The annual arrival of SIGGRAPH – a yearly conference focused on computer graphics – is an event Peter Nofz always looks forward to. As the head of innovation at Rodeo FX, the chance to see the latest trends, test emerging tech, and plot a course for the company’s future endeavours is an opportunity he’s fallen in love with over the years. However, even by his standards, the recent 2025 gathering was a special affair.
Not only was it hosted in Vancouver, making it more accessible than ever for the Montreal-based executive, but he was also invited to present a paper, authored by his colleague, VFX supervisor Julien Hery, breaking down Rodeo’s work on the recently-launched sci-fi series, ‘Dune: Prophecy’.
A meaningful opportunity for several reasons, this would prove the perfect moment for Peter to showcase the studio’s cutting-edge contributions to the state of industry craft, while simultaneously revealing how the team used Gaussian splats (a point cloud rendering technique) to bring the show’s Imperial Palace to life.
“It was a unique project for us, because this palace needed to be built with fine detail in the traditional CGI fashion,” he explains. “Nobody knew exactly what sections were going to be shown, so the entire palace needed to be built to the highest level of quality. But that led to it being heavier than anybody wanted, which proved a major challenge for artists working with it.”
This is where the use of Gaussian splats came into play. By converting the Imperial Palace to a splat and augmenting the workflow with additional code, the team gained the ability to pull it up in seconds, subsequently designing new shots without being inhibited by time delays, and, as a bonus, ensuring high graphic quality when the final piece was ready for rendering.
This was a triumph for several reasons. Not only did the experience allow the team to test the method and discover its viability, but it also set an internal precedent for future application on projects – something Peter is eagerly anticipating.
“When it comes to using new tech, if we can figure out how to make it work to our advantage, it becomes a success for the entire studio,” he continues. If another environment with similar demands comes along – and I’m sure it will – we’re going to do this again… but now, we know how to do it even better.”
As it turned out, the attending crowd would share Peter’s enthusiasm upon learning of these results. Aside from getting the supervisor “wined and dined”, he jokes, it ended up contributing to one of the conference’s larger talking points of the year, which, incidentally, happened to be Gaussian splats.
“It was great to present our work, because it was really a novel use of Gaussian splats; not many people have tried it in this particular way,” he says. “So, we got the chance to demonstrate that this is going to be a great way of doing it going forward. However, it also contributed to a larger discourse about the way this approach is going to get better in the next year. We’re talking 4DGS (animated Gaussian splats), the ability to paint directly on splats, or even run physical simulations on top of them. Gaussian splats are fast becoming the new go-to file format in the pantheon of 3D representations.”
Larger Learnings and Internal Implications
While the chance to present and dive into the latest tech surrounding Gaussian splats proved rewarding for Peter, even more exciting, he emphasises, was the sheer number of technological advances showcased at the conference. Discoveries, he suspects, that could revolutionise the industry for years to come, the specialist notes that for him, this was easily the most memorable part of his time in Vancouver.
“There was a spirit of innovation in the air, permeating everything,” he recalls. “New ways, new options, and new roads. I attend other conferences fairly regularly, so I usually have a good grasp on what to expect, but I’ll admit, there was some stuff even I didn’t see coming.”
Specifically, Peter highlights the advances Nvidia delivered as having caught him by surprise. In a technological first, the brand’s hardware demonstrated its ability to take geometry – particularly subdivision surfaces – and convert them into what’s known as ‘mega geometries’, allowing vast numbers of polygons to be processed and viewed in real time.
“It’s unheard of,” the executive exclaims. “On top of that, Nvidia demonstrated its updated approach to neural rendering, using machine learning to program shaders and improve upon established path tracing techniques. With upgrades like these, the march towards real-time rendering is unstoppable.”
Another big point of discussion at the conference, “unsurprisingly”, he notes, was AI. Despite the event not being particularly geared toward it by nature, many of the other papers presented featured it, bringing to light the latest advancements its offering in the field of graphic work.
This too was worthy of excitement for several reasons. According to Peter, an assortment of AI models are progressing rapidly, which means, unlike traditional software, these new capabilities will be accessible within mere months.
“I’ve always seen AI as a fabulous new technology that opens the door for many new approaches,” he adds. “People are still a little bit afraid of it, but when it comes to creating something that can be used in a TV show or movie, we’re still quite far away. For me, it’s more like, ‘look at what this technology will be able to do for us soon’; I see it in a very positive and optimistic way.”
To this end, the team at Rodeo is already hard at work, utilising the demos shown at SIGGRAPH to get a grip on the new tech, while waiting to see which of its software vendors will integrate these options first. A path which will lead to mastery in the not too distant future, Peter is equal parts hopeful and excited, eager to see the work of this new era live up to expectations.
“We’re going to work faster, and the quality is going to improve, because we will be able to create more options for our clients to choose from,” he concludes. “We’ll also probably be able to take on more projects – it’ll be a win-win for everybody.”