Flash Forward 2025
As we begin a new year, I approach the next 12 months with cautious optimism. Here are 10 key themes I’ll be watching closely in 2025.
The remarkable prescience of Russel T Davies writing and montage editing by Billy Sneddon in Years and Years, released five and half years ago, predicted a second elected Trump term, the re-opening of Notre Damme cathedral, tension in Ukraine and the rise of the populist right in the UK following Brexit, all of which happened in the UK in 2024. But what has 2025 in store for us?
Here are 10 key themes that I will be watching closely in 2025.
1. Thrive in '25
While some have adopted the mantra "Survive to '25," I believe this year will continue to challenge many in the industry. However, I prefer to echo Mark Purvis’s inspiring 2024 post, which emphasised the need to embrace innovation, foster collaboration, champion new voices, advance sustainable production models, and reignite the passion for storytelling.
2. A Changing Film and Television Industry
After a decade of experimentation and the boom in streaming wars, we’re entering an era of managed decline for legacy media. Traditional broadcast and cable channels are gradually fading from the ecosystem, giving way to more sustainable and focused models. This newsletter article from Scott Galloway’s captures the current dilemma faced by legacy media and outlines the likely pathway over the next couple of years.
3. The Role and Value of the Film Editor
The role of the film editor, along with the broader editorial team, is evolving. Last year, I discussed how this role could be redefined and adapted for the future. In 2025, I aim to continue advocating for a renewed focus on the significance of assistants and a stronger emphasis on the editorial department as a cornerstone of storytelling.
4. A Continued Decline in Social Media
The rise of AI-generated content has caused a surge AI Slop and massively increased mediocre material across social media platforms, negatively impacting mental health and fuelling political polarisation. While AI’s role in content creation will likely expand, I anticipate a growing demand for thoughtful, well-produced, and well edited content. On a personal level, I’m prioritising my own mental health by significantly reducing my social media use this year.
5. The Importance of Good Storytelling
The Oxford Word of the Year for 2024, “brain rot,” is defined as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging. Also: something characterized as likely to lead to such deterioration”
In a world increasingly saturated with fleeting distractions, the need for carefully crafted, thought-provoking, and artful storytelling has never been greater. I believe film making is a uniquely collaborative form of that art and editing, when given enough time and resources, is a way of coalescing all of these creative collaborations into one concise vision.
6. Work From Home vs. Work From Office
The pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work for editors and assistants, reshaping how and where the craft is practiced. However, with companies increasingly pushing for a return to office-based work, debates about the most efficient and effective working models will remain a central issue in 2025.
7. Quality of Data vs. Quantity of Data
The race to build AI systems like ChatGPT has focused heavily on accumulating vast amounts of data. Moving forward, I expect a greater emphasis on quality, where clean, well-organised data takes precedence. In the film industry, adopting tools that manage and refine data effectively could streamline production workflows and elevate creative outcomes.
8. Redefined Social Communities
A combination of cost of living, post covid habits and working conditions, and a society less reliant on alcohol has changed the social habits. Historically, the bars and pubs in Soho were the location of social interaction and community for editors and people in post production, but the decentralisation of post production and the price of socialising has meant that these interactions are less sustainable. While there has been a wonderful democratisation through online communities and zoom meet-ups, recently many have been moving back towards in-person interactions. In Ireland, the Dublin Editors recent move back to in-person events has proved very popular.
9. The Importance of Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing
Over the past few years, the sharing of creative and technical knowledge has grown significantly, whether through podcasts, Zoom meetings, or in-person discussions in the corridors and post production facilities. I look forward to the sharing of ideas, both creative and technical, that I have seen increase over the last number of years. I know that this will lead to a stronger and more diverse sector.
10. Techficiency
In 2025, I will be working hard to better use technology not be used by technology, to self-optimise but not be ruled by productivity or hustle culture and to look at more efficient ways of doing the job which don’t impact on the quality of creativity or storytelling.