For a country that talks incessantly about “the economy”, a surprisingly large number of Americans are confused about how an economy actually functions. To help close that educational gap, Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen’s Vulcan Productions and documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock’s Cinelan have produced a series of 20 short films that explain economic issues.

“At its core, the vision of this project is to fuse artistry and storytelling with economic expertise to engage the public in a truly informed dialogue about the U.S. economy,” Carole Tomko, general manager and creative director of Vulcan, told Entertainment Weekly. “This esteemed group of artists and thinkers galvanizes our mission of bringing innovation to the public discourse about the economy, and empowering people to make better economic choices in their own lives.”

The first film in the series — “Cave-o-Nomics” — provides an effective, albeit rudimentary, introduction to how a market economy works. (I’d mend the video as a tool for parents trying to explain the market to their kids.)

Other films in the series can be found on the website, WeTheEconomy.