"High Concept vs. Low Concept: Debunking Myths and Realities for Aspiring Screenwriters"

In today’s global film market, writing a “high concept” screenplay has become increasingly important for screenwriters hoping to catch the attention of?producers. However, high concept doesn’t necessarily mean a completely original idea, but rather a twist on a familiar story that intrigues and surprises the audience. At?Screenwriting Staffing, a significant number of producers explicitly state that they are?seeking high-concept?features or pilots.

While a well-executed high concept script can certainly lead to commercial success, we must emphasize that execution is the key to success.?Hollywood executives?require a concise one or two sentence logline to determine the strength and essence of the story, and a poorly executed high concept script will still fall flat. On the other hand, a low concept script can still be successful if it is written brilliantly and with strong storytelling elements.

In the entertainment industry, there is a clear distinction between high-concept and low-concept films. High-concept films typically feature a?straightforward, attention-grabbing?premise that is easy to remember and visualize. In contrast, low-concept films tend to focus more on character development and often have less dramatic plotlines.

We do caution against trying to follow the current film market trends and write what’s “selling” or making “money”. The reality is that the chances of any screenwriter getting their work produced can be small at times, so suggest writing what moves and inspires you personally, whether it’s a high or low concept story.

In conclusion, while a?high concept idea?can help hook producers, it’s the execution and quality of writing that ultimately sells the script. Aspiring screenwriters should focus on crafting a strong logline, conveying the essence of their story in an exciting way, and writing a script that is both original and well-executed.

Remember, high concept films are those that can be easily summarized in a sentence or two and often have a unique or surprising twist. Here are 6?examples of high concept films:

1. "Jurassic Park": A billionaire creates a theme park with cloned dinosaurs, but things go wrong when the creatures escape and wreak havoc.
2. "Groundhog Day": A weatherman gets stuck in a time loop, reliving the same day over and over again until he learns to become a better person.
3. "Inception": A thief enters people's dreams to steal their secrets, but is hired to plant an idea instead.
4. "The Matrix": A hacker discovers that reality is an illusion created by machines to enslave humanity, and joins a rebellion to fight against them.
5. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind": A man hires a company to erase the memories of his ex-girlfriend, but changes his mind midway through the procedure and fights to keep his memories.
6. "The Truman Show": A man discovers that his entire life has been a reality TV show and tries to escape the set.

--?From your friendly friends at?Screenwriting Staffing