Zoom Backgrounds Can Be Great But......!

If your custom Zoom background is flipped horizontally and the edges around your body outline seem to be rougher than usual, then make sure you have turned off the mirroring option for Zoom. 

Another recommendation is to wear something that is darker or lighter than your background, so that the Zoom background can hold its shape around you more firmly. 

If the virtual background set by you is blending with your real background and causing glitches, then chances are that there is not enough light in your environment to help Zoom distinguish between the two.

You can try switching on extra lights if possible or adding another external source of light. You can also move to a different room altogether which is much more well lit which should solve the blending issue with the backgrounds for you.

In order for Zoom to apply a virtual background on your video properly, you need to make sure that your real background majorly consists of a solid colour that’s stationary and has minimal shadows to show. If you have a solid coloured wall behind you, Zoom will be able to map the outline of your body and face with more accuracy.

Cleaner backgrounds also mean fewer shadows behind you and that is why it’s important that your face and surroundings are well lit and receive a uniform lighting source. Zoom’s support page recommends that you use a 3-point lighting setup for ideal application.

It’s also important that your actual background doesn’t consist of moving objects which can disturb the consistency of the virtual background. Your videofeed might include these non-stationary objects like curtains, fans, pets, etc, which can cause Zoom’s virtual background tool to think it’s a part of you, thus showing it in front of the virtual image the same way as your face.

You should also make sure that your clothing doesn’t have the same colour as your real or virtual background.

If it does, the items you’re wearing will also be modified into the virtual background, thus making it uncomfortable for others to see you since your face will pop up on the screen without a body. You should consider not wearing solid blue or green colored clothes when using virtual backgrounds on Zoom as the tool would apply the new background to your dress instead of your background.

The above are just some of the things that we have to overcome when producing a live play on Zoom.  Tune in and see how we do!