ARRI Film Lab 1.5 Expands Creative Control Of Analogue Looks

ARRI has released Film Lab 1.5, a major refresh of its licence-based OpenFX plug-in designed to recreate photochemical aesthetics in digital pictures.

The update broadens creative parameters, accelerates processing and deepens integration with colour-managed pipelines.

Responding to feedback from filmmakers and post teams, Film Lab 1.5 strengthens ARRI’s support for distinctive cinematic storytelling from set to post.

A headline change is the expansion of format starting points. Beyond the original 35 mm foundation, users can now begin with 8 mm, 16 mm, 35 mm or 65 mm. Two new controls—Grain Size and Rendition of Detail—allow further refinement, scaling grain and adjusting perceived sharpness respectively. Each spans 0.75 to 1.5, enabling looks that sit between the typical characteristics of the four formats.

An Anamorphic Ratio control debuts with eight squeeze settings from 1.25x to 2.0x, letting artists match the horizontal stretch of film grain and halation glow to footage captured with different anamorphic lenses. A new Halation Spread setting further shapes the radius and character of highlight glow around bright areas and high-contrast edges.

For productions seeking bolder analogue treatments, ARRI has doubled the maximum values for Grain Intensity and Halation Intensity. Both now range from 0.0 to 2.0, making stronger effects possible when desired. Existing tools—Negative Stocks, Print Processes and Gate Weave—remain, preserving familiar workflows while widening the palette.

Performance sees a substantial lift, with processing up to four times faster. Super-fast renders and smooth, real-time 4K playback are achievable on many more systems, including Apple Silicon MacBook Pro laptops, providing snappier feedback during look development.

Colour-managed post is better served too. New ACES 2.0 ACEScc and ACEScct input/output options support workflows in applications such as DaVinci Resolve and Baselight. In Baselight, OpenFX 1.5 colour-management integration allows Film Lab to automatically follow the timeline colour space and receive the correct input transform, removing the need for manual selection inside the plug-in.

arri.com