Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2020 July 2

= July 2 =

"High-concept" movies etc
A "high-concept" movie is one where the fundamentals of the plot are simple, and can be summed up in a single, catchy phrase (e.g. "Cowboys in Space", "Moon-Nazis invade Earth", etc). Which is exactly the opposite of what I originally assumed the term meant ("complex, high-brow subject-matter"), and which I expect many others assumed too. So were did this term come from, and why does it mean what it does? (Our article here is a "has multiple issues" article, and doesn't explain the origins of the term). Iapetus (talk) 08:35, 2 July 2020 (UTC)


 * The Low-Down on High Concept summarises it as "Concept = Hook". I agree that the phrase is counter-intuitive and one I hadn't come across until I saw your query. Alansplodge (talk) 12:40, 2 July 2020 (UTC)


 * A link to Hook (filmmaking) would have been more apropos here. As I understand the difference with the literary concept, a good narrative hook serves to convince the reader that a story will be worth their time to keep reading. In contrast, a good hook for a movie script should convince the studio that it is worth their money to invest in it. The million-dollar question is: Does the script have what it takes to be bankable? Will the film have good marketability prospects? In his book High Concept: Movies and Marketing in Hollywood, Justin Wyatt redefines high concept films as being "differentiated within the marketplace through an emphasis on style and through an integration with their marketing". Attack of the Killer Tomatoes has been characterized as "the purest form of High Concept movie making". The terminology is a bit puzzling, but I imagine that some films (tearjerkers, feel-good movies) sell because they score high on emotion, others (action movies, thrillers) score high on suspense, so what is it that sells these Killer Tomatoes? The very concept! The poster for the movie, with its oblique reference to the cult classic Little Shop of Horrors and its wink to Jaws, leaves no doubt that this is not a documentary with a thoughtful exposition on the risks of GMOs. --Lambiam 20:55, 2 July 2020 (UTC)


 * I think "high-concept" is a thoroughly skunked term outside of film buff circles. I've never heard anyone use it correctly in real life, so I avoid it myself. Be aware that if you use it there's a good chance you'll be misunderstood. Temerarius (talk) 01:41, 3 July 2020 (UTC)
 * It was poorly formed. It is too easily misunderstood as being the same as "lofty concept". While lofty concept is not a set phrse, it is a fairly commonly occurring one with a clear meaning directly derived from the meanings of its parts. The meaning "high concept" is meant to have is pretty much the antithesis of what it would be expected to have. --Khajidha (talk) 15:45, 4 July 2020 (UTC)

Probationary Sponsorship
Hello, what's the meaning of Probationary Sponsorship in terms of sponsoring tier 4 students wanting scholarship in UK or just generally? --RazorTheDJ (talk) 15:49, 2 July 2020 (UTC)


 * The Home Office's "Tier 4 of the Points Based System: Guidance for Sponsors" writes:
 * "A Tier 4 sponsor is given Probationary Sponsor status when it is first granted a sponsor licence. A Probationary Sponsor must demonstrate that it can fulfil its sponsorship duties, will continue to do so, and can be trusted to hold Tier 4 Sponsor status. When a Probationary Sponsor applies for, and passes, its first annual Basic Compliance Assessment, it will be given Tier 4 Sponsor status. Probationary Sponsors are subject to some restrictions on the types of courses they can offer, and on their students’ ability to undertake certain activities. For example, a Probationary Sponsor’s students may not undertake work placements if their course of study is below degree level."
 * ---Sluzzelin talk  18:20, 2 July 2020 (UTC)
 * thanks alot for the answer!--RazorTheDJ (talk) 15:08, 3 July 2020 (UTC)