Writing High Concept Screenplays

Writing high concept film scripts can equal big bucks. In this article I will outline how to put together a million dollar idea that you can take to the bank.

While you should never set out to be a scriptwriter purely for the money everyone likes to have financial security. Unfortunately movies chock full of character development but low on action tend to do poorly at the box office. If you want to write that one big smash-hit that will set you up for life then you need to be thinking about writing a high concept screenplay.

Typically a high concept script is easy to sum up in a few words and will be easy for even children to understand. Character development is kept to a minimum, instead A-list actors are used to capture the audiences attention. High concept movies also tend to be full of special effects with a lot of attention paid during the post production process.

A big idea, captivating title, and an intriguing logline is what you need to create a high concept movie.

Think Big

If you can come up with a great concept then you’re already made. Even if the execution is mediocre your chances of selling your script is high. Producers have been known to purchase scripts without even reading them, based purely on the concept outlines in the story summary. So many movies have a good plot and characters that grow but the initial idea is not all that good. This is why you need to put so much time and effort into the initial idea for a high concept script.

Remember that a true high concept idea has to:

• Be easily understood
• Ably summarized in a sentence or two
• Intrigue the audience
• Be full of conflict
• Have a big event
• Leave room for a sequel
• Attract an A-list star
• Be fresh and marketable
• Have a unique take on an known idea or genre

Think of movies like Jaws, Star Wars and Independence Day and run down the list with them in mind. You will see how each of them tick off more or less every point on the list. As I write this I’ve just taken a look at the page for Independence Day on IMDB. It has a mediocre user rating of 6.9 out of 10, yet it has grossed over a billion dollars worldwide! Proof that a movie doesn’t have to necessarily be good to make a lot of money.

One of the best ways to create a high concept movie is to ask “what if…?”.

What if aliens invaded Earth? – Independence Day

What if dinosaurs were brought back to life? – Jurassic Park

What if there was a family of superheroes in hiding? – The Incredibles

Take in all the media you can. Watch movies, read novels, take in the news especially the more incredulous stories. Think of the various concepts within and think how it could have been different if something else had happened, or an event had gone a different way.

Title and Logline

A great title and logline have three positive affects. They will help inspire you as you write your script, they’ll cause an agent, producer or actor to sit up and take notice of your work, and it’ll make the finished movie easier to market to the public.

The title should be short enough to fit on the marquee of the cinema yet give a good idea to the public of the theme and nature of the film. Star Wars is one of the best examples of a simple yet provocative title and logline.

Star Wars – A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

Right away you get the idea that this movie will be about an battle between good and evil in an outlandish part of space. The title and logline of your scrip should be a one-two punch that encapsulate your movie. Within the title and logline you should try to answer these questions:

• What’s the story?
• What are the stakes?
• What does the hero want and need?

High concept movies are often looked down upon by film critics but there’s no reason why you can’t take a great concept and turn it into a flashy yet deep movie.

Or you could write Snakes On A Plane II, it’s your call.

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