Source: [Grain](https://videovillage.com/learn/filmbox/full-guide/negative/grain)

# Grain

Reproduces the texture of film by mapping grain according to the density of the emulated negative.

![Filmbox Grain controls for style, gauge, strength, and saturation with the remaining control groups collapsed](https://videovillage.com/images/learn/filmbox/full-guide/grain-controls-2d16444e.png)

## Style / Gauge

The perceptual intensity of grain varies with the sensitivity of the stock and the size of the film plane. Select a preset to approximate the perceptual intensity of different gauges and stocks.

## Strength

Amplify or reduce the appearance of grain relative to the current preset.

[Video: Film grain changing as global Grain controls are adjusted](https://web-assets.videovillage.com/images/22c50c0ba38f3a4494ab995de979066bb3a21cba2cfc87818f72fe6a3b476422/grain_global.mp4)

## Saturation

Adjust the color saturation of the dye clouds.

## Time Offset

To avoid repeated texture, each clip with a Filmbox node has a random starting point in a deterministic progression of grain and dust. Disable `Automatic Time Offset` to manually change the dust and grain arrangement or to intentionally sync it to that of another clip.

## Spatial Characteristics

![Filmbox Grain Spatial Characteristics controls for softness, roughness, streaks, and desqueeze](https://videovillage.com/images/learn/filmbox/full-guide/grain-spatial-controls-992a724a.png)

**Softness:** Adjust the softness / perceptual “size” of grain granules.

**Roughness:** Adjust the roughness / clumping of the grain structure. Low values produce “tighter,” more stable grain texture. High values create more dynamic texture.

**Streaks:** Increase or decrease the appearance of large, patchy variations in density and color balance or developer mottle.

**Desqueeze:** Vertically scale the grain to simulate a negative that has undergone anamorphic de-squeeze.

[Video: Film grain changing as spatial controls such as Softness and Roughness are adjusted](https://web-assets.videovillage.com/images/de960ac419604ec80133d499f5f33608340f2026419be3a4cf315121dd72cc69/grain_spatial.mp4)

## Tonal Distribution: Simple / Advanced

![Filmbox Grain Tonal Distribution controls for style, shadows, midtones, and highlights](https://videovillage.com/images/learn/filmbox/full-guide/grain-tonal-distribution-controls-10ae5ae0.png)

Choose between `Shadows` / `Midtones` / `Highlights` controls or an advanced 9-zone system for targeted adjustment of the intensity of grain in different parts of the tonal / density range of the negative.

Advanced mode offers sliders for 9 tonal ranges of the image from dark to light arranged such that the zones are more evenly distributed after a display transform. The `False Color` function shows a red overlay to help you identify the tonal range that will be influenced by the selected zone.

![Advanced Grain Tonal Distribution controls with nine zones and False Color](https://videovillage.com/images/learn/filmbox/full-guide/grain-tonal-zones-dfce647b.png)

[Video: Film grain moving through tonal ranges as Tonal Distribution controls are adjusted](https://web-assets.videovillage.com/images/0beb65b9973da106c99dc00f975f0739d6e80740700d41ab38f159ee22e332c1/grain_tonal.mp4)

## Channel Mix

![Filmbox Grain Channel Mix controls for red, green, and blue](https://videovillage.com/images/learn/filmbox/full-guide/grain-channel-mix-controls-a5f3b12a.png)

Adjust the intensity of grain in each color channel.

## Granule Brightness

![Filmbox Grain Granule Brightness controls for bright and dark granules](https://videovillage.com/images/learn/filmbox/full-guide/grain-granule-brightness-controls-0af8b7d2.png)

Increase or decrease the brightness of just the brightest or the darkest particles in the grain pattern. Useful for making grain more or less gritty, especially when combined with roughness and streaks controls.

## Dust

![Filmbox Grain Dust controls for style and strength](https://videovillage.com/images/learn/filmbox/full-guide/grain-dust-controls-0f3ee565.png)

**Style:** Select a frequency of dust. The `Light` profile will never produce a large dust particle, and `Very Light` will never produce a particle of `Large` or `Medium` size.

**Strength:** Reduce opacity of the dust particles.

[Video: Film dust changing as Dust Style and Strength controls are adjusted](https://web-assets.videovillage.com/images/d93d6689642fe2adac5b66e67dfd724aea9e896128d647f96e50de5c1294b598/dust.mp4)