Snap Inc. rolled out its Lens Studio platform in December 2017, which allowed creators to develop their own augmented reality effects called World Lenses. Now, the company is expanding that platform to allow creators to also build face filters, which are perhaps the most popular aspect of Snapchat.
When the Lens Studio platform opened late last year, creators were given a handful of tools to aid them in developing World Lenses. These lenses work by applying augmented reality objects onto the world via the app. While many of them have been amusing and comedic, none have really become quite popular as Snapchat's face filters.
Snap Expands Lens Studio With Custom Face Filters
Snap Inc. is releasing seven new templates via Lens Studio to allow creators to create their own face filters. There are a bunch of tools for creators to play around with, including face paint, a virtual baseball hat, and three-dimensional objects. The more geeky creators can even toy around with scripts to make the filter perform certain things if the user makes a certain facial expression. One example of this is Snapchat's widely used dog face filter, which sticks its tongue out and makes a licking gesture when the user opens their mouth.
Snapchat plans to encourage users to apply custom filters made by other people into their own Stories. As such, there will be a public Story specifically reserved for them. Using other people's lenses are easy. Just go to the Discover tab, find a lens you like, then swipe up to unlock it.
Face filters have been one of the most recognizable features of Snapchat, and it's interesting to observe how the community will evolve the idea beyond its original form. Snapchat is already pretty thrilled about the reception.
"We're blown away by the participation, the level of engagement, and the type of creativity that has happened," said Snap Inc. camera boss Eitan Pilipski, as reported by The Verge.
To see how custom face filters look like, check out Snapchat's Lens Studio website, where a few filters are shown as examples.
Giphy Is Back
Aside from new templates, Snapchat will also be adding Giphy integration starting April 17. The company allowed GIFs to be added into snaps back in February. Now, they may be placed within lenses as well. Giphy was removed from Snapchat a while back over a racist GIF. It was later re-enabled after the issue was sorted out.
Thoughts about Snapchat's face filters? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
