Introduction
This document describes how a Gaussian Splat can be imported and used in Aximmetry for virtual production, including examples of its Flow Graph integration.
The first section describes Aximmetry's native Gaussian Splat module and its basic settings.
The second section describes how a Gaussian Splat can be used with billboards in green screen productions. LED wall and AR production workflows also get mentioned here.
The Gaussian Splat Module
With this module, you can import Gaussian Splat models into Aximmetry.
Importing Gaussian Splats
This process is virtually identical to the workflow of importing 3D models into Aximmetry, but we'll guide you through the exact setup steps when that 3D model is a Gaussian Splat.
To import a Gaussian Splat model into Aximmetry, drag the model file into your Aximmetry compound. This creates a Gaussian Splat module node:
Alternatively, right-click in the Flow Editor and select Insert Module > Gaussian Splat.
Then, on the Source Path pin, click the three dots and select your Gaussian Splat model file in the file browser that opens. You can also copy and paste the full path to the Splat file:
NOTE: As of version 2026.4.0 BETA of Aximmetry, only the PLY format is supported, up to a maximum file size of 2 GB.
Basic Parameters of the Gaussian Splat Module
The Gaussian Splat module has many input parameters. Here, we break down the essential parameters for this setup:
- Source Path: the full path to the imported Gaussian Splat file
- Input X: the direction in the model where the X axis points to (determined during the Splat generation)
- Input Y: the direction in the model where the Y axis points to (determined during the Splat generation)
- Input Right Handed: whether the Splat file is treated as having a right-handed coordinate system
- Quality: the rendering quality of the Splat file; a higher value means more detail
NOTE: By default it is set to 0.8 so that it runs on the recommended hardware.
If your setup can handle it, you can increase the value for the best visual result.
If you encounter performance issues, decrease it.
A common difficulty with Gaussian Splats is that they carry the coordinate system assigned by the software that generated them, which rarely matches your scene. This is an issue, because Splat files don't store this information.
With the Input X, Input Y and Input Right pins you can match the coordinate system of the splat to the Aximmetry scene.
IMPORTANT: Only modify the Input X and Input Y pin values if you know the coordinate system which the splat was generated with.
If you do not know it, only set the Input Right Handed switch based on whether the coordinate system's orientation is flipped or not.
These are all the parameters most users need to set up their scene with a Gaussian Splat.
You can learn about the rest of the parameters in our built-in modules documentation.
Setting Up the Connections
To put together a simple project with one camera and the Splat file in Aximmetry assemble the flow graph below:
Setting Up the Camera Module
We recommend turning HDR Out on for maximum render quality:
If render performance is not sufficient, and you do not want to mix the Gaussian Splat render with other native render elements (billboards are an exception), you can set Antialiasing to None:
This does not affect the Splat's quality, but it increases performance substantially.
Navigating In and Setting Up the Orientation of the Gaussian Splat
A newly imported Splat is often rotated the wrong way, because of the coordinate system mismatch mentioned above, and the camera can easily start outside the captured area — where the image is black, or shows only unrecognizable colorful blobs once you rotate the camera towards the Splat.
For example:
First, move the camera to a position where you are 'inside' the Splat.
You can find this position by navigating in the direction where you see the most splats in the scene:
In this example, after some camera movement, you can see the direction in which you should move your camera to get 'inside' the Splat.
NOTE: The fastest way to move the camera around is by controlling the Camera Mover with your mouse. To learn about moving the camera with your mouse, see Camera Mover Mouse Control.
Once you are 'inside' the Splat, you can determine whether its orientation is correct. For example, the Splat might be upside down or rotated.
If it is not correct, use the Transformation pin of the Scene Node that is connected to the Gaussian Splat module (in the example above this is Scene Node 2) to modify its rotation to set the correct orientation.
Using Gaussian Splats with Billboards
To use Gaussian Splats in green screen productions with billboards, add our ready-made GaussianSplat_ForBillboard.xcomp compound to your project.
This compound is included in the Projects library from version 2026.4.0 BETA. You can find it at the following path: [Common_Studio]:Compounds\Scene\GaussianSplat_ForBillboard.xcomp
Importing the Gaussian Splat Model
Importing the Splat file and setting up the coordinate system's axes is identical to the process described in the previous section.
