Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
×
Television

'Why You Should Use Your TV's Filmmaker Mode' 77

Posted by msmash from the closer-look dept.
An anonymous reader shares a CR report: Based on the name, you'd think Filmmaker Mode is strictly for watching movies. But in our labs, we find that it can get you pretty close to what we consider to be the ideal settings for all types of programming. Filmmaker Mode is the product of a joint effort by the Hollywood film community, TV manufacturers, and the UHD Alliance to help consumers easily set up their TVs and watch shows and films as they were meant to be displayed. The preset has been widely praised by a host of well-known directors, including J.J. Abrams, Paul Thomas Anderson, James Cameron, Patty Jenkins, Rian Johnson, Christopher Nolan, Jordan Peele, and Martin Scorsese, as well as actors such as Tom Cruise. Right now, you can find Filmmaker Mode on TVs from Hisense, LG, Philips, Samsung, and Vizio. And more sets may get the feature this year.

Most newer TVs have fancy features that manufacturers say will improve the picture. But these features can actually have the opposite effect, degrading the fidelity of the image by altering how it was originally intended to look. To preserve the director's original intent, Filmmaker Mode shuts off all the extra processing a TV might apply to movies and shows, including both standard (SDR) and high dynamic range (HDR) content on 4K TVs. This involves preserving the TV's full contrast ratio, setting the correct aspect ratio, and maintaining the TV's color and frame rates, so films look more like what you'd see in a theater. For most of us, though, the biggest benefit of Filmmaker Mode is what the TV won't be doing. For example, it turns off motion smoothing, also referred to as motion interpolation, which can remove movies' filmlike look. (This is one of three TV features that it's best to stop using.) Motion-smoothing features were introduced because most films, and some TV shows, are shot at 24 frames per second, while most TVs display images at 60 or 120 frames per second. To deal with these mismatches, the TV adds made-up (interpolated) frames, filling in the gaps to keep the motion looking smooth. But this creates an artificial look, commonly called the soap opera effect. Think of a daytime TV show shot on video.
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

'Why You Should Use Your TV's Filmmaker Mode' More

'Why You Should Use Your TV's Filmmaker Mode'

Comments Filter:

  • too bad they don't have a setting to fix the sound (Score:5, Insightful)

    by LazarusQLong ( 5486838 ) on Friday May 31, 2024 @02:10PM (#64513523)
    seriously, most consumers want that fixed too!

    • Re:too bad they don't have a setting to fix the so (Score:5, Insightful)

      by franzrogar ( 3986783 ) on Friday May 31, 2024 @02:20PM (#64513555)

      yeah, the problem is the Loudness War and their extreme dynamic range reduction.

      It's SO reduced that there's no enough separation at all between the voice channel and the music/soundFX.

      So unless you receive an audio stream with separated voice channels, (and manually configure it), you're out of luck.

      And no, AI will not help you like it did for the last Beatles song... At least not in a "live" environment.

      • Re:too bad they don't have a setting to fix the so (Score:5, Insightful)

        by LazarusQLong ( 5486838 ) on Friday May 31, 2024 @02:47PM (#64513643)
        yeah, I read an article where one director or another stated that they consciously do the sound that way specifically to make it sound the best in the newest Dolby theaters, and that he didn't care what it sounded like in people's homes because he wanted them to see it in a theater. All i know is we keep the subtitles on on many movies because if it is quiet enough that the music doesn't blow your head off, the dialogue is so quiet that neither I (with significant hearing loss) or my wife (no hearing loss) can understand what is said.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

          Might have been Christopher Nolan. I think he said that he prefers the dialogue inaudible and unintelligible for some reason.

        • It's not only that the dialog level is lower, but it's more often spoken so unclear that I have to rewind or enable subtitles to understand what they said.

          It's clear that those actors have never worked in a theatre before.

          • yeah, elocution, and Projection are not taught or expected these days, it seems.

            • yeah, elocution, and Projection are not taught or expected these days, it seems.

              It goes hand in hand with "blurry dark picture = cool." Unintelligible whispers over a background of strafing fire is cool. And cool far outweighs viewer engagement.

