mini-film

mini-film applies Lightroom-style film profile XMPs from the command line.

It can:

• convert Adobe Camera Raw / Lightroom crs:RGBTable profile XMPs to 16-bit Hald CLUT PNGs
• generate RawTherapee .pp3 profiles for supported Camera Raw tone/color/sharpening adjustments
• develop a RAW file with rawtherapee-cli
• apply Hald CLUTs through RawTherapee Film Simulation
• read Lightroom preset XMPs that reference a profile and define grain
• batch-process common RAW folders into JPEGs or 16-bit TIFFs
• run a raw folder watcher (daemon) that keeps applying new files
• render a profile sampler contact sheet for one RAW file
• inspect emulation/profile XMP adjustments
• print generated RawTherapee PP3 profiles
• fit XMP/Hald looks into experimental Nikon .NCP Picture Controls
• add deterministic procedural film grain
• apply optional RawTherapee directional pyramid color noise reduction at high ISO
• apply optional RawTherapee lens corrections (distortion, chromatic aberration, vignetting) at render time
• export either 16-bit TIFF or 8-bit JPEG
• recopy source RAW metadata into outputs using exiftool by default

Example

mini-film works with XMP or HALD profiles provided by the user. Emulations are not bundled with the project; point --profiles-root at your local profile collection.

Commercial profile products are often excellent sources of look presets. mini-film supports them the same way as any XMP/HALD workflow as long as the data is available on disk.

Build

cargo build --release

Required external dependencies at startup for image-generation commands:

• rawtherapee-cli
• convert (ImageMagick/GraphicsMagick)
• exiftool

Coverage

Generate LCOV coverage locally (requires cargo-llvm-cov):

cargo install --locked cargo-llvm-cov
./scripts/coverage.sh

The script writes:

target/coverage/lcov.info

CI runs the same coverage step on every push/PR and uploads coverage-lcov as an artifact.

Auto-update

Release binaries are built with github-update enabled in CI and check https://github.com/alfanick/mini-film/releases on startup. If a newer release for your current platform exists, mini-film updates the executable in place. The check is automatic and silent: no prompt is shown, and updates are skipped if the check cannot complete quickly (for example on offline or slow networks).

Local builds are not built with auto-update by default; add the feature explicitly with --features github-update when desired.

Convert XMP Profiles To Hald

Convert one profile XMP:

cargo run --release -- hald \
  '/path/to/profile-library/profiles/Kodak Portra 400 normalised profile.xmp' \
  -o '../hald/Kodak Portra 400 normalised.hald.png' \
  --overwrite

Convert all profile XMPs under the parent directory:

cargo run --release -- hald /path/to/profile-library/profiles --overwrite

Ordinary emulation preset XMPs usually only reference a profile UUID and do not contain the table payload; hald skips those in directory mode.

When -o/--output is omitted, hald writes generated Hald PNGs under $HOME/.cache/mini-film/hald. Hald PNGs contain only the decoded RGBTable lookup. Profile XMPs that include extra Camera Raw settings print adjustments=pp3 or sharpening=pp3; those settings are handled through generated RawTherapee profiles during apply, batch, and sampler.

Apply A Complete Film Recipe

Use a Lightroom emulation XMP that references an internal profile and defines grain:

cargo run --release -- apply input.RAW \
  --profile '/path/to/profile-library/emulations/Kodak Portra 400 warm grainy.xmp' \
  --profiles-root /path/to/profile-library \
  -o output.tif

If --profile is an emulation name, set --profiles-root to a folder that contains emulations/ and profiles/:

cargo run -- apply \
  --output /home/alfanick/test.jpg \
  --profile 'Agfa Scala 200 + grainy' \
  --profiles-root /path/to/profile-library \
  /home/alfanick/Pictures/Lightroom/2026/05/03/DSC_1812-10.dng

output.tif / output.tiff is exported as 16-bit Zip-compressed TIFF.

cargo run --release -- apply input.RAW \
  --profile '/path/to/profile-library/emulations/Kodak Portra 400 warm grainy.xmp' \
  --profiles-root /path/to/profile-library \
  -o output.jpg

output.jpg / output.jpeg is exported as 8-bit JPEG.

Use a human-edited RawTherapee profile directly:

cargo run --release -- apply input.RAW \
  --profile edited-profile.pp3 \
  -o output.jpg

When --profile points at a .pp3, mini-film passes that PP3 directly to RawTherapee. If the PP3 contains a [Film Simulation] section, RawTherapee applies its referenced Hald during RAW development. PP3-only profiles do not carry mini-film grain metadata.

