diff --git a/gnm/shape/data/versions/v3_0/gnm_head.npz b/gnm/shape/data/versions/v3_0/gnm_head.npz
index 1ddcb04c..f76d97e6 100644
Binary files a/gnm/shape/data/versions/v3_0/gnm_head.npz and b/gnm/shape/data/versions/v3_0/gnm_head.npz differ
diff --git a/gnm/shape/gnm_common.py b/gnm/shape/gnm_common.py
index dd5a3109..2cd3263e 100644
--- a/gnm/shape/gnm_common.py
+++ b/gnm/shape/gnm_common.py
@@ -191,10 +191,10 @@ def axis_angle_to_rotation_matrix(
   sin_angle, cos_angle = xnp.sin(angle), xnp.cos(angle)
   sin_angle, cos_angle = sin_angle[..., None], cos_angle[..., None]
 
-  matrix = xnp.broadcast_to(
-      eye(3, dtype=angle.dtype, reference_array=axis_angle, xnp=xnp),
-      (*axis_angle.shape[:-1], 3, 3),
-  )
+  eyem = eye(3, dtype=angle.dtype, reference_array=axis_angle, xnp=xnp)
+  for _ in range(axis_angle.ndim - 1):
+    eyem = eyem[None, ...]
+  matrix = eyem + xnp.zeros_like(axis_angle[..., None])
 
   skew_01 = -axis[..., 2]
   skew_02 = axis[..., 1]
diff --git a/gnm/shape/gnm_xnp.py b/gnm/shape/gnm_xnp.py
index 396384e9..af89f677 100644
--- a/gnm/shape/gnm_xnp.py
+++ b/gnm/shape/gnm_xnp.py
@@ -179,6 +179,11 @@ def as_int_array(val):
     def as_original(val):
       return val
 
+    def as_string_tuple(val):
+      if val is None:
+        return ()
+      return tuple(str(item) for item in val)
+
     field_converters = {
         'version': as_original,
         'variant': as_original,
@@ -188,16 +193,16 @@ def as_original(val):
         'vertex_identity_basis': as_float_array,
         'joint_identity_basis': as_float_array,
         'expression_basis': as_float_array,
-        'identity_names': as_original,
-        'joint_names': as_original,
-        'expression_names': as_original,
-        'joint_parent_indices': as_original,
+        'identity_names': as_string_tuple,
+        'joint_names': as_string_tuple,
+        'expression_names': as_string_tuple,
+        'joint_parent_indices': as_int_array,
         'skinning_weights': as_float_array,
         'quads': as_int_array,
         'triangles': as_int_array,
         'quad_uvs': as_float_array,
         'triangle_uvs': as_float_array,
-        'mesh_component_names': as_original,
+        'mesh_component_names': as_string_tuple,
         'mirror_indices': as_int_array,
         'joint_regressor': as_float_array,
         'pose_correctives_regressor': as_float_array,
@@ -208,6 +213,18 @@ def as_original(val):
 
     for field_name, converter in field_converters.items():
       val = model_data.get(field_name, None)
+      if (
+          val is None
+          and field_name == 'bone_aligned_template_joint_orientations'
+      ):
+        val = model_data.get('bone_aligned_orientations', None)
+        if val is None and 'joint_names' in model_data:
+          n_joints = len(model_data['joint_names'])
+          val = xnp.tile(xnp.eye(3, dtype=xnp.float32), (n_joints, 1, 1))
+      if val is None and field_name == 'mesh_component_names':
+        val = model_data.get('part_names', None)
+        if val is None:
+          val = ('skin',)
       init_kwargs[field_name] = converter(val)
 
     return init_kwargs
@@ -218,7 +235,7 @@ def _from_model_data_with_xnp(
       model_data: Mapping[str, Any],
       xnp: enp.NpModule,
   ) -> Self:
-    """Creates a GNM instance from a model data dictionary and array module."""    
+    """Creates a GNM instance from a model data dictionary and array module."""
     init_kwargs = cls._prepare_init_kwargs(model_data, xnp)
     # pylint: disable=no-value-for-parameter
     instance = super(GNM, cls).__new__(cls)
@@ -257,6 +274,11 @@ def to_numpy_data_dict(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
       data_dict[field.name] = val
     return data_dict
 
+  @property
+  def bone_aligned_orientations(self) -> enpt.FloatArray:
+    """Alias for bone_aligned_template_joint_orientations."""
+    return self.bone_aligned_template_joint_orientations
+
   def _check_parameter_shapes(
       self,
       identity: enpt.FloatArray['...'] | None = None,
@@ -390,6 +412,7 @@ def vertex_positions_world(
       joints: enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An J 3'],
       rotations: enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An J 3'],
       translation: enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An 3'],
+      **_kwargs,
   ) -> enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An V 3']:
     """Applies linear blend skinning to GNM vertices."""
     return gnm_common.linear_blend_skinning(
@@ -500,6 +523,7 @@ def vertex_positions_bind_pose(
       self,
       identity: enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An I'],
       expression: enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An E'],
+      **_kwargs,
   ) -> enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An V 3']:
     return gnm_common.vertex_positions_bind_pose(
         identity,
@@ -511,7 +535,7 @@ def vertex_positions_bind_pose(
 
   @enp.check_and_normalize_arrays(strict=False)
   def joint_positions_bind_pose(
-      self, identity: enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An I']
+      self, identity: enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An I'], **_kwargs
   ) -> enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An J 3']:
     return gnm_common.joint_positions_bind_pose(
         identity,
@@ -521,7 +545,7 @@ def joint_positions_bind_pose(
 
   @enp.check_and_normalize_arrays(strict=False)
   def compute_pose_correctives(
-      self, rotations: enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An J 3']
+      self, rotations: enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An J 3'], **_kwargs
   ) -> enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An V 3']:
     return gnm_common.compute_pose_correctives(
         rotations,
@@ -537,6 +561,7 @@ def joint_transforms_world(
       joints: enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An J 3'],
       rotations: enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An J 3'],
       translation: enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An 3'],
+      **_kwargs,
   ) -> enpt.FloatArray['A1 ... An J 4 4']:
     return gnm_common.joint_transforms_world(
         joints, rotations, translation, self.joint_parent_indices
@@ -579,7 +604,10 @@ def vertex_group_mask(
         operator, name = name[0], name[1:]
       if name[0] == '~':
         inverse, name = True, name[1:]
-      group_mask = self.vertex_group(name) > threshold
+      try:
+        group_mask = self.vertex_group(name) > threshold
+      except KeyError:
+        continue
       if inverse:
         group_mask = ~group_mask
       match operator:
diff --git a/gnm/shape/visualization/render_gnm.py b/gnm/shape/visualization/render_gnm.py
index d63805c2..78926e69 100644
--- a/gnm/shape/visualization/render_gnm.py
+++ b/gnm/shape/visualization/render_gnm.py
@@ -421,8 +421,8 @@ def get_look_at_world_to_camera(
     share_camera: np.ndarray | bool = True,
     y_up: np.ndarray | bool = False,
     look_at_vertex_groups: Sequence[str] = ('hockey_mask',),
-    left_vertex_groups: Sequence[str] = ('ears', '&left'),
-    right_vertex_groups: Sequence[str] = ('ears', '&right'),
+    left_vertex_groups: Sequence[str] = ('left_ear', 'ears', '&left'),
+    right_vertex_groups: Sequence[str] = ('right_ear', 'ears', '&right'),
     forward_vertex_groups: Sequence[str] = ('nose_region',),
 ) -> np.ndarray:
   """Compute world-to-camera matrices for a 'look-at' transform.