diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eb4cbf9..56e378f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ Alternatively, standard python help is available, such as at the python REPL pro
 Don't see the filter you're looking for?  `ffmpeg-python` includes shorthand notation for some of the most commonly used filters (such as `concat`), but it's easy to use any arbitrary ffmpeg filter:
 ```python
 stream = ffmpeg.input('dummy.mp4')
-stream = ffmpeg.filter_(stream, 'fps', fps=25, round='up')
+stream = ffmpeg.filter(stream, 'fps', fps=25, round='up')
 stream = ffmpeg.output(stream, 'dummy2.mp4')
 ffmpeg.run(stream)
 ```
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ Or fluently:
 (
     ffmpeg
     .input('dummy.mp4')
-    .filter_('fps', fps=25, round='up')
+    .filter('fps', fps=25, round='up')
     .output('dummy2.mp4')
     .run()
 )
diff --git a/examples/README.md b/examples/README.md
index 41d56d8..92feaec 100644
--- a/examples/README.md
+++ b/examples/README.md
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ height = int(video_stream['height'])
 (
     ffmpeg
     .input(in_filename, ss=time)
-    .filter_('scale', width, -1)
+    .filter('scale', width, -1)
     .output(out_filename, vframes=1)
     .run()
 )
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ video = (
 out, _ = (
     ffmpeg
     .input(in_filename)
-    .filter_('select', 'gte(n,{})'.format(frame_num))
+    .filter('select', 'gte(n,{})'.format(frame_num))
     .output('pipe:', vframes=1, format='image2', vcodec='mjpeg')
     .run(capture_output=True)
 )
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ With additional filtering:
 (
     ffmpeg
     .input('/path/to/jpegs/*.jpg', pattern_type='glob', framerate=25)
-    .filter_('deflicker', mode='pm', size=10)
-    .filter_('scale', size='hd1080', force_original_aspect_ratio='increase')
+    .filter('deflicker', mode='pm', size=10)
+    .filter('scale', size='hd1080', force_original_aspect_ratio='increase')
     .output('movie.mp4', crf=20, preset='slower', movflags='faststart', pix_fmt='yuv420p')
     .view(filename='filter_graph')
     .run()
@@ -106,11 +106,11 @@ in1 = ffmpeg.input('in1.mp4')
 in2 = ffmpeg.input('in2.mp4')
 v1 = in1['v'].hflip()
 a1 = in1['a']
-v2 = in2['v'].filter_('reverse').filter_('hue', s=0)
-a2 = in2['a'].filter_('areverse').filter_('aphaser')
+v2 = in2['v'].filter('reverse').filter('hue', s=0)
+a2 = in2['a'].filter('areverse').filter('aphaser')
 joined = ffmpeg.concat(v1, a1, v2, a2, v=1, a=1).node
 v3 = joined[0]
-a3 = joined[1].filter_('volume', 0.8)
+a3 = joined[1].filter('volume', 0.8)
 out = ffmpeg.output(v3, a3, 'out.mp4')
 out.run()
 ```
diff --git a/examples/get_video_thumbnail.py b/examples/get_video_thumbnail.py
index 0a006d5..b905642 100755
--- a/examples/get_video_thumbnail.py
+++ b/examples/get_video_thumbnail.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def generate_thumbnail(in_filename, out_filename, time, width):
         (
             ffmpeg
             .input(in_filename, ss=time)
-            .filter_('scale', width, -1)
+            .filter('scale', width, -1)
             .output(out_filename, vframes=1)
             .overwrite_output()
             .run(capture_stdout=True, capture_stderr=True)
diff --git a/examples/read_frame_as_jpeg.py b/examples/read_frame_as_jpeg.py
index e7ec52c..92b4fee 100755
--- a/examples/read_frame_as_jpeg.py
+++ b/examples/read_frame_as_jpeg.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def read_frame_as_jpeg(in_filename, frame_num):
     out, err = (
         ffmpeg
         .input(in_filename)
-        .filter_('select', 'gte(n,{})'.format(frame_num))
+        .filter('select', 'gte(n,{})'.format(frame_num))
         .output('pipe:', vframes=1, format='image2', vcodec='mjpeg')
         .run(capture_stdout=True)
     )
diff --git a/examples/split_silence.py b/examples/split_silence.py
index 9a8adbd..a889db1 100755
--- a/examples/split_silence.py
+++ b/examples/split_silence.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def get_chunk_times(in_filename, silence_threshold, silence_duration, start_time
     p = _logged_popen(
         (ffmpeg
             .input(in_filename, **input_kwargs)
-            .filter_('silencedetect', n='{}dB'.format(silence_threshold), d=silence_duration)
+            .filter('silencedetect', n='{}dB'.format(silence_threshold), d=silence_duration)
             .output('-', format='null')
             .compile()
         ) + ['-nostats'],  # FIXME: use .nostats() once it's implemented in ffmpeg-python.
diff --git a/ffmpeg/_filters.py b/ffmpeg/_filters.py
index ce05ae2..6ba30d3 100644
--- a/ffmpeg/_filters.py
+++ b/ffmpeg/_filters.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def filter_multi_output(stream_spec, filter_name, *args, **kwargs):
 
 
 @filter_operator()
-def filter_(stream_spec, filter_name, *args, **kwargs):
+def filter(stream_spec, filter_name, *args, **kwargs):
     """Apply custom filter.