Output metadata behavior for apply, batch, daemon, and sampler:

• source EXIF/IPTC fields are copied from the input RAW to the output file using exiftool (unless --strip-metadata is set)
• an EXIF comment is written as
  mini-film <version> usage=<command> profile=<profile-or-emulation>

Batch Apply

Process every supported RAW file (.dng, .nef, .cr2, .cr3, .arw, .raf, .orf, .rw2, etc.) under an input directory and write JPGs or 16-bit TIFFs under an output directory:

cargo run --release -- batch \
  /home/alfanick/Pictures/Lightroom/2026/05/03 \
  /home/alfanick/batch-output \
  --profile 'Agfa Scala 200 + grainy' \
  --profiles-root /path/to/profile-library \
  --output-format jpg \
  --jobs 8

The output directory is created if it does not exist. Nested input folders are preserved, and each RAW output uses the same relative path with a .jpg extension by default. Use --output-format tiff to write .tif files through the 16-bit Zip-compressed TIFF path.

By default, batch processes half of the detected CPU threads at once. On a 16-thread CPU that means 8 files in parallel. Override it with --jobs N when tuning for a different machine, output format, or memory budget.

batch shows two progress bars:

• total batch progress across files
• current file progress across RAW decode, Hald, grain, and final export steps

Batch Gallery

Pass --gallery to generate a gallery HTML from all successful batch outputs:

mini-film batch \
  /home/alfanick/Pictures/Lightroom/2026/05/03 \
  /home/alfanick/batch-output \
  --profile 'Agfa Scala 200 + grainy' \
  --gallery modern \
  --gallery-columns 4 \
  --gallery-thumbnail-long-edge 1024

--gallery accepts one of modern, soft, compact, hero, phone, or all.

Template intent:

• modern: masonry-like variable-cards layout with generous spacing and hero-like first-look cadence
• soft: editorial light look with warm spacing and caption emphasis
• compact: dense compact grid for quick scanning
• hero: story-focused layout with a large leading tile and balanced follow-ups
• phone: iOS/iPadOS photos style, dense square tiles
• all: render all five templates

Batch gallery options are folder-friendly and reuse the existing batch output tree (including subdirectories). For a single template, the gallery is written as <output>/index.html and uses <output>/thumbnails/.

--gallery all renders all five gallery templates into:

• <output>/modern/index.html
• <output>/soft/index.html
• <output>/compact/index.html
• <output>/hero/index.html
• <output>/phone/index.html

The template run reuses one shared thumbnail cache at <output>/.mini-film-gallery-thumbnails/ so switching layouts does not reprocess or regenerate thumbnails.

Daemon

Run a long-lived watcher that applies one or more profiles whenever new RAW files arrive in an input folder.

mini-film daemon \
  /home/alfanick/Pictures/Lightroom/inbox \
  /home/alfanick/Pictures/mini-film-output \
  --profile 'Agfa Scala 200 + grainy' \
  --profile 'Portra 400' \
  --profiles-root /path/to/profile-library \
  --debounce-seconds 1 \
  --jobs 8 \
  --output-format jpg

The command validates all profiles on startup, so mistyped --profile values fail immediately. It watches the input directory recursively, waits for the file to be reported as completed by the watcher (or a short fallback window when that signal is not available), and writes each result into:

<raw relative structure>/<profile stem>/<raw stem>.<ext>

For example, /in/2026/05/03/DSC_1864-14.dng with profiles Foil and Classic becomes:

• /out/2026/05/03/Foil/DSC_1864-14.jpg
• /out/2026/05/03/Classic/DSC_1864-14.jpg

If profile resolution fails for any selector, startup stops with a clear error.

daemon processes raw files in parallel and defaults to half the available CPU threads unless --jobs is set.

Daemon can also ingest files from a Nikon camera configured for Connect-to-PC / Wireless Transmitter Utility style transfer. Start the camera's connection wizard, make sure the computer can reach the camera address, then point mini-film at that address. mini-film drives the Nikon pairing/auth step, downloads RAWs into the watched inbox, and processes them with the normal daemon queue:

mini-film daemon \
  /home/alfanick/Pictures/Lightroom/inbox \
  /home/alfanick/Pictures/mini-film-output \
  --profile 'Classic Film' \
  --profiles-root /path/to/profile-library \
  --nikon-wtu 192.168.1.50

The Nikon WTU receiver is native PTP/IP over TCP port 15740; it does not use external camera-control tools. During first-time setup it requests the camera's pairing code, accepts the wizard, completes pairing, reconnects, and then waits for transferred RAW objects. Non-RAW transfer objects are consumed silently so they do not block the camera's transfer queue. mini-film persists a stable initiator GUID in $HOME/.cache/mini-film/nikon-wtu-guid unless --nikon-wtu-guid is provided, and records successful camera pairings in $HOME/.cache/mini-film/nikon-wtu-pairings.json. Later daemon runs reuse the cached camera/name/GUID identity and go straight to transfer mode. If a camera was previously paired to a different identity, remove that pairing on the camera or reuse the same computer name/GUID with --nikon-wtu-name and --nikon-wtu-guid.

