Many people have turned to video conferencing calls to stay in touch during the pandemic. Whether it’s for work or personal use, Zoom has been a popular platform. One of its more fun features is the ability to add virtual backgrounds. A background jazzes up a Zoom call, whether it's of the <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/travel/skylines-sunsets-and-sea-views-dubai-tourism-unveils-free-backgrounds-to-use-on-video-calls-1.1031696">Dubai skyline</a> or popular television shows or movies; Oscar-winning Korean film <em>Parasite </em>even got in on the action by <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/you-can-now-set-your-zoom-background-to-a-scene-from-parasite-1.1030159">releasing stills to use</a> on the platform. Zoom has now quietly unveiled another feature to help spruce up video conferencing calls: video filters. How very Snapchat of them. Whether you want to don a Rosie the Riveter-inspired headband, turn into a colourful unicorn or show your support for Movember by sporting a virtual mustache, there’s plenty of fun to be had with the selection of 55 filters currently on offer. The first way is by going to the settings button on the top right corner on the landing page and then clicking on “backgrounds and filters.” A new page will open and you’ll see two options for “virtual backgrounds” and “video filters”. By clicking on filters, you’ll be brought to another page with the choices. The other way to get to them is when you’re already in a conference call. By clicking on the pointer icon next to “stop video,” you’ll see an option for “choose video filter” which will bring you to the same page showing all the options. As well as filters to wear, you can also choose filters that change the lighting in your video (such as turning it black or white) or one that takes over your entire screen – including an option that turns your screen into an analogue television. Why? Well just because you can.