              • yep, 100%. i still can't believe that idiot directors actually TRY to have the sound wash out the dialogue. I have seen movies in the movie theater that I couldn't understand what they were saying because the sound effects/music was so loud compared to the dialogue
          • I work with young engineers and some of them speak so quietly that other young engineers have to repeatedly ask them to speak up, then they do for one or two words then revert back to whispered mumbles. Me, I am an old fart, so I just turn my hearing aids up and wish they'd at least try to pronounce words properly and not mumble

        • Re:too bad they don't have a setting to fix the so (Score:5, Informative)

          by thegarbz ( 1787294 ) on Friday May 31, 2024 @04:21PM (#64513905)

          All i know is we keep the subtitles on on many movies because if it is quiet enough that the music doesn't blow your head off, the dialogue is so quiet that neither I

          Yeah I just enable dynamic range compression which is a feature available on literally ever TV / home cinema sound device, but if you want to read rather than using the right tool for the job, then you do you.

          Snark aside, most people don't realise this exists, and they long for a solution for a problem which they have already been given 15+ years ago. Directors are right, sound and vision should be setup for the cinema, media should be setup in the best possible way, and finally consumer devices should be responsible for giving the user the option to make it work in their living room.

          That said there is also another problem, some filmmakers purposefully wash out dialogue. Go see Tenet in the cinema and you won't be any wiser than at home because Nolan loves drowning out dialogue with sound. Or other cases where actors simply do not get taught to clearly articulate anymore. The best sound system can't solve a mumbling buffoon.

          • who you calling a Mumbling Buffoon? (J K!) Yeah I read some article about 30 Rock and the other actors said that once Baldwin got his own mic, none of them could hear his lines.

          • Yeah I just enable dynamic range compression which is a feature available on literally ever TV / home cinema sound device

            Strange. My TV doesn't have that and it is less than 15 years old. It is used strictly as a display device, so I don't really care... I am merely calling out this fallacious (felatious?)claim.

        • " they consciously do the sound that way specifically to make it sound the best in the newest Dolby theaters, and that he didn't care what it sounded like in people's homes because he wanted them to see it in a theater. "

          It has to be remastered to put it on streaming or disc anyway, so this excuse is doubly bullshit.

        • On MPC-BE and MPC-HE and probably others you can use FFMPEG compand (from preferences/audio/processing) to alter the audio and improve that issue. I'm using the following:

          attacks=0:points=-80/-900|-45/-15|-27/-9|0/-7|20/-7:gain=5

      • Re:too bad they don't have a setting to fix the so (Score:5, Informative)

        by thegarbz ( 1787294 ) on Friday May 31, 2024 @04:18PM (#64513889)

        yeah, the problem is the Loudness War and their extreme dynamic range reduction.

        Wrong term. There's no such thing as Loudness War in cinema. Movies have since the earlier days of surround sound been mastered to a specific dB target defined by THX and Dolby which provides ample headroom (literally mandating dynamic range - unlike the CD). The only difference now is that in the days of DVD / Bluray we actually actually put that cinema master to disc whereas in the VHS days we had to compress the shit out of it.

        I know what you're trying to say, the voice track is often drowned out by sound effects, but this is not "loudness war" it's just crap film making. And in many cases the problem people have in their own homes is that they don't want to disturb the neighbours / baby so don't turn their system up to THX approved volumes. Literally there's *too much* dynamic range in modern films so people turn the volume down (the opposite of the loudness war for music which is too little dynamic range) and as such they can barely make out voices.

        The problem is 90% of people don't realise there's a tool for this: dynamic range compression. Turn it on at home if you don't want to setup a home cinema. Every TV / surround receiver / soundbar has it.

    • I bought a small DAC and feed that into a studio compressor. Works great.

    • Hooking up a modest audio receiver and set of speakers helps. Give a little extra volume to the center channel and the dialog will stand out a better against the chaotic effects sounds

      • regrettably my ancient 52" plasma has no control for adjusting the speakers to allow me to increase the volume of the center channel, neither does my ancient sound bar.

