I think it’s the look that comes from 30 or 60 frames per second, instead of the motion picture preference, which is 16 frames per second.
I could be wrong, but I think motion picture (film) is 24fps. 16fps would be awfully slow.
FWIW, movies are played at 24fps.
FWIW, movies are played at 24fps.
factoid about movie frame rates: (wiki )
When sound film was introduced in 1926, variations in film speed were no longer tolerated, as the human ear is more sensitive to changes in audio frequency.
Many theaters had shown silent films at 22 to 26 fps—which is why the industry chose 24 fps for sound as a compromise.[10]
From 1927 to 1930, as various studios updated equipment, the rate of 24 fps became standard for 35 mm sound film.[1]
At 24 fps the film travels through the projector at a rate of 456 millimetres (18.0 in) per second. This allowed for simple two-blade shutters to give a projected series of images at 48 per second, satisfying Edison’s recommendation.
Many modern 35 mm film projectors use three-blade shutters to give 72 images per second—each frame is flashed on screen three times.[8]”
source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frame_rate
Film is still shot in 24fps. Some video productions (fast action) are shot in faster frame rates so as to slow the action down in replay and not look blurry or have artifacts. Then you have super high fast cameras for showing the slow motion of a bullet hitting a target or other action the eye can't see in standard 24fps.
The "soap opera" effect is about the refresh rate on early HD tv's that gave movies a video look rather than the film look. It's been fixed with the latest film to video transfer technology and current displays.