Katarzyna Petru
The following text is a translation and adaptation of the Q&A published by the service FlatpanelsHD.TrueCut Motion is increasingly making its presence felt in Hollywood. Motion grading technology has already been used in the biggest movie productions of recent years, and with the premieres of Dolby Vision 2 and HDR10+ Advanced, which introduce new approaches to adaptive motion enhancement, the topic is back in the spotlight. The team at FlatpanelsHD spoke with Pixelworks about the future of TrueCut Motion. Questions were answered by Richard Miller, president of TrueCut.
What is TrueCut Motion and why is it needed?
TrueCut Motion is a tool for filmmakers to precisely shape the appearance of motion on the screen – the company refers to this process as "motion grading." Unlike traditional high frame rate, known from films like Gemini Man or The Hobbit, and in contrast to motion smoothing done on the television side, motion grading takes place during post-production and is fully controlled by the creators.
The technology allows for independent adjustment of the way motion is presented for different elements of the image – for example, the actor's face or dynamic details in the background. In practice, it works similarly to color grading but pertains to motion rather than color. TrueCut Motion is used both for reducing judder and motion blur that become more visible on large HDR screens, as well as a creative tool that allows filmmakers to give a specific visual character to their films.
Does TrueCut work directly with filmmakers?
Yes – and it is a key element of the entire process. Motion grading is always carried out in collaboration with filmmakers to ensure compliance with their artistic intent. This applies to various projection formats – IMAX, Dolby Cinema, other premium screens, as well as 2D, 3D, and home release versions. The goal of TrueCut is to ensure that the exact look of motion that was approved by the creators is faithfully reproduced across all platforms.
How many movies have already used TrueCut Motion?
The technology has been utilized in twelve major film productions, with more titles yet to premiere. The first project was the theatrical re-release of Avatar, followed by selected scenes in Avatar: The Way of Water from 2022. Recently, TrueCut Motion has also appeared in films such as The Wild Robot, Jurassic World: Rebirth, and Wicked: For Good.
TrueCut Motion appeared in the credits of the film Wicked: For Good. What can you reveal?
For this production, Universal Pictures invited TrueCut to prepare motion grading for premium screens – including IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and Cinity. The work was exclusively focused on theatrical versions intended for the largest and most technologically advanced theaters.
Why is Universal so eager to adopt motion grading?
According to Richard Miller, the main reason is the expectations of theaters themselves. With the development of premium cinemas and large formats, issues with judder and motion blur, which were previously less noticeable, are becoming increasingly apparent. Universal strongly supports theater operators and takes the quality of the cinematic experience very seriously. Additionally, PLF screens generate an ever-growing portion of box office revenue, so investing in image quality simply pays off.
Why do viewers in China seem more open to HFR?
According to TrueCut, viewers worldwide respond well to motion grading – often not even realizing that they are watching a film with improved motion, which is the best possible scenario. China was the first market to strongly promote the TrueCut Motion brand, especially in conjunction with the Cinity format, considered one of the most advanced PLF systems in the world.
How does TrueCut Motion differ from Dolby Authentic Motion?
Dolby, utilizing motion smoothing systems built into televisions, addresses the real problem of visible motion artifacts on modern screens. TrueCut, however, approaches the topic differently. Motion grading executed and approved by filmmakers in post-production – and then utilized in theaters – provides a greater assurance of preserving the creators' intentions than image processing on the television side. Importantly, TrueCut Motion is already functioning in theaters, so its transition to home would be a natural extension of the cinematic workflow.
What is the status of TrueCut Motion home releases?
The growing interest in theatrical versions naturally leads to questions about the home market. TrueCut confirms that discussions are ongoing with streamers and device manufacturers. At this moment, the only consumer device supporting TrueCut Motion is the Apple Vision Pro. It is here that you can watch Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water in the motion graded version, both through Apple TV and Disney+.
What can we expect in 2026 and beyond?
TrueCut is heavily investing in technology development, and 2026 promises to be the busiest year in the company's history. When it comes to the home market, advanced certification talks are ongoing with a key ecosystem partner, which – if successful – could significantly accelerate the adoption of the technology on additional devices. The long-term goal remains the same: to preserve the cinematic intent of creators even beyond the cinema.
