In the midst of this new chapter of our lives, we have all grown accustomed to connecting with others through our screens. Thankfully, a decent camera, a built-in microphone, and a strong internet connection is everything we need to connect to everyone from our clients to our grandmothers. That being said, your friends at Wizard Studios feel it’s our duty to make sure you’re bringing the best version of yourself to your online conferences, classes, and personal gatherings, and that involves making sure you’re not doing anything too...well...weird. 

A Pantless Fashion Statement Isn’t Always A Favorable One

Be aware of your clothing - and what is actually showing! Yes, we understand that for the majority of your video conference, people will only see your face, shoulders, and maybe the top of your torso. But we feel it’s important to say the following: this is not an invitation to not wear pants! What if you need to grab something from across the room? What if you take a small break and forget to turn off your camera? Do you really want your manager to glance at your tighty-whities? We thought not. 

The Camera Is Not A Mirror

We’re all guilty of it: we’ve used our camera as a mirror more times than we can count. But just be aware that while you’re subtly picking the spinach out of your teeth, we all have a front row seat to your dental procedure. Some of us really don’t like going to the dentist in general, and we certainly don’t need to be seeing it close up while trying to discuss marketing strategies. Take a moment to clean up before you hop on your video call. 

Weird Noses Are, Well, Weird

Just because you’re in the comfort of your own home does not mean you should feel comfortable enough to burp - or worse - during a conference call. Yes, bodily sounds happen, but this chapter in our lives might be a good time to remember the virtues of grace and professionalism. To prepare for these unexpected moments, we recommend making sure your mic is muted anytime you’re not talking. You’ll thank us later. 

The Camera is On! 

Body language can communicate a lot, so if the video conference shoots to your face without you knowing, and you roll your eyes, sigh heavily, or are busy commenting on that instagram post while you should have been listening attentively, odds are that everyone saw you do that. Play it safe and bring your best focus to the meeting. A little white noise in the background may help you focus! 

Those Backgrounds are Fun, but there’s a Time and a Place

If you’ve figured out the ins-and-outs of Zoom, you know there’s a function that allows you to alter your background so it looks like you’re calling from the Golden Gate bridge, or even from outer space. Yes, this may please the inner child in all of us for a moment, but it can be very distracting to those talking and listening. Save those for chats with friends, because grandpa might be a little overwhelmed about when you moved to California and why he’s just finding out about it now. 

Sharing that Screen Means Exactly That

There’s a little green button on Zoom that allows a video caller to share his/her screen so all participants can see it during the video conference. If your desktop is cluttered with items and documents that make it look like you’ve never cleaned it a day in your life, you might want to clean it up before sharing it with others. This also involves that desktop background. You might really adore your computer’s backdrop of a giant tarantula, but just to be safe, we think a sunset or rainforest might be a little more universally pleasing.

And lastly, Why are You in the Bathroom!?

We hope this one is self-explanatory. We really do. Just like we teach our kids, potty time is our alone time and nobody on the face of the earth wants to join you in there. Try to address these needs prior to call time, but if you really need to excuse yourself, simply mute your microphone, turn off your camera, and then return to this business when that business is done. But please don’t bring us in there with you.

We hope you can learn from our list and make sure your next video conference is more of a success that your last one. From everything to video conferencing tips to future event planning, Wizard Studios is here to lighten your mood and make your day a little better. And if you need some tips for future event planning, we’re really good at that too - contact us today!