Why do filmmakers want viewers to turn off motion smoothing?

Directors shoot films at 24 frames per second for a specific cinematic texture. Motion smoothing alters that timing, flattening the image and removing the intentional motion blur.

What is the best picture mode for watching movies at home?

The 'Movie,' 'Cinema,' or 'Filmmaker' mode on your TV is generally the most accurate preset, displaying colors and contrast closest to what the director intended.

Turn Off Motion Smoothing: The One TV Setting Ruining Your Movie Nights

Q: What is motion smoothing on a TV?

Motion smoothing, also called the 'soap opera effect,' is a feature that inserts extra frames into movies and shows to reduce blur, making the image look unnaturally sharp and video-like.

This post explains what motion smoothing is, why it ruins the cinematic look of films, and how to disable it on major television brands. If you care about preserving a director's intended visuals during movie nights at home, this single setting matters more than any cable upgrade.

What Is Motion Smoothing on a TV?

Motion smoothing is a video-processing feature built into most modern televisions—think Samsung, LG, and Sony sets—that artificially inserts extra frames between the existing ones to reduce blur. The technology goes by many names: Samsung calls it Auto Motion Plus, LG labels it TruMotion, and Sony uses Motionflow. (Panasonic and Vizio have their own versions too.) It works well for sports broadcasts and fast-paced video games, but it fundamentally changes how movies look.

Why Does Motion Smoothing Make Movies Look Bad?

It strips films of their intended cinematic quality by making everything look hyper-real—like a cheap soap opera or a behind-the-scenes documentary. Movies are typically shot at 24 frames per second, a rate that gives them a specific texture and dreamlike quality. When a TV like the Samsung QN90D or the LG C4 OLED forces that footage up to 60 or even 120 frames per second, the result feels jarring. Directors like Tom Cruise and Christopher Nolan have publicly campaigned against the effect.

Worth noting: not everyone notices it right away. That said, once you see the soap opera effect, you can't unsee it. The catch? Many TVs ship with motion smoothing turned on by default.

How Do You Turn Off Motion Smoothing?

You'll need to dig into your television's picture settings menu and disable the specific motion-interpolation feature. Here's the thing—every manufacturer hides it under a different name.

TV Brand	Setting Name
Samsung	Auto Motion Plus
LG	TruMotion
Sony	Motionflow
Vizio	Clear Action

For a Samsung QN90D, press the Home button, go to Settings, then Picture, and switch Auto Motion Plus to Off. On an LG C4 OLED, the path is Settings > Picture > Advanced Settings > TruMotion—set it to Off or Cinematic Motion (which preserves 24p). CNET has a detailed guide if you get stuck, and PCMag offers step-by-step instructions for most major brands.

Some newer models—including certain Sony Bravia XR sets—offer a "Filmmaker Mode" that disables motion smoothing and adjusts color temperature automatically. It's the fastest shortcut for purists.

Your living room isn't a movie theater. But with motion smoothing off, the gap shrinks.