 
     ``filter_`` is normally used by higher-level filter functions such as ``hflip``, but if a filter implementation
@@ -42,11 +42,19 @@ def filter_(stream_spec, filter_name, *args, **kwargs):
 
     Example:
 
-        ``ffmpeg.input('in.mp4').filter_('hflip').output('out.mp4').run()``
+        ``ffmpeg.input('in.mp4').filter('hflip').output('out.mp4').run()``
     """
     return filter_multi_output(stream_spec, filter_name, *args, **kwargs).stream()
 
 
+@filter_operator()
+def filter_(stream_spec, filter_name, *args, **kwargs):
+    """Alternate name for ``filter``, so as to not collide with the
+    built-in python ``filter`` operator.
+    """
+    return filter(stream_spec, filter_name, *args, **kwargs)
+
+
 @filter_operator()
 def split(stream):
     return FilterNode(stream, split.__name__)
@@ -343,7 +351,7 @@ def drawtext(stream, text=None, x=0, y=0, escape_text=True, **kwargs):
         kwargs['x'] = x
     if y != 0:
         kwargs['y'] = y
-    return filter_(stream, drawtext.__name__, **kwargs)
+    return filter(stream, drawtext.__name__, **kwargs)
 
 
 @filter_operator()
@@ -432,6 +440,7 @@ __all__ = [
     'crop',
     'drawbox',
     'drawtext',
+    'filter',
     'filter_',
     'filter_multi_output',
     'hflip',
diff --git a/ffmpeg/nodes.py b/ffmpeg/nodes.py
index 46b7897..ae50763 100644
--- a/ffmpeg/nodes.py
+++ b/ffmpeg/nodes.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class Stream(object):
             Process the audio and video portions of a stream independently::
 
                 input = ffmpeg.input('in.mp4')
-                audio = input[:'a'].filter_("aecho", 0.8, 0.9, 1000, 0.3)
+                audio = input[:'a'].filter("aecho", 0.8, 0.9, 1000, 0.3)
                 video = input[:'v'].hflip()
                 out = ffmpeg.output(audio, video, 'out.mp4')
         """
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class Node(KwargReprNode):
             Process the audio and video portions of a stream independently::
 
                 input = ffmpeg.input('in.mp4')
-                audio = input[:'a'].filter_("aecho", 0.8, 0.9, 1000, 0.3)
+                audio = input[:'a'].filter("aecho", 0.8, 0.9, 1000, 0.3)
                 video = input[:'v'].hflip()
                 out = ffmpeg.output(audio, video, 'out.mp4')
         """
diff --git a/ffmpeg/tests/test_ffmpeg.py b/ffmpeg/tests/test_ffmpeg.py
index 04e363e..b62f2ef 100644
--- a/ffmpeg/tests/test_ffmpeg.py
+++ b/ffmpeg/tests/test_ffmpeg.py
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ def test_combined_output():
 def test_filter_with_selector():
     i = ffmpeg.input(TEST_INPUT_FILE1)
     v1 = i['v'].hflip()
-    a1 = i['a'].filter_('aecho', 0.8, 0.9, 1000, 0.3)
+    a1 = i['a'].filter('aecho', 0.8, 0.9, 1000, 0.3)
     out = ffmpeg.output(a1, v1, TEST_OUTPUT_FILE1)
     assert out.get_args() == [
         '-i', TEST_INPUT_FILE1,
@@ -214,8 +214,8 @@ def _get_complex_filter_asplit_example():
 
     return (ffmpeg
         .concat(
-            split0.filter_('atrim', start=10, end=20),
-            split1.filter_('atrim', start=30, end=40),
+            split0.filter('atrim', start=10, end=20),
+            split1.filter('atrim', start=30, end=40),
         )
         .output(TEST_OUTPUT_FILE1)
         .overwrite_output()
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ def test__run__dummy_cmd_list():
 
 def test__filter__custom():
     stream = ffmpeg.input('dummy.mp4')
-    stream = ffmpeg.filter_(stream, 'custom_filter', 'a', 'b', kwarg1='c')
+    stream = ffmpeg.filter(stream, 'custom_filter', 'a', 'b', kwarg1='c')
     stream = ffmpeg.output(stream, 'dummy2.mp4')
     assert stream.get_args() == [
         '-i', 'dummy.mp4',
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ def test__filter__custom():
 def test__filter__custom_fluent():
     stream = (ffmpeg
         .input('dummy.mp4')
-        .filter_('custom_filter', 'a', 'b', kwarg1='c')
+        .filter('custom_filter', 'a', 'b', kwarg1='c')
         .output('dummy2.mp4')
     )
     assert stream.get_args() == [