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What's worse than a talk that goes on too long?    Perhaps too many selfies of your Uncle's vacation trip. Winston Churchill once said this about a speech he made;     "I apologize for the length of my speech.      Had I more time to prepate,      I could have made it much shorter." A good speaker gives Goldilocks speaches.       Not too long -- Not too short -- Just right. Timing of speeches is important. If there is no time limit, a person can go on and on and on. You wouln't join us in our contest if that's what we did. Instead, Contestants mold their speeches to fit the time available
	The timer shows colors to indicate the three important times for a speech or  evaluation: >> Green indicates that the speaker has qualified with at least the minimum time. >> Yellow tells the speaker that the golden time has started >> Red warns the speaker that the golden time is up and there are only thirty more seconds before disqualification.

Only one timer will use the Color Virtual Background, but both should have them should a role change be required

How to use The Virtual Background Colors for timing speeches

Timers

[Chief Judge verifies that renaming is correct.]

Chief Judge will brief  timers on their duties before the contest starts

Reporting:

Timers will print TWO copies of the Contest Timing Report Form. We suggest your paste it into a word processor document, keeping it open for the duration of the contest. You can fill in the names when the order of speakers is announced. Enter the time as each contestant finishes speaking. 

You can then copy the form using the <copy> function of your word processor or Control/C from the keyboard. 

When asked for your report, you can paste the information into the chat box as a Private Message  the Contest chair when requested.

Alternately on paper, write the contestant names and the time.  Make sure you note the difference between the two contests.  You can  write the  chat private message  from the paper  when each contest  comes to an end.

Timer with Light - 

You may use large colored paper or use the Virtual Background to show the colors. 

Preferably, use a colored Virtual Background.  How to use your Virtual Background for showing the colors.

(If you are able to do green screen and make your screen green, yellow and red, please do so. 

Demonstrate showing your colors to assure that it will work properly. It will help if your practice before you are asked to demonstrate it.

Show us all now your colors. Everyone in the room, please let the timer know how it looks.

You must  have an  accurate timing device.  Recommend the Toastmasters timer from the  App Store.

To verify.  International Speech is 5 to 7 minutes.  Green light at Five. Yellow at Six. Red at Seven.

To verify. Evaluation Contest is 2 to 3 minutes.  Green at TWO. Yellow at TWO AND ONE HALF minutes. Red at Seven.

Keep the red up until contestant stops and Toastmaster resumes speaking. Then clear the light.

When each contest is completed, Timers, please Send me, the chief judge a private chat about time.  When to send the time of all contestants?  When the Toastmaster says, “Unlimited Silence for Judges to complete their ballots.”

Now when does time begin?

Normally I would tell you that time begins at the first communication with the audience. HOWEVER, Please note that the Toastmaster has been asked to say the following:

Toastmaster says verbatim

-         Everyone should mute their microphone.

-         Zoom Master, please signal for the next contestant.

-         [contestant is present in main room.]

-         Judges, please look for CE ____  and pin the contestant now.

-         Contestant at this time, please find TL _____and pin TL ____.

-         [wait one full second for pinning]

-         Toastmaster will now state contestant’s name slowly and clear TWICE.

-         After contestant is done with evaluation, Toastmaster calls for one minute of silence for the judges.

After what the Toastmaster is asked to say, then time begins with the contestant’s first communication with the audience whether verbal or non-verbal.  To be clear, I don’t want timing to start as the contestant is physically moving in order to pin the Timer with Lights.

If a contestant is under or goes over time, you will not give any indication.

Timers do you have questions?

Left click on the color background Image and select <Save As>  from the menu

The normal setting for images is "Mirrored" The  words are reversed here so you don't have to unclidk "Mirror"

How to use Virtual Background to show timing colors

Note: Virtual Backgrounds work best if the full screen area is covered in a monochrome (single color, preferabley green) background. Any solid color bedsheet will work. Experiment to see how well a background works for your setting before deciding to use Virtual Backgrounds. If it does work, try using your favorite snapshot for all your Zoom adventures. The Taj Mahal, or Mt. Fugi will do wonders for your apearance, even in pajamas.

To make the backgrounds available, right-click on each image and select <Save Picture as> Then save it in a convenient place in your files so it can easily be found. Save them to files named RED, YELLOW, and RED, preferably as JPG files

Go to the Virtual Background window As follows

This will bring up a window: that looks something like this, without the blue text and arrows.

To add the backgrounds to ZOOM's backgrounds, Do steps 1 through three to get the green background, then repeat for yellow and Red.

1.  select virtual background

2. click on K+Add  Image

3. Find your colored files (GREEN.jpj ) and open it to add it to Zoom's backgrounds

4. repeat for yellow and red.

Once you have the colors added to zoom you can select each color -- or no background -- from <Virtual Background>