Michał Stekla
Hollywood standard finally arrives at TCL. One of the last major TV manufacturers that has so far resisted this feature will implement Filmmaker Mode in its miniLED LCD models in 2025.
Cinema mode without gimmicks!
Introduced by Hollywood in 2019, Filmmaker Mode has one task: to show a film exactly as the director intended. Accurate colour reproduction, faithful brightness in SDR and HDR, and the disabling of all artificial image enhancers, such as motion smoothing or artificial sharpness - these are its main goals. Although it resembles previous modes like "Film" or "Cinema," its advantage lies in standardization, which aims to ensure that the user no longer has to guess which mode truly reflects the creator's intent.
TCL Models with Filmmaker Mode
In 2025, this mode will appear for the first time in TCL televisions:
Europe: C6K, C7K, C8K, C9K, X11K
North America: QM6K, QM7K, QM8K, X11K
Initially, the feature will support content in SDR and HDR10. However, TCL notes that the mode is primarily intended for viewing in a dark room – hence the classic "Film" mode will still be available as an alternative for bright rooms.
It is worth noting one thing – even Filmmaker Mode, although based on standardisation, does not provide the same effect as true picture calibration. Each television unit may differ slightly, and only precise calibration can unlock the panel's maximum potential. You can find more about this process in our article:
Automation and Dolby Vision on the Horizon
New TCL televisions will support automatic switching to Filmmaker Mode in compatible applications such as Prime Video. The manufacturer also plans to introduce a similar feature for the IMAX Enhanced mode.
Furthermore, the second half of 2025 will bring an update that will add support for Filmmaker Mode in the Dolby Vision standard. TCL is even considering replacing the existing "Dolby Vision Dark" mode – a decision is to be made in the coming months.
What about the year 2024?
Although the introduction of Filmmaker Mode to the 2024 models has not been confirmed yet, TCL is not ruling out this possibility. However, the new line for 2025 – which is just debuting in stores – will certainly be the first with official support for this mode.
TCL Televisions with Filmmaker Mode (2025)
Model | Features | USA | EU |
|---|---|---|---|
TCL X11K | 4K LCD, miniLED (10,368, 14,112 zones), Google TV 12.0 | (85", 98") | (85", 98") |
TCL C9K | 4K LCD, miniLED (2,160–5,148 zones), Google TV 12.0 | (65", 75", 85") | (65", 75", 85") |
TCL C8K | 4K LCD, miniLED (1,344–3,000 zones), Precision Dimming, Google TV 12.0 | (65", 75", 85", 98") | (65", 75", 85", 98") |
TCL C7K | 4K LCD, miniLED (336–2,880 zones), Precision Dimming, Google TV 12.0 | (50", 55", 65", 75", 85", 98", 115") | (50", 55", 65", 75", 85", 98", 115") |
TCL QM7K | 4K LCD, miniLED (336–2,880 zones), Precision Dimming, Google TV 12.0 | (55", 65", 75", 85", 98", 115") | (55", 65", 75", 85", 98", 115") |
TCL C6K | 4K LCD, miniLED (180–512 zones), Dolby Vision, Precision Dimming, Google TV 12.0 | (50", 55", 65", 75", 85", 98") | (50", 55", 65", 75", 85", 98") |
TCL QM6K | 4K LCD, miniLED (180–512 zones), Precision Dimming, Google TV 12.0 | (50") | (55", 65", 75", 85") |
*the number of zones depends on the screen size
