2025 > Keep it Simple and Make it Clear!
By Neil Graham
20 Aug 2025
My plan for my previous blog was to write a little piece on “Vertical Film-making” — but the day job life got in the way of the creative life and I did not have enough time to compose my thoughts.
It remains my intention to write on this topic. Next time, I promise! It is really interesting, relevant to the changing world of short (and long film) as content (oh boy, I hate that word!) gets increasingly consumed (that one too!) across multiple platforms, and AI applications start to produce lots more media — cheaply and rapidly — and competition for our attention becomes even more hyper-intense than it already is. Times they are a changing….
But this time, I have managed to distract myself from the topic in hand. I cannot blame the day job this time. Now the reason is my research on the subject has taken me down an internet driven rabbit-hole, and so there are a few thoughts I want to g̶e̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶f̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶c̶h̶e̶s̶t̶ produce first before I collect my feelings on the increasingly atomised multi-media landscape.
My initial exploration of this topic has triggered me a little!
Virtually everything I have read so far on the evolving world of “vertically integrated content” is littered with way too much business and technical jargon: synergies, monetisation, clicks, eyeballs, brand, viewer communities etc. It makes for confusing reading!
Of course, the film industry has been locked in a constant philosophical battle between its role as “art” and “commerce” since it was created. There is nothing new in this. What is the primary motivation in making films? To make lots of money to make audiences laugh, cry, think? The best of movies do both of course — but there has always been an an ongoing tension between these two factors because, well high-end film can cost an awful lot of money to make. The latest instalment of the Mission Impossible franchise cost north of $400m. It is not surprising that money becomes an important element of its creation.
The art/commerce duality is not the specific aspect of my research that I found maddening. It’s just that so much of this jargon is cryptic and obscure. It feels as if it is designed to confuse and bedazzle rather than clarify new thoughts and trends. This facet has crept more and more into the Business world too, as the realms of finance, media and technology continue to merge. And more people are forced to try to explain rapidly changing concepts they may not fully understand. And ideas expressed become unclear.
But Clarity is an attribute in a lot of great writing. I admire it greatly. Whether I encounter it reading a book, a script or reading a business proposition. Less in this context so often really is more.
Clarity is perhaps why we humans evolved Language in the first place. Back in 100,000 BC if Caveman A was able to shout to Caveman B that there was an angry looking sabre-toothed tiger about to attack him, this presented a distinct advantage over the homo-sapiens who were unable to talk and were left to wave furiously and confusedly with their spears. I can see how these unclear visual actions could be misinterpreted. Does he want me to run away in a panicked manner or come over to the cave for dinner? I suspect those without language got eaten at a higher rate than their chatty neighbours.
Not all jargon is bad of course. Some of it is just short hand. All industries possess their own little dictionary of words. These can be useful. When talking to someone who shares the same knowledge, for example, it is fine to use phrases such as LLM’s or API’s without the need to explain in full. Same for film, if you are working with a professional there is no need to explain the difference between above and below the line costs or what FPS means to members of the camera crew. They will know, they understand.
But if you are not immersed in this world and you are attempting to communicate with non-specialist — then use of this type of language can be at worst, exclusive — designed to keep others out — or confusing, in the sense the ideas that you are attempting to communicate get lost in mumbo-jumbo.
My experience of researching this topic is I have to attempt to translate what is written first into language I can understand, before I see if I can comprehend the ideas being enunciated. This is a frustrating and inefficient reading experience.
I have long been a George Orwell fan. I return to his rules of writing time and time again. I have included the highlights below, but the whole article is worth checking out and is readily available on-line.
Orwell really emphasizes Simplicity and Clarity in the use of language.
Rule #4 has become a standard for the world of screenwriting. Send your script to any Script Editor and their red pen will be all over your passive voice! But it is Rule #5 that is important in this context. And it is one that I wish would be practiced more often. Jargon can so often be just verbal bombast — but worse this showing off can be empty — because the thoughts and ideas are not clear in the first place.
So please really, try to keep it simple!
Simplicity will really increase the chances that the idea in your head will be understood by the person who reads it.
This is something I appreciate more and more as I have become older. I used to be more receptive to the use of complex metaphors or buzzwords — but I am less inclined to trust their use these days. It makes me suspicious. I see the use of Simplicity as a sign of confidence.
The same concept exists with film language too. Yes there can be a splendid joy in the roller-coaster of camera movement, special effects and crazy, rapid editing. But in many ways there is an extra level of command on display in say the works of Ozu — where the camera rarely moves — and the framing is precise and unfussy. And it gives us direct and undistracted access to the thoughts and feelings of his characters.
He kept it simple. And his films are a delight.
They also made steady money for Shochiku. And he had a long and successful career. No profit or artistic compromise were required.
Happy Writers’ Wednesday. #WW
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