Pins of the GaussianSplat_ForBillboard Compound
The GaussianSplat_ForBillboard compound has the following input pins:
We described Source Path, Input X, Input Y, Input Right Handed, and Quality above.
Here we describe each new pin:
- Transformation: sets the position (Pos), rotation (Rot) and scale (Scal) of the Splat
- Update Env: updates the look of shadows to match the current position of the billboard in the virtual environment
- Use Shadow: turns on billboard shadows
- Shadow Plane Size: sets the plane size for billboard shadows
- Billboard Thickness: sets the billboard thickness, and with it the billboard shadow thickness (its value is between 0 and 0.1)
- Feet Shadow Offset: sets the shadow offset of billboard's feet (both values are between -0.01 and 0.01)
- Feet Shadow Softness: sets the shadow softness of the billboard's feet (its value is between 0 and 0.1)
We discuss how we recommend setting up the Transformation, Shadow Plane Size, Billboard Thickness, Feet Shadow Offset and Feet Shadow Softness parameters in the sections below.
Setting Up the Connections
To render a Gaussian Splat in Aximmetry and use it in a virtual production workflow, you need a render compound and a camera compound as well.
These compounds can be found in the Projects library in the following folders, respectively: [Common_Studio]:Compounds\Render and [Common_Studio]:Compounds\Camera.
You can learn more about the roles of these compounds when rendering imported 3D models in Aximmetry here.
For this example we put together a virtual camera setup, for which the recommended render compound is Render_General_PBR.xcomp.
NOTE: This process is similar for tracked camera production.
For LED wall and AR productions, simply use the Scene Node, Gaussian Splat module setup shown above.
Connect these compounds as seen below:
Placing Billboards in Gaussian Splats
First, use the method described above to find the 'inside' of the Splat.
Use Free Cam mode for mouse controlled camera movement: CAMERAS Control Board > CAMERA & RENDER SETUP > Mouse icon.
To learn about moving the camera with your mouse, see Camera Mover Mouse Control.
Once you located the camera correctly, you can use the Transformation pin of the compound to set the correct orientation of your Splat.
For this, use the Rot parameter. Once you have found the correct orientation, don't modify this value.
Only use the Scal parameter if the ratio between your talent's size and the Splat's size does not match up, this will modify the size of the Splat.
We recommend not editing the Pos parameter, to navigate in the scene only use the usual camera transformations: Free Cam, Base Cam Transf etc.
For virtual camera productions, the rest of the billboard placement is the same as usual. See Setting Up Billboards in Virtual Camera Compounds.
For tracked camera productions use L-shaped billboards. To learn more about L-shaped billboards, see Tracked Camera Billboards: Placement — Horizontal Section.
The bottom of the billboard should be around the heel of the talent, and the Horizontal Section should be set to around 0.3 to 0.4 m:
You also have to set the height of the billboard (compared to the floor) carefully. Gaussian Splat floors are 'fuzzy', and Aximmetry's Detect Floor feature will not work correctly, so you have to do this manually.
Position your camera with Free Cam at an angle where you can see the approximate point where the floor starts.
Position the billboard so it looks like the billboard is 'inside' the 'fur' (but not lower!):
NOTE: Billboard 1 should only be used with Cam 1, Billboard 2 with Cam 2, and so on.
Billboard Shadows in Gaussian Splats
Once you have placed the billboard in its final position in the scene, press Update Env. The shadows will only only look correct if after any major change in the scene - including where the billboard is located inside the scene - this button is pressed.
After that, turn on Use Shadow to show the shadows of billboards in the scene. You can then set up your shadows by tweaking the Shadow Plane Size, Billboard Thickness, Feet Shadow Offset and Feet Shadow Softness parameters.
Set Shadow Plane Size big enough so that the shadow doesn't get cut off, but small enough so that the quality of the shadow doesn't drop.
For Billboard Thickness, the default value should be fine, but you can customize it if you want a specific look.
When there is strong directional light in your scene, set Feet Shadow Offset so that the feet shadow position matches the light direction. This will make the billboard look more realistic in the scene.
