high concept
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌhaɪ ˈkɒnsɛpt/
ipa: /ˌhaɪ ˈkɑnˌsɛpt/
Forms: form: high concepts
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.
Senses: examples: text: 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.
ref: 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:
text: [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.
ref: 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:
topics: broadcasting
film
literature
media
publishing
television
antonyms: low concept
glosses: An appealing and easily communicable idea for a work (such as a book, film, or television programme).
examples: text: 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.
ref: 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:
text: 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.
ref: 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:
topics: broadcasting
film
literature
media
publishing
television
antonyms: low concept
glosses: A style of work (such as a book, film, or television programme) characterized by appealing and easily communicable ideas.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 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:
text: 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.
ref: 2009, Tayari Jones, “[Review of Rebel Yell]”, in Alice Randall, Rebel Yell […], New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury USA, →ISBN:
text: 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.
ref: 2024 February 23, Scott Campbell, “Christopher Nolan explains ‘Tenet’”, in Far Out, London, archived from the original on 27 Feb 2025:
topics: broadcasting
film
literature
media
publishing
television
glosses: The overarching idea or theme of a work, particularly one perceived as highly artistic or intellectual.
Related terms: english: attested slightly before this term
translation: attested slightly before this term
word: high-concept
word: elevator pitch