[u-u] Deep Fakes Re: Backdrops...

[Hugh Gamble]

 More fun
(you need some decent power modern gfx)
Run Avatarify

Anaconda runs an artificial neural net
to change your face to the person of your choice
Add a video broadcasting wedge to create a virtual camera
Tell Zoom, Skype, whatever to use this camera.

You are now online as Doug Ford, Donald Trump, Shakira, Elon Musk ...

https://github.com/alievk/avatarify


If you just want to get out of a work meeting,
set your backdrop to a still of yourself,
or insert a video loop of yourself bringing yourself coffee on cam.

>
> --- Original message ---
> Subject: [u-u] Backdrops...
> From: Colin McGregor <colin.mc151 at gmail.com>
> To: UU <u-u at unixunanimous.org>
> Date: Thursday, 14/05/2020 11:51 AM
>
>
>
> Last night for the UU meeting I APPEARED to be in a very neat and 
> tastefully furnished den. The truth was I wasn't. Zoom allows you to 
> set-up a virtual background, which works best if you have a green 
> screen behind you. So, I have built a simple / small green screen. 
> What was behind and to either side of the green screen was to be 
> blunt, a mess...
>
>
>
> There are commercially made green screen kits (metal frames, green 
> fabric all in a neat package), but at least when I was checking these 
> were all sold out at the usual on-line suspects. So I built my own. To 
> build more-or-less what I built for a backdrop you will need the 
> following:
>
> Tools:
>
> - Wood saw, almost any will do, as an example handsaw such as 
> https://www.homedepot.ca/product/husky-20-in-aggressive-toothsaw/1000129721 
> (I used a hand saw inherited from my grandparents).
> - tape measure - 8'+ (3+ meters) long.
> - screw driver(s) to fit screws used below
> - Pencil(s)
> - while not strictly required, a drill (and drill bits) to make pilot 
> holes for the screws should be seen as VERY desirable.
> - A miter box to make sure the wood cuts are at a 90 degree angle is 
> desirable, but not required.
>
>
>
>
> Parts:
>
> - 6' (72 inch) 1/2" Iron pipe such as : 
> https://www.homedepot.ca/product/aqua-dynamic-black-steel-pipe-nipple-1-2-inch-x-72-inch/1000126385
>
> - two Iron pipe 1/2" floor flange such as : 
> https://www.homedepot.ca/product/stz-fitting-black-iron-floor-flange-1-2-inch-2-pack/1001157026
> - 2"x4"x8'  (ie: 2 inch x 4 inch by 8 feet) lumber such as : 
> https://www.homedepot.ca/product/-2-inch-x-4-inch-x-8-ft-spf-dimensional-lumber/1000112108
> - 1"x4"x8' lumber such as : 
> https://www.homedepot.ca/product/thd-1x4x8-millstead-spf-sdry/1000100188
> - 2 (+) Spring loaded clamps such as : 
> https://www.homedepot.ca/product/anvil-2-inch-spring-clamp/1001127536
> - 6+ x 2.5" wood screws for use with the 2"x4" lumber
>
> - 8 x 3/4" #10 wood screw for use with the pipe flange
> - green backdrop (a dollar store green plastic table cloth can do okay 
> and this is what I used for first draft of this set-up. Currently I am 
> using a 5' wide piece of green nylon fabric ordered from 
> https://fabricville.com/ (the nylon advantage being it can be ironed 
> and present a smoother backdrop)).
>
>
> Do  note that lumber companies are allowed to sell boards measured 
> based on  the "unfinished" size, so what is sold as a 2" x 4" x 8' 
> will NOT be 2"  x 4" x 8', it will likely have an actual size of close 
> to 1.5" x 3.5" x 8'. The real vs. advertised sizes I  find irritating, 
> but is industry standard, so just be aware and be ready to deal with 
> this. An example of where this is an issue is in assembling the base 
> where I put a 2" x 4" piece of wood over another at right angles and 
> screw them together, to screw those pieces of wood together you want 
> ~2.5" screws any longer and the screws could poke through the wood...
>
>
> Instructions
>
>
> - I cut the 2" x 4" x 8' lumber into three 2' length pieces (and had a 
> ~2 length left over for other projects).
> - I cut the 1" x 4" x 8" lumber down to a 5' 6" length, in other words 
> a LITTLE wider than the table cloth / fabric
>
> - Assemble the 2" x 4" lumber in a giant letter "H" using the 2.5" 
> wood screws. Drill pilot holes for the screws if possible.
> - Screw a pipe floor flange into the middle of the "H". Again drill 
> pilot holes for the screws if possible.
> - Screw a pipe floor flange into the middle of the 1"x4" lumber. Again 
> drill pilot holes for the screws if possible.
> - Screw the 6' pipe into the floor flange on the "H"
> - Screw the 1"x4" on to the 6' pipe
> - Drape the tablecloth / fabric over the 1"x4" lumber and clamp into 
> place
>
> Once the above is together you will need pay attention to lighting, 
> you will want your green screen evenly lit, and I have spent a bit of 
> time adjusting the lights in my room (and playing with a table lamp) 
> to get the lighting where everything seems to work. Finally here are 
> some potentially interesting sources for background images:
>
> The Behr paint company has several potentially suitable images (you 
> will see the image I used last evening in this collection :-) ):
>
> https://behryourbackground.com/
>
>
>
> To be in a DC Comic have a look here :
>
> https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2020/04/01/dial-in-from-the-dc-universe-with-these-virtual-backgrounds
>
> Within the DC Comic universe, here are some Batman only backgrounds:
>
> https://bleedingcool.com/comics/dc-releases-18-new-batman-virtual-backgrounds-for-zoom-conferencing/
>
> To be in the Marvel Comic universe have a look here :
>
> https://bleedingcool.com/comics/now-marvel-comics-offers-virtual-backgrounds-for-zoom-conferencing/
>
> To be in the Star Trek universe have a look here :
>
>
> https://twitter.com/StarTrek/status/1245834918917099521
>
> All the best,
>
>
> Colin.
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