UHD TVs Are Getting a “Filmmaker Mode” to Preserve Creative Intent

[Tsing]

The world's leading directors have long complained of films looking worse at home due to wildly inaccurate display settings, but that may be coming to an end. The UHD Alliance has announced that it will add a "Filmmaker Mode" to future consumer ultra-high-definition TVs, which will offer a calibrated picture with the proper color, contrast, aspect ratio, and frame rate.

The change was prompted by the likes of Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan, who have publicized their contempt for certain defaults (e.g., motion interpolation). LG, Panasonic, and Vizio have already agreed to integrate "Filmmaker Mode" into their upcoming sets.

[Rian] Johnson noted that home theater technology is currently in a "Golden Age," but warned that “many TVs ship with motion smoothing (and other post-processing settings) as a default."

He highlighted that Filmmaker Mode offers “a single button that lines up the settings so it works for the benefit of the movie and not against it.” He got a laugh as he added, “If you love movies, Filmmaker Mode will make your movies not look like poo-poo.”

 

[alxlwson]

I agree with this completely!
This will lead to properly calibrated panels straight from the factory, and likely will reduce the amount of junk panels that always seem to find their way into the more premium product stream

 

[Nanobot]

This so needed to happen. Every time I walk into my local Costco and see a wall of screens displaying the soap opera effect I just shrug and say to myself, "That can't be how the director intended it to look. I'm not shelling out that kind of money to look at that."

 

[xGryfter]

This is exceptionally great news!
Not only for film makers but lovers as well.
I now know when I'll be buying my next TV and projector... when they have Film Maker Mode.

 

[Riccochet]

This is awesome. I can't stand that motion smoothing crap. The real shame is that most TV's come with it turn on by default. And people are too stupid to realize that TV and movies aren't meant to look like a soap opera.

 

[AntiQuark]

If this works well it will reduce the value of old TVs without a proven calibration certificate, and may do so even with it.
Fingers crossed it is worthwhile though, it is badly needed.

 

[Peter_Brosdahl]

Now if only they could improve tech so that film grain doesn't get reinterpreted into digital pix-elated noise instead of using filters.

I am happy for this. If for nothing else than to have a 'off' switch for all those things that don't need to be 'on' but I'm ultimately on the fence with the whole film look. It can seriously take me a week or so to find all the menus and sub menus for some t.v.s these days.

Right tool for the right job. Not everything needs to be 24p. There's pro's and con's to 24p, 60p, 120p but that doesn't mean 24p is the end all be all of film. Not a fan of the soap opera effect either but I do think a more a adaptive approach should be researched. Haven't watched BIlly Lynn yet but honestly action segments should be a minimum of 60p while panoramic landscapes or dramatic closeups are more suited for 24p. I watch a lot of special effects/action movies and 24p is horrible for the major scenes. Meanwhile watch 'The Unforgiven' in 4k/24p and it's a visual masterpiece.

 

[DrezKill]

Stuff like motion interpolation (Samsung AutoMotion, LG TruMotion, etc) I find more useful for lower-framerate video games (so long as the extra processing doesn't cause too much input lag). I tend to turn that kind of stuff way the **** down, or completely off, when watching video.

This will lead to properly calibrated panels straight from the factory, and likely will reduce the amount of junk panels that always seem to find their way into the more premium product stream

I really hope so.

If for nothing else than to have a 'off' switch for all those things that don't need to be 'on'

Usually an HDTV's "Game Mode" is good for turning off all the extra image processing.

 

[Grimlakin]

Looking forward to some great deals on TV's when this comes out that only need a firmware update from the manufacturer.

 

[AntiQuark]

Looking forward to some great deals on TV's when this comes out that only need a firmware update from the manufacturer.

All panels and driving electronics are not the same, even on the exact same model with the exact same panel.
Then there are different panels used on the same model.
Each TV independently will need to be calibrated at the factory, those already shipped from the factory will not get this.
A general firmware update can only give an approximate average calibration.
It cannot fulfil the promise of "Filmmaker mode" correctly.

Then again it might not be that good anyway.
Fingers crossed this works out well.

 

[Peter_Brosdahl]

Usually an HDTV's "Game Mode" is good for turning off all the extra image processing.

Sometimes, yes, but I've also seen some t.v.'s where game mode tweaks the color settings instead of going to some kind of baseline default. Over the years I've seen it change quite a bit from a over the top cartoon effect to a near reference setting.

 

[DrezKill]

Sometimes, yes, but I've also seen some t.v.'s where game mode tweaks the color settings instead of going to some kind of baseline default. Over the years I've seen it change quite a bit from a over the top cartoon effect to a near reference setting.

Yeah that **** is annoying. In the past decade+ I've seen that it'll **** with the colors and often other settings when you turn on "Game Mode," in addition to turning off anything that is the result of extra image processing. Varies from TV to TV. In pretty much all cases it makes the image quality worse in some way. On my 2009 Samsung LN37B650, if I use Game Mode, it disables the TV's "Dynamic Color" mode which causes the colors to appear less rich and vibrant. Like the "AutoMotion" motion interpolation, whatever the TV does to produce better colors requires extra processing, so it gets turned off too.

TVs sure have come a long way in a decade though. If I recall results I've seen online correctly, my friend's 2016 Samsung KS8000 causes less input lag with 240 Hz AutoMotion and HDR both on, than my HDTV with Game Mode on. I've never even tried the Game Mode on the KS8000 to see how it affects image quality or input response. Be curious to see how it affects the image on that particular model.

Yeah Filmmaker Mode sounds like a good idea. I'm sure it will turn off or reign in anything extra the displays add to the final image. Motion interpolation is not part of the filmmakers' intended presentation of their movie. Can't speak for everyone, but I've never seen it have any real positive impact on video. At best it just makes **** look weird. It can be a handy tool for some video games, but movies and TV shows and Internet video? No thanks.