high concept

Noun

high concept (plural high concepts)

1. 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

   Antonyms:

   low concept

2. 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...1999, Kristin Thompson, “Desperately Seeking Susan”, in Storytelling in the New Hollywood: Understanding Classical Narrative Technique, Cambridge, Mass.; London: Harvard University Press, →ISBN, page...
   • 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...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...

   Antonyms:

   low concept

3. (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...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