Quote: Marc P @ May 25 2009, 10:50 AM BSTIts a sketch show. Returning characters. Set in a fictional village to give it a framework is all.
Correct. At least the first two series were.
Low concept V high concept Page 2
The Smoking Room, The Royle Family and Marion and Geoff are all examples of low-cost high-concept shows. Too many people assume that high-concept has to mean that one of the characters is a CGI dinosaur in a top hat who owns a time-travelling peanut.
I think you can work against the High Concept to create a kind of comedic/dramatic tension. I'm thinking of comedy Manga's where one of the characters might be a 100 foot tall mega robot or a Demon sorceror, but the real problem is who's going to do the shopping?
Quote: Matthew Stott @ May 26 2009, 9:39 AM BSTCorrect. At least the first two series were.
The third series was a very much six stand-alone episodes intercut with sketches, and as such could be discussed in my award-winning "Best series of stand alone comedies?" thread.
Why are all your threads 'award-winning'? Where are the predictable, derivative threads from when you were 'young, naive and inexperienced'?
Dan
Quote: swerytd @ May 26 2009, 10:28 AM BSTWhy are all your threads 'award-winning'?
This thread confirms that there is no real consensus on exactly what makes something high or low concept. I think it a flawed use of language anyway, because the term 'low' concept is clearly pejorative.
Quote: NoggetFred @ May 27 2009, 5:38 AM BSTThis thread confirms that there is no real consensus on exactly what makes something high or low concept.
As far as I understand it high-concept refers to a film or TV show that has a central idea that can be summed up in one sentence or less. And often this idea is a bit different from the norm. And if anything, high-concept has come to be a perjorative term.
It's quite clear. Low concept is a show about a family. High concept is a show about a family on Mars.
Quote: Micheal Jacob @ May 27 2009, 11:07 AM BSTIt's quite clear. Low concept is a show about a family. High concept is a show about a family on Mars.
On a related subject, it's one of the great tragedies of the modern world that it's 2009 and we still haven't got colonies on Mars.
Quote: chipolata @ May 27 2009, 9:43 AM BSTAs far as I understand it high-concept refers to a film or TV show that has a central idea that can be summed up in one sentence or less/...../high-concept has come to be a perjorative term.
Yes, so it should be called 'simple' rather than 'high' concept.... unless they meant "high" as in 'off the planet' as opposed to 'down to Earth'?
Quote: chipolata @ May 27 2009, 11:09 AM BST
On a related subject, it's one of the great tragedies of the modern world that it's 2009 and we still haven't got colonies on Mars.
We have, it's only you puny Earthlings who haven't.
Quote: NoggetFred @ May 27 2009, 11:12 AM BSTYes, so it should be called 'simple' rather than 'high' concept.... unless they meant "high" as in 'off the planet' as opposed to 'down to Earth'?
We have, it's only you puny Earthlings who haven't.
High Concept doesn't mean simple.
Quote: Marc P @ May 27 2009, 11:15 AM BSTHigh Concept doesn't mean simple.
If the concept can be summed up in a sentence, surely it's a simple concept?
Quote: NoggetFred @ May 27 2009, 11:17 AM BSTIf the concept can be summed up in a sentence, surely it's a simple concept?
I tend to agree with this. One of the reasons Hollywood is so in love with high-concept is they think movies with it will be easier to sell to the masses.
Quote: NoggetFred @ May 27 2009, 11:17 AM BSTIf the concept can be summed up in a sentence, surely it's a simple concept?
Not neccessarily. Anything can be summed up in one sentence. Look at how simply E=MC squared can be said.