        Thanks though

        • You can get an audio receiver with a pass-through HDMI, so your signal runs from, say, Apple TV -> Audio Receiver (sound output with adjustable center channel) -> TV. Just be sure you pick a receiver that will pass-through 4k (assuming this is what your TV has).

          Sound bars are better than TV speakers but are still pretty much crap. Get a center channel speaker, two bookshelf speakers, and a subwoofer and you'll never go back.
          • Naw, my 52" plasma is 17 years old, it has a top resolution of about 720, but it does have HDMI so I can give your solution a shot. (I also have two old bookshelf speakers and a subwoofer)

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by thegarbz ( 1787294 )

      seriously, most consumers want that fixed too!

      It is fixed. Filmmaker mode sets the video to match the cinema, and a decent sound system sets the audio to match the cinema. You want the opposite of "fixed". You want something to suit your living room. Unlike what TFA suggest you shouldn't be using Filmmaker mode, and for your audio issues simply turn on dynamic range compression in your audio settings. It's literally there for this purpose and I've yet to see a system without it.

      You're welcome.

      • I have tried that setting (which is even in my archaic 52" Plasma from 2007) and it didn't fix it.

        • I have tried that setting (which is even in my archaic 52" Plasma from 2007) and it didn't fix it.

          Not that surprised given your gear. Audio and video are a changing thing. Just like that Dolby NR button doesn't do anything good for a CD, the dynamic range compression which would have been defined for a very different audio stream than what is currently released. Same with your video. Your Plamsa from 2007 ironically would support the REC2020 colour space better than many cheap LCDs, but wouldn't be able to display it properly either.

          The base assumption in my comment was that you own gear designed to pla

          • I have been looking for a reason to upgrade... but my plasma works well, and being an old fart, I don't like throwing things away that still work... I have listed in on Craigslist and in Facebook marketplace starting at $100, going all the way down to $0, just you pick it up and got no takers whatsoever.

      • If every television on the planet has to enable a specific setting just for movies I would say the problem here are the movies.

        • If every television on the planet has to enable a specific setting just for movies I would say the problem here are the movies.

          Not at all. Movies aren't created to appease the lowest common denominator. They are designed for the highest quality, for cinema and the home cinema enthusiast. (This is literally what this article is about, making your TV video match that of the "gold standard" cinema). We're not striving for mediocrity here.

          The tool is there for you to use it in your situation. The other way makes no sense. We don't compress audio to 96kbps for Youtube, and then print that compressed piece of shit on a CD for sale either

    • Itâ(TM)s called Yamaha/Klipsch.

    • >"seriously, most consumers want that fixed too!"

      I have a real sound system- a many-channel AV receiver/amplifier surround system and many high-quality speakers, fed by both optical and/or HDMI. Sound is not something I would ever use in a TV.

      That said, there are problems with content. Have nothing to do with "TV." The biggest problem, by far, being dialog. My system is "perfectly" tuned, I spent a LOT of time using actual/active feedback to the receiver that ensures every speaker is exactly the corr

  • ...Filmmaker Mode shuts off all the extra processing a TV might apply to movies and shows...

    Huh. I thought that's what "Game Mode" was supposed to do, albeit for different motivations -- minimize the latency before the rendered frame actually becomes visible.

    Old CRTs had a latency of zero, but modern TVs can delay presenting imagery for two or three frames while it faffs about "improving" the picture. For twitch-style games, this delay is fatal.

    • Different modes do different things. Latency isn't an issue for movies, and Filmmaker mode doesn't reduce latency in the slightest. Game Mode prioritises latency by turning off as much processing as possible. Filmmaker mode on the other hand sets specific defaults to suit the colour grading of most movies, including black level, brightness, contrast, disabling sharpening, etc. But leaves other things like motion smoothing on.

      Old CRTs had a latency of zero, but modern TVs can delay presenting imagery for two or three frames while it faffs about "improving" the picture. For twitch-style games, this delay is fatal.

      Why are you playing competitive games on a TV? Wrong tool for the job.

