This turns Universe from a "bake-it-in" tool into a , saving hours of rotoscoping or manual rework.
: It includes "Light Ball" core projections, allowing for better obscuration and more natural interaction between flares and objects in your footage.
Universe 2024.1 was released alongside other major updates in the Red Giant suite:
Maxon Releases Red Giant Universe 2024.1: Expanded GPU Acceleration and New Audio-Driven Workflows
: Users can generate beautiful, circular, or polygonal light distortions (bokeh shapes) on out-of-focus highlights. Red Giant Universe 2024.1
The tool in VFX 2024.1 has also received a substantial quality-of-life update with a new "Tracker Only" mode. Particularly helpful to After Effects users, this feature hides all non-tracking-related parameters, leaving only the necessary controls for tracking and cloning. This streamlined interface allows artists to handle multiple tracking points on a single clip far more efficiently and integrate them with standard After Effects null objects. Furthermore, a new single slider for Shape Roundness provides greater versatility, making it easier to clone shapes perfectly into hard-to-reach places.
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While it may lack the "flashy" new tool announcements of previous years, the 2024.1 version is arguably one of the most important updates for daily users: it is a stability and compatibility release that ensures the plugin suite survives and thrives in the modern editing ecosystem.
: A standalone effect that simulates highly realistic camera focus, depth of field, and optical blurs. Users can customize bokeh shapes and control focus length while adding custom blur and depth maps.
For optimal performance with Red Giant Universe 2024.1, Maxon recommends the following:
Magic Bullet Looks received a reimagined color management integration, making it faster and more user-friendly. Enhanced support for Unreal Engine integration allows users to leverage the latest version of UE with Magic Bullet Looks, now natively supporting the Movie Render Queue. The tool in VFX 2024
Universe 2024.1 offers broad compatibility with leading editing platforms:
Universe 2024.1 leverages Maxon's "Capsule" system more deeply than ever before. Capsules are smart, procedural asset packages that allow users to manipulate complex setups through simplified control panels.
Designers appreciated the refreshed presets that leaned into current visual trends — moody glitch textures, cleaner light-leak treatments, and more versatile transitions that scaled smoothly across HD to 8K timelines. A handful of effects gained expanded parameter ranges and better GPU acceleration, making complex looks feasible in real time for many systems. The update also tightened compatibility, resolving quirks that had long surfaced when switching host apps or project frame rates.
A new specialized tool simulates realistic camera lens blur and customizable highlights, allowing editors to create beautiful background blur directly inside their timeline.
What are you currently producing (e.g., music videos, corporate, narrative)?