Profile Sampler Contact Sheet

sampler renders one thumbnail per XMP file from emulations/ and builds a structured contact sheet grouped by shared profile-name prefixes. For example, Kodak profiles are shown under progressively deeper headings like Kodak, Kodak Portra, Kodak Portra 400, and Kodak Portra 400 Grainy; indentation makes the level visible. Each thumbnail is developed with its profile-specific generated RawTherapee .pp3 files, including Film Simulation for the Hald, which applies the LUT during RAW development, before the grain stage. Like batch, sampler renders half of the detected CPU threads in parallel by default; override with --jobs N. Thumbnail longest edge defaults to 512 px:

--jobs 8
--thumbnail-long-edge 768
--jpg-quality 92
--no-grain

Use a non-default convert binary or write a progressive sampler JPEG with:

--convert /path/to/convert
--progressive

JPEG Export Options

apply, batch, and daemon support the same final JPG controls. batch and daemon also accept --output-format jpg|tiff; TIFF batch output is written as 16-bit Zip-compressed .tif. sampler supports --jpg-quality, --jpeg-subsampling, --strip-metadata, and --progressive for generated sampler JPEGs, and accepts .jpg/.jpeg or .html outputs (HTML mode produces a clickable gallery with lazy thumbnails).

--jpg-quality 90
--long-edge 3000
--jpeg-subsampling s444
--progressive-jpeg
--strip-metadata

Resize options:

• --resize 3000x3000> passes explicit GraphicsMagick resize geometry.
• --long-edge 3000 constrains the longest edge to 3000 px.
• --max-width 3000 constrains width only.
• --max-height 2000 constrains height only.
• --max-width 3000 --max-height 2000 constrains both dimensions.

Use one resize mode at a time: --resize, --long-edge, or --max-width/--max-height.

JPEG subsampling values:

• s444: best quality, no chroma subsampling
• s422: balanced horizontal chroma subsampling
• s420: smaller files with horizontal and vertical chroma subsampling

Profile Selection

--profile accepts:

• a Hald PNG path
• a RawTherapee .pp3 path
• an emulation XMP path containing crs:Look plus optional grain settings
• an emulation name, searched under emulations/ using case-insensitive fuzzy matching
• a generated Hald name, searched under --hald-dir, which defaults to $HOME/.cache/mini-film/hald

RGBTable XMPs under profiles/ are internal lookup tables. apply, batch, and sampler do not use them as user-facing emulations; they are only used to resolve linked crs:Look UUID/name references from emulation XMPs. mini-film generates or reuses a cached Hald from the linked profile under $HOME/.cache/mini-film/hald, generates temporary RawTherapee .pp3 files for supported XMP adjustments and Film Simulation, lets RawTherapee apply the Hald, then applies the emulation grain settings.

Profile Info

Print parsed details for a user-facing emulation or an internal RGBTable profile:

cargo run --release -- info \
  'Polaroid 600 v3 grainy' \
  --profiles-root /path/to/profile-library

info resolves emulation names under emulations/, direct emulation XMP paths, direct internal profile XMP paths, internal profile names under profiles/, and cached Hald PNGs under --hald-dir. For emulations, it prints the preset identity, linked Look, linked internal RGBTable profile, cached Hald path, profile-side tone/color/sharpening adjustments, and emulation-side grain/adjustments.

RawTherapee PP3 Output

Print the generated RawTherapee PP3 for a profile:

cargo run --release -- pp3 \
  'Polaroid 600 v3 grainy' \
  --profiles-root /path/to/profile-library \
  --output polaroid-600-v3.pp3

pp3 uses the same profile/emulation resolver as info. It writes to /dev/stdout by default, or to --output. The output contains the RawTherapee adjustment profile sections that mini-film would pass to rawtherapee-cli, followed by the Film Simulation section pointing at the cached Hald PNG.

Nikon Picture Control Output

Fit an emulation XMP, internal RGBTable XMP, or Hald PNG into a Nikon classic .NCP Picture Control:

cargo run --release -- nikon \
  'Polaroid 600 v3 grainy' \
  --profiles-root /path/to/profile-library \
  --output polaroid-600-v3.ncp \
  --report polaroid-600-v3.ncp.txt

The nikon command writes a real classic NCP file using a neutral base Picture Control plus a fitted 257-point user-defined luminosity curve. It also estimates coarse saturation, hue, and sharpening fields from the profile. Use --name 'Short Name' to set the in-camera Picture Control name; NCP names are ASCII and short, so mini-film sanitizes and truncates them.