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by Anonymous Coward

        Filmmaker mode . . . leaves other things like motion smoothing on.

        Not according to the summary.

        • Yes according to my TV which has Filmmaker mode which doesn't turn off motion smoothing (but does most of the rest of the summary).

  • ...try not bitching about how people enjoy them.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by ffkom ( 3519199 )
      Indeed, I watch movies not to please their makers but to entertain myself, so replay will be done on my equipment the way I like it best, regardless of what someone else thinks about those preferences.

      Sure, the "default" settings of TVs these days are a crude mix of trying to adhere to weird "energy saving standards" while pushing out over-saturated images that may please whomever. But the "Filmmaker Modes" to me look equally terrible - weirdly non-neutral color-balance, also lots of motion-blur on sample
      • Couldn't agree more. I think filmmakers have spent a lot of time learning to make 24 FPS look okay, those sticking to it just don't want to admit that they have an obsolete skill and get on with it. I suppose it will be a niche, just like producing black and white film, but it's just going to be for Nostalgia or shoestring budgets. I think another big factor is that a lot of Cinemas haven't upgraded their equipment and so many screens are still limited to 24 fps, which really makes it an economic decision t

  • well-known directors, including J.J. Abrams (Score:5, Funny)

    by UnknowingFool ( 672806 ) on Friday May 31, 2024 @02:28PM (#64513591)
    I can see it now The JJ Abrams Filmmaker Mode: adds 5 lens flares to each scene.

  • My viewing preference (Score:5, Funny)

    by Waffle Iron ( 339739 ) on Friday May 31, 2024 @02:44PM (#64513633)

    I prefer the "Golden Age of Hollywood Silent Films" setting:

    Crops the picture to 4:3 aspect ratio
    Converts to monochrome with a severe gamma curve
    Cuts resolution to 480P, with graininess effect added in
    Plays only 18FPS, but speeds up playback by 25%
    Mutes all sound
    Adds random vertical jitter, randomly drops 5% of all frames
    Adds occasional closed caption text on interstitial cards
    Adds copious amounts of stains, scratches and burn marks
    Expedites viewing by occasionally displaying "Missing Reel", then skipping ahead 10 minutes

  • Mode? (Score:4, Funny)

    by Bill, Shooter of Bul ( 629286 ) on Friday May 31, 2024 @02:49PM (#64513647) Journal
    I've got VHF, UHF, v stable, h stable, color tint. I don't see a mode switch. Do you need a remote control for that?

    • No need to worry. Your screen is already set to the optimal viewing mode. Congrats!

    • If it's a Zenith with Space Commander ultrasonic remote, and you have lost the remote, you should be able to construct a replacement using a toy xylophone, a bandsaw, a milling machine, and a cooperative dog with good hearing.
  • Iâ(TM)m looking forward to try the premade filmmaker settings when it gets pushed to my TV. Btw, If you have not yet tried it, then I suggest Googling around for recommended settings for your particular TV model. I thought I was clever and first adjusted the settings myself, but it was never quite right until I dialed in the recommended settings. The results for my TV went from âmehâ to âoebreathtaking.â

  • Filmmaker Mode yields the best picture for me, but it is also the dimmest mode.

  • Filmmakers need a rectal-craniotomy (Score:3)

    by Baron_Yam ( 643147 ) on Friday May 31, 2024 @03:10PM (#64513697)

    The release for home viewing shouldn't need special TV settings. That may mean compensating for smaller screens, less dynamic range, and accounting for the fact that most times the room it is being watched it won't be darkened .

    Of course, the TV defaults shouldn't be messing with the image, either.

    When it comes to sound, directors are the worst. If I can't make out the dialogue on a two-speaker system, you failed. 5.1 or better is nice, but it isn't the minimum that needs to be workable. And if I have to constantly adjust the volume to hear dialogue without being deafened by explosions or music, up yours with a rusty fork...

  • ... do they suggest for Vertical Hold?

