Since first announcing their partnership in 2022, T-Mobile and Disney Studios StudioLAB have collaborated to push the boundaries of how 5G-connected technology can enhance storytelling. And soon, millions will see the results come to life on the big screen when Disney’s Lilo & Stitch lands in theaters May 23. Using T-Mobile 5G, crews seamlessly transported cinema-quality scenes from the upcoming live-action film straight from Hawaii sets to producers in Burbank, Calif., in near real time, unlocking significant improvements in the production process.
And now, network slicing is opening even more possibilities, allowing filmmakers to transmit large amounts of high-resolution footage at ultra-fast speeds from nearly anywhere in the country to editors and directors wherever they are located. With T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G standalone network, filmmakers can get high speeds and ultra-low latency through network slicing, private networks and connected high-speed encoders.
For the filming of Lilo & Stitch, production crews knew that they could rely on T-Mobile’s high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity to securely transmit footage from on location back to the studio while being able to collaborate and communicate with remote teams at various locations. Having the stable, high-speed connection meant that crews could focus on making magic and avoid building out expensive, time-consuming hard-wired infrastructure.
Josh Haynie, VP, Production Technology, The Walt Disney Studios
When we shoot at any location, we have an expectation that we can get that footage back to Burbank right away. Our mission at the studio lab is to manufacture more time for the filmmaker and these solutions from T-Mobile help us achieve those goals.
Mo Katibeh, Chief Marketing Officer, T-Mobile Business Group
Until now, capturing content typically came with the burden of hard-wired connections, but T-Mobile's 5G network is changing that through our partnership with Disney Studios StudioLAB. T-Mobile 5G and network slicing give production teams the ability to explore new, unique perspectives and film at locations that were previously unavailable. From remote filming locations in Hawaii to congested studio networks, T-Mobile 5G is reshaping the way video content can be captured.