This is necessarily lossy. Nikon classic NCP does not store a full 3D LUT, RGBTable, Hald CLUT, or grain model. Color-specific film behavior is compressed into a 1D luma curve plus coarse sliders. Use the optional report to inspect mean/max luma and color error before trusting the result.

Processing Split

RawTherapee handles:

• RAW development and Hald CLUT application through Film Simulation
• Exposure2012, Contrast2012, Highlights2012, Shadows2012, Whites2012, Blacks2012
• Saturation, Vibrance
• ToneCurvePV2012 and per-channel ToneCurvePV2012Red/Green/Blue
• ParametricShadows/Darks/Lights/Highlights and split points
• HSL HueAdjustment*, SaturationAdjustment*, LuminanceAdjustment*
• calibration-style RedHue/RedSaturation, GreenHue/GreenSaturation, BlueHue/BlueSaturation
• Clarity2012 as a RawTherapee luminance-contrast approximation
• profile sharpening fields in generated .pp3 files: Sharpness, SharpenRadius, SharpenDetail, SharpenEdgeMasking

mini-film internally handles:

• resolving emulation XMPs to internal RGBTable XMPs under profiles/
• decoding RGBTable payloads and generating RGBTable-only Hald PNGs
• procedural grain from Lightroom grain fields

ImageMagick/GraphicsMagick convert handles:

• final resize, bit depth, metadata stripping, JPEG quality/subsampling, progressive JPEG, TIFF Zip compression, and TIFF/JPEG encoding
• structured sampler contact sheet rendering from mini-film's generated SVG layout

RAW Development

mini-film uses RawTherapee as its only RAW engine. TIFF outputs and explicit --keep-intermediate runs render a 16-bit TIFF intermediate with:

rawtherapee-cli -q -Y [-p generated.pp3 ...] -o intermediate.tif -t -b16 -c input.RAW

JPEG-bound apply, batch, and sampler runs ask RawTherapee for an 8-bit JPEG intermediate instead:

rawtherapee-cli -q -Y [-p generated.pp3 ...] -o intermediate.jpg -j95 -js3 -c input.RAW

Sampler also adds a temporary RawTherapee resize profile so each RAW development produces a thumbnail-sized JPEG instead of a full-size TIFF.

Use a non-default RawTherapee binary path with:

--rawtherapee /path/to/rawtherapee-cli

Grain

Lightroom grain fields are read from preset XMPs:

• crs:GrainAmount
• crs:GrainSize
• crs:GrainFrequency

Grain is rendered internally after RawTherapee. TIFF outputs use the 16-bit grain path; JPEG outputs use the optimized 8-bit grain path. Disable it with:

--no-grain

Set deterministic variation with:

--grain-seed 42

When using a Hald PNG directly, pass grain manually:

--grain 30,45,45

or use a preset:

--grain-preset light
--grain-preset medium
--grain-preset heavy

Color Noise Reduction

Since v3.1, mini-film can generate a short temporary RawTherapee pp3 block for directional pyramid color denoising when source EXIF ISO is above a threshold.

• Controlled by --color-noise-iso-threshold on apply, batch, daemon, and sampler.
• Default threshold is 1600.
• Set to 0 to disable color-noise processing.
• The ISO is read from raw EXIF; when no ISO is available, the step is skipped.

The thresholds use stepped levels:

• ISO >= 25_600: very strong color-denoise
• ISO >= 6_400: strong
• ISO >= 1_600: moderate (default threshold)
• below threshold: skipped

The denoise block is appended as an extra generated [Directional Pyramid Denoising] section in the RawTherapee profile chain, after emulation/RAW adjustments and film simulation and before mini-film procedural grain.

Example:

--color-noise-iso-threshold 1600   # default
--color-noise-iso-threshold 0      # disable

RawTherapee Lens Corrections

Mini-film can optionally enable RawTherapee lens-correction controls. This is off by default and available on apply, batch, sampler, and daemon via:

--lens-corrections
--lens-corrections all
--lens-corrections distortion,ca,vignetting

When no value is provided, --lens-corrections enables all supported items. You can also pass any subset of:

• distortion
• ca or chromatic-aberration
• vignetting / vignette
• all

The generated section is inserted into the temporary pp3 stack as:

[LensProfile]
LcMode=lfauto
UseDistortion=<true|false>
UseVignette=<true|false>
UseCA=<true|false>

Caveat

This does not fully clone Adobe Camera Raw. It decodes and applies the profile RGB table, maps supported profile tone/color/sharpening fields into generated RawTherapee .pp3 files, uses RawTherapee for RAW development, and emulates Lightroom grain. Adobe-specific tone mapping, local contrast, sharpening, and camera matching may still differ.