Katarzyna Petru
The UHD Alliance introduces Filmmaker Mode 1.1, which finally solves the problem of movies being too dark when watched in brightly lit rooms. The new version of the mode uses the light sensor in the television to automatically adjust brightness and gamma to the room's lighting – without boosting blacks or colours.
New intelligence in a classic cinematic mode
Initially, Filmmaker Mode was created in 2019 at the initiative of such creators as Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, and Paul Thomas Anderson. Their aim was for films to appear as they do in a cinema – without artificial contrast, smoothing, or saturation. The problem is that this cinematic look didn't translate well in living rooms filled with daylight.
Now, the UHD Alliance acknowledges: “Films often appear too dark in bright surroundings, which is why Filmmaker Mode 1.1 with Ambient Light Compensation (ALC) dynamically responds to lighting, maintaining the artistic vision but adjusting the luminance to real conditions.”
How Ambient Filmmaker Mode Works
In a dimly lit room (approx. 5 cd/m²), Filmmaker Mode functions as before – with no interference in the picture.
In brighter conditions, the television measures the light level and modifies the gamma value to maintain details in the shadows and enhance the perception of contrast.
The UHD Alliance emphasises that blacks will not be brightened – the adaptation occurs solely in the medium and bright areas of the image.
For example: how gamma changes with ambient brightness
Ambient light (cd/m²) | Gamma value |
|---|---|
5 | 1.000 |
10 | 0.980 |
20 | 0.954 |
40 | 0.913 |
80 | 0.859 |
160 | 0.794 |
320 | 0.715 |
500 | 0.668 |
The brighter the room, the lower the gamma – this makes the image clearer and more realistic in daylight conditions.
Filmmaker Mode with ALC now in 2025 televisions
The first models featuring Filmmaker Mode Ambient Light are LG OLED C5 and G5, where the function can be enabled in the picture settings. In 2026, it will appear in additional manufacturers' models.
Similar to Dolby Vision IQ or HDR10+ Adaptive, the new Filmmaker Mode analyses light in real-time – with the difference that it does not change the colour, only the brightness and gamma.
Quote from Hollywood
“That I can finally see colours on the television as intended – that is a feeling of relief” – said Steven Fierberg, a cinematographer known for works including A Nightmare on Elm Street 4.
Filmmaker Mode 1.1 is the largest update to this mode since its inception. Thanks to the intelligent ALC algorithm, viewers can finally watch films as intended by the creators – whether it's a late evening or a sunny afternoon.