  • Filmmaker mode is an ideal setting if your room is an ideal cinema watching room. I.e. you turn on Filmmaker mode during the day you're not going to see shit unless you pull the curtains. The colour grading for filmmaker mode matches that of a cinema. Great colours, but unwatchable if you have windows (as in glass, not as in malware).

    People (headline writers especially) need to really stop telling other people what to do without asking about their circumstances first. And since I practice what I preach: Hea

    • I agree. I turn off motion smoothness but other than that, the brightness setting for FMM doesnâ(TM)t take into account your ambient lighting. I also find it absurd that FMM uses static tone mapping and itâ(TM)s like telling you what volume you should listen to the audio at. If you are not at the cinema, you will have all kinds of conditions at home. Maybe you need higher brightness, maybe lower, maybe you need the audio at higher volume, etc. FMM is stupid!
  • Sounds good, what I would call "Cut the bullshit mode". I use TV set as computer monitors so I can get a decent size. I find 55" is the sweet point for maximizing information visible while not having to turn you head to see all the screen when sitting at normal desk distances. While my needs are different I have found that models with gaming support usually work well.

    I have been known to take a laptop into a store and test with the models I had short listed to ensure there was no down scaling or lag t

  • >"For most of us, though, the biggest benefit of Filmmaker Mode is what the TV won't be doing. For example, it turns off motion smoothing, also referred to as motion interpolation"

    I absolutely DETEST motion smoothing. I can't watch any TV that has that setting on, regardless of "strength", and no matter what type of content. Thankfully, every TV I have seen has an OFF, you just have to find what the hell they call it. Unthankfully, most TV's seem to have it on by default.

    That said, I don't know why we

  • Many movies now have added grain and artificial 24fps mode, so directors are going to try to dictate exactly how you see a movie?

    • Many movies now have added grain and artificial 24fps mode, so directors are going to try to dictate exactly how you see a movie?

      If the effect is intentional, yes. Oppenheimer is shown in both color and black and white. The director is directing your attention to these artifacts for purpose. Perhaps we should better understand the intent in each film.

      Saw the main justification for Filmmaker mode back in 2008 when I tried to watch Iron Man on a new Vizio HDTV default-enabled with all that hyper-motion smoothing shit. The “film” looked like it was shot through a webcam strapped to a bloodhound high on crack. Movie make

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by ffkom ( 3519199 )

        Perhaps we should better understand the intent in each film.

        Why should we? The intent of the maker is totally not relevant for whether a movie is perceived as good entertainment. One might be well entertained laughing about the haphazard attempts of some "Horror" movie to be gruesome, one might be well entertained by watching "Idiocracy" as a documentary. It's not like the "filmmakers" are paying an audience to spend their time figuring out their "intent".

        • Perhaps we should better understand the intent in each film.

          Why should we? The intent of the maker is totally not relevant for whether a movie is perceived as good entertainment. One might be well entertained laughing about the haphazard attempts of some "Horror" movie to be gruesome, one might be well entertained by watching "Idiocracy" as a documentary. It's not like the "filmmakers" are paying an audience to spend their time figuring out their "intent".

          And it’s not like we’re still dealing with 1950s video and audio hardware either. The artifacts introduced in the Golden era of television, were hardly artificial, and were a blatant limitation of the hardware. NO filmmaker is forced to deal with that shit today, so yeah. Maybe understand why the Director is directing your attention to purposeful effects.

          And what the hell do you mean the intent of the (film)maker is totally not relevant? Oppenheimer purposely being filmed in black and white

    • It's a generational issue. When films were actually on film, there were reasons they were done at 24fps... and those of us who grew up with that subconsciously categorize it as the 'feel of a movie'.

      If the motion is too smooth, the image too clear, it starts to look first like television and then beyond that just completely fake to people accustomed to 24FPS, even though it's actually more realistic.

      Maybe that'll change over time, but I don't think it'll happen quickly.

  • ... not to mention a filmmaker mode, you primitive clods.

  • Yes, yes... we need to solve this. We need a 15th standard! (ala xkcd's power/charger cords comic)

Slashdot Top Deals

Remember to say hello to your bank teller.

Close