Disney has done it again, sparking imaginations across the world with the summer release of Luca. This magical animation follows two young sea monsters pursuing their dreams in human form. If you have already seen the movie, you will have been impressed by the way Walt Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios depicted Italy’s coastal scenery. Luca’s fictional setting was actually inspired by director Enrico Casarosa’s childhood, meaning the creators had to work together to bring his vision to life. However, they were forced to do so remotely due to COVID-19.
This is where OLED came in to play the role of production hero. Pixar needed to provide Luca’s creators with the consistent image quality they required even when they were forced to work outside of their normal studio space. Thanks to the cooperation with LG Display, they were able to telework using OLED’s advanced technology, including its wide, dynamic range and color accuracy.
“When the pandemic hit, we couldn’t share that (Pixar campus) space, and so we really, really relied on something that was able to give us a high fidelity, color accurate, high-quality image display so that we can continue that work remotely. And LG Display’s OLED display has allowed us to bring that process into people’s homes for the finishing of Luca,” reflects Dominic Glynn, Senior Scientist of Studio Mastering & Operations at Pixar. The result was an exceptional example of Disney collaborating with OLED.
OLED’s superiority that helped Pixar overcome the pandemic
Luca’s creators have been having their say on what made OLED so important to finishing their work. One of the consistent benefits they highlight can be summed up in one word: color. This was especially helpful when making Luca because the movie required such a range of scenes above and below water.
The reason OLED technology has such a color advantage is that each pixel individually controls itself. This is also true of showing perfect black, as the pixels emit no light when they turn themselves off, so OLED captures an incredible contrast ratio between the darkest and brightest pixels. In addition, OLED’s superior viewing angles eliminate potential color contrast issues when editing.
Pixar Colorist Susan Brunig not only valued her own OLED display during the production of Luca, but also the knowledge that her colleagues would be viewing exactly the same OLED excellence via their own screens. “Color grading by nature is a very collaborative experience and for Kim (White, Director of Photography, Lighting at Pixar) and I to not be in the same room together, it was really important for us to be able to know that we’re looking at the same image,” Brunig explains.
Moreover, for the same reason that OLED displays are great even for children’s eyes, those creators could absorb themselves in their work with eye comfort factors such as low blue light, flicker free screens, and reduced glare.
Interestingly, Dominic Glynn adds that part of the production process included using OLED displays to see how Luca would look in viewers’ homes. According to Glynn, LG Display’s OLED technology is used at Pixar in many of its review processes. Pixar’s creators used LG Display’s OLED as their “hero display” when reviewing the movie to “simulate the high-end consumer experience.”
A perfect partnership to create on-screen magic
LG Display initially announced a three-year innovation partnership with The Walt Disney Studios’ StudioLAB back in October 2020.
The agreement has seen LG Display, the world’s leader in the development and production of large-size OLED displays, provide access to the latest advancements in OLED technology to equip Disney creators with the production tools they need to excel, while also giving viewers the chance to have even more fun and interactive experiences.
Before Luca, a major outcome of the partnership was the animated film Raya and the Last Dragon – OLED TVs also featured in Disney’s virtual red carpet for the movie in March. Another example has been Marvel Studios’ use of OLED technology for content creation, including deploying 88-inch 8K OLEDs on location for reviewing visual effects and color finishing.
Of course, the natural takeaway here for most of us is clear – if you want to watch movies as their creators intended, OLED is the way to go.
