sharris Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 1 hour ago, Nick C said: Apparently many of the VC products allow you to change background, so people are appearing in various exotic locations... We use Microsoft Teams for our work meetings - sadly the only special effect it seems to have is to blur out the background which has the side effect of making you look badly photoshopped. I might have to be creative with some props. If I can synchronise the sunshine with my meetings I might see if the wifi will stretch as far as the garden. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Alex TM Posted April 17, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 17, 2020 1 hour ago, sharris said: which has the side effect of making you look badly photoshopped Some of us look badly photoshopped already, without recourse to image editing! 1 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlambert Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 I've been playing around with the backgrounds in Microsoft Teams, the best bit is being able to do "magic" tricks as you can make objects appear or disappear by picking them up. I was quite impressed that the camera would not show my coffee mug on the desk in front (and slightly to the side) of me until I picked it up or touched it. As for having a book case in the background, chance would be a fine thing in my small flat as the shelves are on the opposite wall to the sofa. It would be nice to have a little study, after all they say that with a little study you can go far! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 3 hours ago, sharris said: We use Microsoft Teams for our work meetings - sadly the only special effect it seems to have is to blur out the background which has the side effect of making you look badly photoshopped. I might have to be creative with some props. If I can synchronise the sunshine with my meetings I might see if the wifi will stretch as far as the garden. Ours was like that until this week when a couple of outdoor and a selection of about 8 fairly generic "home study" backgrounds appeared. I haven't seen the Minecraft one posted above, or any option to upload your own. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharris Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 1 hour ago, Edwin_m said: Ours was like that until this week when a couple of outdoor and a selection of about 8 fairly generic "home study" backgrounds appeared. I haven't seen the Minecraft one posted above, or any option to upload your own. Indeed, since posting this morning, I had a meeting this afternoon and we discovered the option too - and spent half the meeting playing with the backgrounds! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharris Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 1 hour ago, Edwin_m said: I haven't seen ... any option to upload your own. Apparently it will officially be able to do uploaded images next month, but there is a hack to do it already https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams/custom-background-images-for-teams-meetings/m-p/1283219# Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Harris Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 I have noticed a few poorly assembled IKEA units, the instructions tell you how to adjust the doors to get them straight. I wonder if some use this stuff to enhance the background. Did anyone see Matt Hancock's appearance before the Health Committee earlier? No bookcase, but a rather tacky looking portrait of the Queen. jh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 I have enjoyed trying to read the titles of books on bookshelves in the background of television interviews. Interestingly (coincidence?) some people whose shows / perspectives I enjoy have some of the same books on their bookshelves that I do. A late night comic has what I believe is the same book on the Seven Years War, and I see a lot of copies of Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Colin Posted April 18, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 18, 2020 Perhaps they put highbrow books on the shelves to impress those who bother to look - the Viz annuals are carefully concealed before the interview starts. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 (edited) On 17/04/2020 at 13:06, johnlambert said: I've been playing around with the backgrounds in Microsoft Teams, the best bit is being able to do "magic" tricks as you can make objects appear or disappear by picking them up. I was quite impressed that the camera would not show my coffee mug on the desk in front (and slightly to the side) of me until I picked it up or touched it. I was calling my boss earlier in the week and he was using one of the plain room backgrounds, I didn’t realise at first, until he rested his chin on his hand and the software cut a bite shaped section of his face out. We normally have dress down Friday on payday week, but we decided to have dress up Friday this week for our daily team catchup. My (son’s) dragon hood and cape was judged best by a colleagues son Edited April 18, 2020 by Talltim 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prometheus Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 Lyse Doucet commented on this a couple of weeks back. ‘The Battle of the Bookshelves’ she said was quite distracting, the temptation to see what people were reading taking the mind away from what they were saying. I quite like looking at their books I have to say! And yes, that portrait of The Queen that was commented on earlier, seen behind Matt Hancock, was truly dire. Whatever can he been thinking of? Or perhaps it was a bet.... Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 16 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said: I have enjoyed trying to read the titles of books on bookshelves in the background of television interviews. Interestingly (coincidence?) some people whose shows / perspectives I enjoy have some of the same books on their bookshelves that I do. A late night comic has what I believe is the same book on the Seven Years War, and I see a lot of copies of Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln". Perhaps there's a stock shot of "brainy American books" that people can download for their Teams backgrounds? