Tune Out The Noise: Have you seen it yet?

In a world of financial noise, a groundbreaking documentary advocates for evidence-based investing. It's time to Tune Out the Noise and see what the data reveals.

The financial world is filled with constant chatter, from stock tips to predictions of the next big market shift. In this environment, the film Tune Out the Noise by Academy Award-winning film-maker Errol Morris offers a refreshing perspective. 

This isn't your typical Wall Street drama filled with high-stakes trades and scandalous behaviour. Instead, Tune Out the Noise charts the history of academic finance and the rise and development of passive and factor-based investing. 

Even as someone deeply interested in this field, the film's success has surpassed my expectations. With more than seven million views on YouTube already in the US alone, Tune Out the Noise has clearly struck a chord.  

From intuition to evidence

The film charts a revolution in finance: for centuries, the industry relied on intuition, lacking reliable ways to measure results. The rise of powerful computers enabled researchers to analyse stock market data, revealing fundamental truths: diversification reduces risk and uncertainty creates opportunity. 

The biggest revelation was that active management, with its stock picking and market timing, was a costly illusion, as active managers underperformed the market despite high fees, challenging the establishment's traditional approach. 

Data showed that a diversified, long-term, total market strategy was far superior, inspiring trailblazing money managers like John McQuown, Rex Sinquefield, and David Booth to develop the first index fund for the institutional market in the early 1970s.

At the time, indexing was a leap of faith, but it delivered. It didn't try to beat the market (it wasn't designed to), but it consistently outperformed conventional active management. It eventually empowered millions across the globe to achieve their financial goals.

The controversy: film or promotion?

I have to say, I love the film. The narrative of the first half is particularly compelling. Morris’s signature storytelling approach — featuring direct-to-camera interviews, archival footage and a compelling score — makes complex financial concepts accessible and engaging. 

But Tune Out the Noise is not without its critics. Some have argued that the documentary blurs the line between informative filmmaking and corporate promotion, and they certainly have a point. The film was entirely financed by Dimensional Fund Advisors, and DFA as a firm is central to the film's narrative. One reviewer described it as "a world-class advertisement," highlighting the absence of counter-arguments or dissenting voices. 

Again, I wouldn't disagree, although, in fairness, investors are bombarded by counter-arguments to the evidence-based approach in the financial media on a daily basis, which makes this film so refreshing.

Is investing really a science?

Others have questioned the film's implication that investing really is a science. Respected commentators, including veteran investment author Larry Swedroe, argue that investing, unlike the natural sciences, is heavily influenced by unpredictable human behaviour, making it more akin to an art. Even prominent academics like Gene Fama and Ken French hold differing views on this.

Ultimately, Tune Out the Noise contributes to an important dialogue in the financial industry. While debates about its promotional nature and the art versus science of investing will continue, the film's core message resonates strongly: investors benefit from focusing on evidence and long-term strategies. In a world saturated with financial noise, this message is more vital than ever, urging us all to Tune Out the Noise for a more secure financial future.

Those who haven’t yet seen it shouldn’t have too long to wait. I’m told the film will be free to view on YouTube in the UK very soon.

PREVIOUSLY ON TEBI 

Will Trump help active management recover its mojo

The tariff crisis: How scare should investors be?

Did government bonds do their job in the tariff turmoil?

FIND AN ADVISER

Investors are far more likely to achieve their goals if they use a financial adviser. But really good advisers with an evidence-based investment philosophy are sadly in the minority. 

If you would like us to put you in touch with one in your area, just click here and send us your email address, and we'll see if we can help.

© The Evidence-Based Investor MMXXV