What the heck is “Filmmaker Mode"??

Techquickie
11 Oct 201905:18

TLDRFilmmaker Mode is a new feature in TVs that aims to provide a more authentic cinematic experience in home viewing. Endorsed by renowned directors like Christopher Nolan, it works by disabling post-processing features such as motion smoothing, noise reduction, and sharpening, which are often considered over-processed and artificial. Instead, it presents the original signal as intended by the filmmaker, including the correct frame rate, aspect ratio, and color settings. The white point is set to D65, which is akin to natural daylight, ensuring uniform colors across different TVs. While this mode is beneficial for higher-end TVs, it might not be ideal for lower-end models where some post-processing can enhance the viewing experience. Vizio, LG, and Panasonic are among the first to adopt Filmmaker Mode in their upcoming models. The feature is designed to be easily accessible with a single button on the remote control.

Takeaways

  • 🎬 Filmmaker Mode is a new feature on TVs that aims to provide a more realistic and authentic movie experience at home.
  • 🚫 Unlike typical TV features, Filmmaker Mode doesn't add new features but instead prevents certain TV features from altering the original image intended by filmmakers.
  • 👍 Endorsed by renowned directors like Christopher Nolan, Rian Johnson, and M. Night Shyamalan, Filmmaker Mode is gaining significant attention.
  • 🔍 The mode disables post-processing features such as motion smoothing, noise reduction, and sharpening, which are often considered over-processed and artificial.
  • 🧍 It addresses the unnatural look of smoothed skin or the soap opera effect caused by interpolated video.
  • 📺 Filmmaker Mode ensures the TV displays the original signal at the native frame rate and aspect ratio, without post-processing.
  • 🌈 It also combats unrealistic color settings by setting the white point at D65, a color temperature similar to natural daylight, for uniform color across TVs.
  • 📱 There's a push to make Filmmaker Mode easily accessible with a single button on the remote control.
  • 📺 Brands like Vizio, LG, and Panasonic are supporting Filmmaker Mode in their upcoming TVs.
  • 🤔 While Filmmaker Mode is beneficial for cinematic films, it might not be ideal for all content, like sports events, which may benefit from some post-processing.
  • 📈 The mode may not yield the best results on every TV model, especially lower-end TVs that might still look better with some post-processing features.
  • 🎧 The script also mentions the successful collaboration between Massdrop and Sennheiser on the HD6xx headphones, which have sold over 70,000 units.

Q & A

  • What is 'Filmmaker Mode'?

    -Filmmaker Mode is a feature on TVs that aims to provide a more realistic and authentic movie experience by disabling certain post-processing features and presenting the content as the filmmaker intended, without artificial enhancements.

  • Why is Filmmaker Mode considered a significant development?

    -Filmmaker Mode is significant because it is endorsed by renowned directors like Christopher Nolan and Ryan Johnson, and it represents a shift in the industry towards prioritizing the original vision of filmmakers over aggressive image processing.

  • How does Filmmaker Mode work?

    -Filmmaker Mode works by turning off built-in post-processing features such as motion smoothing, noise reduction, and sharpening. It also adjusts the color settings to a more natural and uniform look by setting the white point at D65, which is similar to natural daylight.

  • Why do some people think that the default image processing features on TVs can be detrimental to the viewing experience?

    -The default image processing features, while intended to improve the image, often result in over-processed, artificial-looking visuals. This can manifest as overly smoothed skin tones or unnaturally smooth motion, which detracts from the intended cinematic experience.

  • Which TV manufacturers are supporting Filmmaker Mode?

    -Vizio, LG, and Panasonic are among the TV manufacturers that are supporting Filmmaker Mode and planning to include it in their upcoming TV models.

  • Is Filmmaker Mode a universal solution for all types of TVs?

    -No, Filmmaker Mode may not yield the best results for every display. While it is beneficial for higher-end TVs that can approximate the quality of professional mastering displays, lower-end TVs might still benefit from some post-processing features that Filmmaker Mode disables.

  • What is the purpose of setting the white point at D65 in Filmmaker Mode?

    -Setting the white point at D65, which is a color temperature of around 6500 Kelvin, helps to make colors look more uniform and natural across different TVs, whether the content is SDR or HDR.

  • How easy is it to enable Filmmaker Mode on a TV?

    -Efforts are being made to make Filmmaker Mode as easy as possible to enable, with some manufacturers aiming to include a single button on the remote control for quick access.

  • Why do TV manufacturers use post-processing features even if they can detract from the cinematic experience?

    -Post-processing features like motion smoothing can enhance the viewing experience for certain types of content, such as sports events, where the ability to track fast-moving objects is important. It's not that these features are inherently bad, but rather that they are not suitable for all types of content.

  • What is the controversy surrounding the introduction of Filmmaker Mode?

    -The introduction of Filmmaker Mode could be seen as an admission by TV manufacturers that their previous emphasis on certain features, which they have been promoting for years, might not always be ideal for the viewing experience.

  • How does Filmmaker Mode affect the colors on a TV screen?

    -Filmmaker Mode combats unrealistic, vivid, and exaggerated color settings by setting the white point at D65, which results in a more accurate and uniform color representation, aligning with the filmmaker's original intent.

  • What is the general consensus among the AV community regarding image processing features on TVs?