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 Seems everyone is now on TV with bookcases behind them.... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Davis Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 I have noticed a couple of the interviewees have a copy of their own books with the cover turned towards the camera... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 7 minutes ago, Tony Davis said: I have noticed a couple of the interviewees have a copy of their own books with the cover turned towards the camera... That's often the reason they are being interviewed. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 Going by some of the tv adverts for conferencing software, the thing to do would be to get participants to stand up and reveal if they are fully dressed, or just wearing a shirt and tie* something more or less formal on top for the meeting.... Could be good for a laugh? * Non sexist language... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
caradoc Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 On 18/04/2020 at 12:45, Colin said: Perhaps they put highbrow books on the shelves to impress those who bother to look - the Viz annuals are carefully concealed before the interview starts. Personally I would be more inclined to vote for someone who does read Viz (and is proud of it) ! 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Alex TM Posted April 19, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 19, 2020 22 minutes ago, caradoc said: Personally I would be more inclined to vote for someone who does read Viz (and is proud of it) ! I didn't know that folk read Viz, I just thought they looked at the pictures! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 (edited) 19 hours ago, Edwin_m said: Perhaps there's a stock shot of "brainy American books" that people can download for their Teams backgrounds? I don't know about that (shades of Myles na Gopleen's of 'weathering' books to furnish a library, so that people don't need to read them..). Edited April 19, 2020 by Fat Controller Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 22 hours ago, Prometheus said: Lyse Doucet commented on this a couple of weeks back. ‘The Battle of the Bookshelves’ she said was quite distracting, the temptation to see what people were reading taking the mind away from what they were saying. I quite like looking at their books I have to say! And yes, that portrait of The Queen that was commented on earlier, seen behind Matt Hancock, was truly dire. Whatever can he been thinking of? Or perhaps it was a bet.... Tony My first thought was that it was an early proof of the artwork for a 'Sex Pistols' record... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Lamb Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 I find it interesting to see people without TV make up and the usual professional setting. Some look terrible while others manage very well. The other day Baroness Altman appeared with the mandatory bookcase background. I know her as Ros from the time when she provided me with a great deal of help regarding my pension. She was as always immaculately dressed with a pearl necklace and large earrings and the shot was composed and focused. Class will out, whatever the circumstances. On the subject of the books. I know that there are a few people on here could manage a shelf full of their own works, but how about a competition for lesser mortals, to produce books that they have made a contribution to or at least are named in. I think I can manage five. Bernard 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharris Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 19 hours ago, Alex TM said: I didn't know that folk read Viz, I just thought they looked at the pictures! I didn't know that Viz was still going- I used to read it over 25 years ago, and felt like they'd run out of new jokes then. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Alex TM Posted April 20, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 20, 2020 21 hours ago, Bernard Lamb said: how about a competition for lesser mortals, to produce books that they have made a contribution to or at least are named in Hi again, So far I have managed to avoid writing books or having my work published in a compilation of essays(I just don't think it's good enough or has a wide enough market for a publisher). I usually get the job of proof reading other people's work though it can be truly difficult to tell someone that their book/essay makes no sense whatever or that it is 'so innovative' that there are libraries full of texts stating exactly the same thing as them. [The bookshelves that usually feature in 'my' virtual meetings are ones that I actually need and use for work, even though they are mostly academic texts.] Anonymity can be bliss! Regards, Alex. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 I've been amused to see people who organize their bookshelves by the colour of the spines. (I'm not talking about things like big yellow slabs of National Geographic magazines either, but random topics.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 25 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said: I've been amused to see people who organize their bookshelves by the colour of the spines. (I'm not talking about things like big yellow slabs of National Geographic magazines either, but random topics.) That reminds me of a young lad in my charity shop. He was asked to sort out the books and get rid of the yellow ones and put them in the book recycling sack. He sorted them out into colours and removed the ones with yellow covers. I meant the ones with yellowing pages that had gone a bit manky.... Jason 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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