What is considered low budget?

over 2 million and under 10 million?

Juno

The Full Monty

Memento

Usual Suspects

Reservoir Dogs

I think writing Has to be better for low budget films because the script is your key weapon. It's your one-man band or army. You don't have the luxury of named stars, A-List directors, CG and famous songs to use in your film. Plus, a little more effort put into a low budget script will make it much better than a lot of the low budget stuff out there. If you're gonna write it at least make it good or great.

Is there any single definition for "high concept"?

As used here, I've seen it define a movie that can be summarized in a single sentence.

In school, they used it to refer to a blockbuster.

And at work, they use it to refer to an idea that can spawn sequels, spin-offs, toys, theme park rides, breakfast cereals, etc.

On low budget movies, your script is also what gets famous actors to take a pay cut to work with you. If you give actors who maybe are only known for being pretty or in action movies a chance to really show off acting chops, that makes it easier to get made by attaching that talent. Most of that comes from the script.

I love this topic.

Honestly, I'm not sure how much it matters. Generally production companies make a certain type of movie for a certain price. Matching your script to their budgetary needs is a bigger issue, imo.

It's really more or less about who likes your script and what they can afford.

I saw an interview with Chuck Roven where he mentions that what is selling movies to audiences right now is the concept. Then maybe the director attached. Stars are some ways down.

Getting stars to take a pay cut really isn't the issue you think it would be. Ryan Reynolds was in BURIED and THE NINES -- and GREEN LANTERN.

I really think the budget has a lot more to do with who is producing than anything else.

Of course, Roland Emmerich came on the scene by being able to do big budget summer blockbusters at half the price as his competitors.

Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch Project cost nothing to make. And both made a mint. Which had to do with fitting their story and how they told it into their limited budget.

Avatar's cost isn't even tangible. They spent 12 years creating the technology for it before you would even begin to talk about "budget." And that movie made more than most small countries annual budget.

I don't think there's a right or wrong way.

I do think as a newer writer it's easier to break in with a less expensive script.

But on the flip side of that -- I also think it's harder for someone who is established to do a low-budget movie. If you're getting paid premium wages, premium movies with large returns are expected.

The pressures are different imo.

Oh -- I do want to point out -- this town loves to pigeonhole.

If writing big budget action movies is what you want to do, that's really what you should be writing.

I haven't even "broken in" yet, but a few of my scripts that have gotten attention and are circulating are 1/2 hour TV sitcoms. Comedies.

The features I was writing solo were Action / Adventure. I was getting meetings on the merits of those scripts. That's what I prefer to write.

But now my partner and I are seen as a fresh new voice in the comedy sitcom arena.

Agents only want to talk to us about what other sitcoms we have. And maybe the off comedy feature (of which I have zero).

I never pictured myself a sitcom writer. But I'm well on my way to becoming one.

I'd look at JJ Abrams career to see how hard it is to flop over.

You think of him as the SciFi / Action guy, right?

He wrote FOREVER YOUNG (romance) and TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS (comedy) in the early 90s. And the TV series FELICITY (soap opera? Sorry, I kid) before he ever got recognized for what is clearly his taste in film that he is known for today.

It happened because Jennifer Garner was a cast member of FELICITY. He pitched ALIAS to her. She liked it. It became a series -- and J.J. could pursue the genre(s) that actually seem more suited to him -- 12 years after his first writing credit.

I think writing what you want to be writing for your career is also a bigger factor than budget. But that's me :)