Scene layouts in video conferences

1. A method for conducting a conference between conference participants, the method comprising:

obtaining a scene layout for the conference, the scene layout comprising a background layer and at least one video layer, a plurality of video areas that are each assigned to a respective one of the at least one video layers and to display a video stream from one of the conference participants, and the scene layout forming a common visual presentation for the conference;

receiving and assigning one or more images to the background layer;

receiving video streams from one or more of the conference participants;

constructing the scene layout based on the background layer and the at least one video layer; and

displaying the scene layout, wherein the video streams from the conference participants are displayed in their respective assigned video areas.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the scene layout comprises:

receiving a universal resource locator (“URL”); and

accessing the URL to retrieve the scene layout.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving configuration parameters to modify the scene layout; and

displaying the modified scene layout, wherein the video streams from the conference participants are displayed according to the modified scene layout.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting a request to modify the scene layout to a conference host;

receiving authorization to modify the scene layout; and

providing configuration parameters to the conference host.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the configuration parameters modify one or more of a size, a shape, a location, an orientation, a background associated with an assigned video area, or an assignment of a video stream to a video area.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scene layout comprises one or more video effects, reactions, accessories images, text areas, or accessory selectors.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating configuration parameters to modify the scene layout; and

providing the configuration parameters to the conference participants.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a request to modify the scene layout from a client device associated with a conference participant;

approving the request;

receiving configuration parameters from the client device; and

providing the configuration parameters to the conference participants.

9. A system comprising:

a communications interface;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

one or more processor communicatively coupled to the communications interface and the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the one or more processors configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to:

obtain a scene layout for a conference between conference participants, the scene layout comprising a background layer and at least one video layer, a plurality of video areas that are each assigned to a respective one of the at least one video layers and to display a video stream from one of the conference participants, and the scene layout forming a common visual presentation for the conference;

receive and assign one or more images to the background layer;

receive video streams from one or more of the conference participants;

constructing the scene layout based on the background layer and the at least one video layer; and

display the scene layout, wherein the video streams from the conference participants are displayed in their respective assigned video areas.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute further processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to:

receive a universal resource locator (“URL”); and

access the URL to retrieve the scene layout.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute further processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to:

receive configuration parameters to modify the scene layout; and

display the modified scene layout, wherein the video streams from the conference participants are displayed according to the modified scene layout.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute further processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to:

transmit a request to modify the scene layout to a conference host;

receive authorization to modify the scene layout; and

provide configuration parameters to the conference host.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the configuration parameters modify one or more of a size, a shape, a location, an orientation, a background associated with an assigned video area, or an assignment of a video stream to a video area.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the scene layout comprises one or more video effects, reactions, accessories images, text areas, or accessory selectors.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

obtain a scene layout for a conference between conference participants, the scene layout comprising a background layer and at least one video layer, a plurality of video areas that are each assigned to a respective one of the at least one video layers and to display a video stream from one of the conference participants, and the scene layout forming a common visual presentation for the conference;

receive and assign one or more images to the background layer;

receive video streams from one or more of the conference participants;

constructing the scene layout based on the background layer and the at least one video layer; and

display the scene layout, wherein the video streams from the conference participants are displayed in their respective assigned video area.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising processor-executable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

receive a universal resource locator (“URL”); and

access the URL to retrieve the scene layout.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , comprising processor-executable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

receive configuration parameters to modify the scene layout; and

display the modified scene layout, wherein the video streams from the conference participants are displayed according to the modified scene layout.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , comprising processor-executable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

generate configuration parameters to modify the scene layout; and

provide the configuration parameters to the conference participants.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , comprising processor-executable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

receive a request to modify the scene layout from a client device associated with a conference participant;

approve the request;

receive configuration parameters from the client device; and

provide the configuration parameters to the conference participants.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , comprising processor-executable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to select the scene layout from a plurality of scene layouts available at a conference server.