

StephanieFox · Apr 2, 2008

Oh, I know! The Polky Little Puppy!

Could be blue guy be Beowulf?

StephanieFox · Apr 2, 2008

What's this? (easy one)
A young women nearly falls prey to a street-wise smooth talker who has plans to destroy her family.

dawinsor · Apr 2, 2008

Could the blue friend be Eyore? So Winnie the Pooh? Oh man, now I'm just guessing.

Phaeal · Apr 2, 2008

Stephanie is stumping me with the smooth-talking guy, but then again, she hasn't given out the all important emoticon clue.

The last and hardest of my hook lines remains unconquered, muhahaha.

But, anyway, I guess the whole point is, you can make up a hook line for about anything. And maybe, too, that high-concept doesn't have to mean "unliterary." Moby Dick really does have a high concept, I'd say, as well as high execution.

cyberwraith · Apr 2, 2008

Phaeal said:
The last and hardest of my hook lines remains unconquered, muhahaha.

A Tale of Two Cities?

Lyra Jean · Apr 2, 2008

I knew it wasn't Dirty Dancing just because it's not a book. I couldn't resist writing that one in cause the sentence fits the movie. Kind of.

Phaeal · Apr 3, 2008

Phaeal said:
Battle looms for a blue guy and his buddy, the handsome young prince!

Okay, class. No one got this one. The answer is....

The Bhagavad-Gita.

Krishna's the blue guy, and the prince is Arjuna. Hmm, maybe this one wasn't high concept enough. :tongue

BTW, Stephanie, I still don't know the answer to yours.

Elaine Margarett · Apr 3, 2008

Phaeal said:
First impressions run wild, leaving girl from dysfunctional family with an on-again, off-again dance partner.

Cinderella

misterkel · Apr 3, 2008

I thought High Concept needed that cross between the Matrix and The Book of Job formula.

What makes High Concept?

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