    -The general consensus among the AV community is that many of the image processing features on TVs, such as motion smoothing and noise reduction, often make the picture look over-processed and artificial, degrading the original image quality intended by the filmmaker.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Filmmaker Mode: The Realistic Movie Experience

The paragraph introduces Filmmaker Mode, a movement endorsed by directors like Christopher Nolan and Rian Johnson, aiming to provide a more authentic movie experience on home TVs. Unlike typical TV features that may over-process images, Filmmaker Mode focuses on disabling these features to present the original image as intended by the filmmaker. This includes maintaining the native frame rate, aspect ratio, and correcting color settings to a more natural look by setting the white point at D65, similar to natural daylight. The push is to make this mode easily accessible with a single button on the remote control. Brands like Vizio, LG, and Panasonic are supporting this feature, which is expected to be available in 2020 models. However, the paragraph also points out that Filmmaker Mode may not be ideal for every TV model, as some post-processing can be beneficial for certain types of content, and lower-end TVs might still benefit from some of the features that Filmmaker Mode disables.

05:02

📢 Engaging the Audience: Suggestions and Subscriptions

This paragraph serves as a call to action for the viewers, encouraging them to engage with the content by leaving comments and suggestions for future videos. It also emphasizes the rarity of such active participation, urging viewers to contribute ideas. The paragraph concludes with a reminder to subscribe to the channel to stay updated and not miss out on future content, including the potential to see viewer's ideas realized on screen.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Filmmaker Mode

Filmmaker Mode is a feature on televisions that aims to provide a more authentic and realistic movie-watching experience by disabling certain post-processing features that can alter the original image intended by filmmakers. It is endorsed by notable directors and is significant because it focuses on showing the content as it was originally intended, without the enhancements that are often applied to make TVs appear more vibrant in stores.

💡Motion Smoothing

Motion Smoothing is a feature found on many TVs that is intended to make motion in videos appear smoother. However, the script suggests that this feature and others like it can sometimes make the image look over-processed and artificial, detracting from the original quality of the content as intended by the filmmaker.

💡AI Noise Reduction and Sharpening

AI Noise Reduction and Sharpening are advanced image processing features that utilize artificial intelligence to reduce noise and enhance the sharpness of the image on a TV. The script implies that these features, while seemingly beneficial, can lead to an unnatural look in the content, which is why Filmmaker Mode seeks to disable them.

💡Native Frame Rate and Aspect Ratio

The Native Frame Rate and Aspect Ratio refer to the original speed at which a movie or video content is played and its dimensions, respectively. Filmmaker Mode ensures that these are maintained, avoiding alterations that can change the filmmaker's intended presentation, such as incorrect aspect ratios or frame rates that don't match the original content.

💡Color Settings

Color Settings on a TV determine how colors are displayed. The script mentions that TV manufacturers often exaggerate these settings to make their TVs stand out in stores. Filmmaker Mode aims to correct this by setting the white point to D65, which is a color temperature similar to natural daylight, ensuring a more uniform and realistic color reproduction.

💡D65 White Point

D65 White Point is a specific color temperature of around 6500 Kelvin that is used in Filmmaker Mode to mimic natural daylight. This setting is intended to provide a more accurate and consistent color representation across different TVs, whether the content is Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) or High Dynamic Range (HDR).

💡Post-Processing Features

Post-Processing Features are enhancements applied to the video signal after it has been recorded, such as noise reduction, sharpening, and motion smoothing. The video discusses how these features can sometimes detract from the original image quality and how Filmmaker Mode works to disable them.

💡Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan is a renowned film director known for his work on films like 'Inception' and 'The Dark Knight'. In the context of the video, he is mentioned as one of the big-name directors endorsing Filmmaker Mode, which adds credibility to the movement towards a more authentic viewing experience at home.

💡Vizio, LG, and Panasonic

Vizio, LG, and Panasonic are television manufacturers that are mentioned in the script as being on board with implementing Filmmaker Mode in their upcoming TVs. This indicates industry support for the feature and its potential to become a standard in home entertainment systems.

💡Professional Mastering Displays

Professional Mastering Displays are high-quality monitors used in the film industry for editing and mastering movies. These displays are referenced to highlight that while higher-end TVs can approximate the same quality and benefit from Filmmaker Mode, lower-end TVs might still require some post-processing features to look their best.

💡HD6XX Headphones

HD6XX Headphones are a collaboration between Massdrop and Sennheiser, mentioned in the script as a successful product that has sold over 70,000 units. They are noted for their balanced mid-range, natural sounding bass, and being one of the all-time best sellers on drop.com. This serves as an example of a product that has been well-received due to its quality and community feedback.

Highlights

Filmmaker Mode is a movement in TVs to bring a more realistic movie experience to your home.

Endorsed by big name directors like Christopher Nolan, Rian Johnson, and M. Night Shyamalan.

Mode aims to prevent certain TV features from affecting the final image, similar to addition by subtraction.

Disables built-in post-processing features to show the original signal as intended by the filmmaker.

Addresses unrealistic vivid and exaggerated color settings by setting the white point at D65, similar to natural daylight.

Most people don't change default picture settings, so Filmmaker Mode is designed to be easily enabled with a single button.

Vizio, LG, and Panasonic are on board with integrating Filmmaker Mode into their upcoming TVs.

Filmmaker Mode may not yield the best results on every display due to varying TV model capabilities.

Post-processing can be beneficial for non-cinematic content, like motion smoothing for sports events.

The mode is a single preset across many TV models, which might not suit every viewer's preferences.

Lower-end TVs might benefit from some post-processing features that Filmmaker Mode disables.

The HD6XX headphones, a collaboration between Massdrop and Sennheiser, have sold over 70,000 units and are highly rated.

These headphones feature a balanced mid-range with natural sounding bass and community feedback-driven tweaks.

They come with both a 1/8 inch plug for everyday use and a 1/4 inch adapter for professional use.

Sennheiser provides their own warranty for the HD6XX headphones.

New users on drop.com get a $20 credit, and the link is provided for signing up.

The video encourages viewers to like, comment, and subscribe for future content suggestions and updates.