Installment #9 in Monolisticle's Ongoing Campaign Against the "Internet of Endless Listicles."
Context and timing are everything. And that especially applies to social memes.
The best ones strike exactly the perfect zeitgeist chord based on whatever is happening culturally in the world at that moment. Such is the case with the “Room Rater,” the Twitter meme @ratemyskyperoom. It’s the perfect response to the all-day Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, BlueJeans world we currently live in, where those of us who work from home via video conference have unfortunately found ourselves.
Room Rater has already rated the rooms of a cross-section of the populace, from celebrities like Phil Mickelson, Shark Tank’s Robert Herjavec, Ariana Huffington, and Barry Manilow to politicians like Hilary Clinton and Boris Johnson.
Adding to an already hilarious premise, the funny captions take the comedy to another level of excellence. And each room rating also comes with a score between 1-10.
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Who hasn’t secretly rated the rooms and decor (or lack thereof) of our co-workers and others we videoconference with? Rooms that are notable as much for their over-effort as by their clear lack of effort. Some people seem completely unaware (if not downright oblivious) to the fact that others can see the rooms they occupy during video calls. As if they think they are on a phone audio call rather than video.
Tips on staging your room and maximizing lighting to look your best (or at least not look like a washed-out-creepy-face-zombie person):
Staging your background isn't difficult. A little effort goes a long way.
Clean up your space.
Simplify. Move or remove furniture, wall art, etc if you need to.
Eliminate distractions
Go for balance and symmetry (which helps frame you within the screen)
Add a vase of flowers in background (even fake ones add a pleasant touch).
Don't overdo it. Remember: keep it minimal and simple.
If all else fails, use a virtual background.
Tips for not looking like a washed-out-creepy-face-zombie person:
Do a test-run with the video app turned on so that you can see yourself (and your background) on the screen.
Place your computer slightly higher than your head (use a stack of books if necessary). Then angle it down slightly toward your face. To get the right height, add or subtract books.
Place a lamp to the side of your computer (off-screen, of course) and adjust its position until the light looks best on your face. Sunlight coming through windows will also alter the effect, so adjust accordingly.
Good luck. And may your video call meetings be short and infrequent.
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