Picking up from the glorious final few pages of Bono's 'Picking Right Idea' thread, I thought it would be apt to discuss High Concept vs New High Concept*
What I mean is, as mere peasants wanting to break in, and with the changing film industry (death of cinema and the rise of VOD) is it still essential to come up with a concept that's not only high but new as well or will high concept be enough?
I mean, high-and-new ideas like The Matrix, Jurassic Park and Edge of Tomorrow will cost hundreds of millions that studios probably wont bankroll anymore - not original IP, anyway - whereas 'mere' high-but-familiar-concepts, such as contained thrillers, slashers, buddy-cop comedies, and monsters in the house horrors will be accessible for all. Plus the latter have the benefit of being proven successes - music to prodco ears in these uncertain times?
I remember ex-DDP'er Terence Malloy landed a pro career with a run of the mill creature feature which the pros dismissed when he posted pages - did he do it right in writing an easy to summarise script that trod familiar territory or was he lucky and should have aimed to write the next game changer?
Look how much moolah the Insidious and Conjuring films have generated despite wearily-ripping off their original forebears from the 80s? So if you wanna write a contained thriller/horror, should you be happy with a concept like ATM, Hatchet and Feast or look to be revolutionary like Alien, Buried and Saw?
*Ninjas welcome.
What I mean is, as mere peasants wanting to break in, and with the changing film industry (death of cinema and the rise of VOD) is it still essential to come up with a concept that's not only high but new as well or will high concept be enough?
I mean, high-and-new ideas like The Matrix, Jurassic Park and Edge of Tomorrow will cost hundreds of millions that studios probably wont bankroll anymore - not original IP, anyway - whereas 'mere' high-but-familiar-concepts, such as contained thrillers, slashers, buddy-cop comedies, and monsters in the house horrors will be accessible for all. Plus the latter have the benefit of being proven successes - music to prodco ears in these uncertain times?
I remember ex-DDP'er Terence Malloy landed a pro career with a run of the mill creature feature which the pros dismissed when he posted pages - did he do it right in writing an easy to summarise script that trod familiar territory or was he lucky and should have aimed to write the next game changer?
Look how much moolah the Insidious and Conjuring films have generated despite wearily-ripping off their original forebears from the 80s? So if you wanna write a contained thriller/horror, should you be happy with a concept like ATM, Hatchet and Feast or look to be revolutionary like Alien, Buried and Saw?
*Ninjas welcome.
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