Red Giant Universe 2024.1 [portable] -

Universe 2024.1 is the version number released in the second half of 2024, building upon the foundational M1/M2 native support introduced in 2023.

The update marks a significant leap forward for video editors, VFX artists, and motion designers. By introducing cinematic bokeh tools, a new high-performance rendering framework, realistic lens flare obscuration, streamlined color management, and seamless cloud asset integration, Maxon has once again raised the bar for what creators can achieve in post-production.

The plugin gives creators granular control over the area of focus, —allowing for a precise simulation of depth of field, helping a subject stand out naturally from its background. Additionally, the plugin features a variety of bokeh shape options, from classic circular highlights to unique geometric forms, enabling you to control the look of your highlights and light sources.

Red Giant Universe 2024.1 acts as a cross-platform plugin collection. It integrates into several industry-standard video applications on Windows and macOS: Universe 2024.1 - Knowledge Base - Maxon

Tools designed to generate background elements, HUDs, and complex text layouts quickly. Red Giant Universe 2024.1

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: The new presets focus heavily on contemporary design trends, including brutalist motion graphics, lo-fi VHS aesthetics, and clean corporate broadcast packages. 2. Workflow and UI Enhancements

, released by Maxon , introduces a redesigned framework and powerful bokeh effects to streamline the post-production process for video editors and motion designers. Operating as a GPU-accelerated plugin suite, it integrates into host applications like Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, and DaVinci Resolve. This release optimizes rendering speeds and adds tools to simulate organic optical behaviors directly inside your timeline. Understanding Red Giant Universe 2024.1

The redesigned Halo plugin adds volumetric light scattering, lens diffraction, and anemo-optical effects. Presets now include "Neon Pulse," "Soft Mist," and "Hard Rim," giving editors cinematic lens-flare control previously only available in compositing software. Universe 2024

Before diving into the 2024.1 specifics, a quick primer for newcomers. Unlike Trapcode (which focuses on particle systems) or Magic Bullet (color correction), Universe is a "swiss army knife." It contains over 90 tools for stylization, simulation, and transitions. It runs on GPU acceleration, meaning it renders effects in real-time inside Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve (Studio), and Apple Final Cut Pro.

Universe 2024.1 maintains its flexible design philosophy by functioning across several host applications:

The primary mission of the update is dual-fold:

Perhaps most importantly, both new Bokeh tools—along with the existing uni.Blur plugin—are built on a new high-performance rendering framework. This enhancement offers nonlinear editors and compositors a real-time experience with Maxon products. Maxon has indicated that this performance framework will be expanded to other Universe tools in future releases, promising ongoing speed improvements across the entire plugin library. The plugin gives creators granular control over the

The Real Lens Flares tool received two major upgrades:

: The headline of this update was the introduction of two new bokeh tools— Bokeh Transition

: Editors retain control over blade counts, anamorphic squeeze factors, and highlight thresholds directly in the non-linear editor (NLE) timeline. 3. Under-the-Hood Refactoring Framework