high concept meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

high concept

nounalso spelled high-concept

UK /ˌhaɪ ˈkɒnsɛpt/ · US /ˌhaɪ ˈkɑnˌsɛpt/

Etymology PIE word *ḱóm From high (adjective) + concept (noun), variously attributed to the American media executives Barry Diller (born 1942) when he was working at the American Broadcasting Company in the 1970s, or Michael Eisner (born 1942) during his term as president of Paramount Pictures from 1976 to 1984.

Broadcasting, Film, Literature, Media, Publishing, Television An appealing and easily communicable idea for a work (such as a book, film, or television programme).

Tim Burton's influence [in Batman Returns] loomed large, as half-finished high concepts, consistent only in avoiding the constraints of plot, motive, and logic, abounded.1992 December, Jonathan Bernstein, “The Year in Movies”, in Bob Guccione, Jr., editor, Spin, volume 8, number 9, New York, N.Y.: Camouflage Associates, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 81:
[Steven] Spielberg's opinion relates well to the vision of high concept expressed by other Hollywood representatives: a striking, easily reducible narrative which also offers a high degree of marketability.1994, Justin Wyatt, “A Critical Redefinition: The Concept of High Concept”, in High Concept: Movies and Marketing in Hollywood, Austin, Tex.: University of Texas Press, published 2006, →ISBN, page 13:

Broadcasting, Film, Literature, Media, Publishing, Television A style of work (such as a book, film, or television programme) characterized by appealing and easily communicable ideas.

High concept, to the degree that it describes an actual phenomenon, seems to me to have little to do with the decline of the auteurists. Rather, it is an intensification of certain elements of the old system resulting from the exponentially rising production costs of films and the unpredictability of the exhibition market.1999, Kristin Thompson, “Desperately Seeking Susan”, in Storytelling in the New Hollywood: Understanding Classical Narrative Technique, Cambridge, Mass.; London: Harvard University Press, →ISBN, page 153:
It is important to note that the 'high-tech' visual style typical for high concept changes over time, just as technology advances and popular culture undergoes transitions. […] Another aspect of high concept in television news is the simplification of the story into a marketable concept as already discussed in relation to Hollywood movies.2014, Chris Veits, “Literature Review”, in Conflict Coverage Promotion: High Quality or High Concept? A Multimodal Analysis of Claims-making in Conflict Coverage Promotional Sports of Al Jazeera English and CNN International, Hamburg: Anchor Academic Publishing, →ISBN, pages 20–21:

Broadcasting, Film, Literature, Media, Publishing, Television Proscribed, Sometimes The overarching idea or theme of a work, particularly one perceived as highly artistic or intellectual.

Von Trier [Lars von Trier]'s high concept is too sloppily executed to suggest he really cares that much. Most of Dancer in the Dark ranges from mediocre (music and choreography) to laughably bad. The needlessly queasy camera movement and smeary visuals, acting that often feels like a read-through, and a script neither based on research (check out the American courtroom protocol) or any real logic. Its compensation is this: At least Dancer in the Dark is bad in a complicated way.2000 October 6, Liam Lacey, “Bad, but in a complicated way”, in The Globe and Mail, Toronto, Ont.: The Globe and Mail Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 May 2025:
This is a novel of ideas—brimming with high concepts and complicated philosophical questions. At the same time, it is a novel full of heart.2009, Tayari Jones, “[Review of Rebel Yell]”, in Alice Randall, Rebel Yell […], New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury USA, →ISBN:

1 more example

In fact, [Christopher] Nolan admits that it's a lot easier to simply watch the movie and grasp it from there. "That's the fun thing about Tenet for me, is that it's harder to talk about than just watch it and understand it," he said. Nonetheless, he gave additional insight into the machinations behind the highest of high concepts.2024 February 23, Scott Campbell, “Christopher Nolan explains ‘Tenet’”, in Far Out, London, archived from the original on 27 Feb 2025:

Related terms: high-concept, elevator pitch

high-concept

adj

UK /ˌhaɪˈkɒnsɛpt/ · US /ˌhaɪˈkɑnˌsɛpt/

Etymology PIE word *ḱóm From high (adjective) + concept (noun).

Broadcasting, Film, Literature, Media, Publishing, Television Derogatory, Sometimes Of a work such as a book, film, or television programme: based on an appealing and easily communicable idea; also, of or relating to such a work.

A high concept show has something that somebody could recognize in the title and would want to see. […] Elvis Presley and pills are the highest concept you could get. There are three people who are so high concept that you can live off them – Elvis, Jackie Onassis and Liz Taylor.1979 October 2, Joan Hanauer, quoting Paul L. Klein, “Exec sees ‘concepts’ as key to ratings battle”, in Mort Pye, editor, The Star-Ledger, volume 66, number 218, Newark, N.J.: S[amuel] I[rving] Newhouse [Sr.], →OCLC, page C [between 35 and 36], columns 2–3:
One might argue that Groundhog Day is a "high-concept" film. […] For many, a high-concept film is distinguished by its ease of summary. As Steven Spielberg puts it, "If a person can tell me the idea in 25 words or less, it's going to make a pretty good movie. I like ideas, especially movie ideas, that you can hold in your hand."1999, Kristin Thompson, “Groundhog Day”, in Storytelling in the New Hollywood: Understanding Classical Narrative Technique, Cambridge, Mass.; London: Harvard University Press, →ISBN, page 153:

1 more example

Yet for all its casual mayhem, Free Guy turns out to be a rather cuddly crowdpleaser, a high-concept blockbuster trifle with bubblegum ice cream clogging its circuits.2021 August 6, A. A. Dowd, “The Ryan Reynolds Action-comedy Free Guy is a Truman Show for the Fortnite Age”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 19 Apr 2023:

Proscribed, Sometimes Based on an idea or theme, especially one regarded as highly artistic or intellectual.

I’m not too sure about that new molecular gastronomy restaurant. It seems too high-concept and snooty for me.
We've heard of high-concept books and high-concept plays and high-concept television shows and high-concept record albums and high-concept paintings and high-concept advertising campaigns and, of course, high-concept motion pictures. This is a high-concept magazine article. Why? Because it can be satisfactorily described in a single, simple sentence. Here it is: Ask people who work in the glamour business that invented high concept to define high concept.1987 October, Rachel Urquhart, “Naked City: Buzzwords of the Stars”, in Spy: The New York Monthly, New York, N.Y.: Spy Publishing Partners, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 28, column 2:

3 more examples

Are “Lost” and “[Desperate] Housewives” too high-concept? [article title]—ABC's hit shows are eager to avoid the Twin Peaks curse […] Forget the predictable crime procedurals. Serialized, slow-burning mysteries are back.2004 December 13, Jennifer Armstrong, “Are ‘Lost’ and ‘Housewives’ too high-concept?”, in Entertainment Weekly, New York, N.Y.: Entertainment Weekly, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 May 2025:
I don't need another movie that's too high-concept for its own good. I get it, meaningless movies are unoriginal and worthless, we care too much about the way we look to other people, and yes, it could be cool if a movie was made about a character who drew another character who directed another character who wrote the first character. Zoom just isn't quite as good as it wants to be de facto originality.2015 October 1, Adam Charles, “Zoom is Too Ambitiously High-concept for Its Own Good”, in Film School Rejects, archived from the original on 25 May 2024:
The director, Christopher Nolan, favours complicated high-concept plots. His Inception (2010) is about dreams; Memento (2000) plays about with chronology.2020 September 4, Andrew Martin, “Why Christopher Nolan Needs to Calm Down”, in UnHerd, London, archived from the original on 24 Mar 2025:

Related terms: high concept