Based on design-driven research and ten years teaching a Masters level course in presence design and production, an interdisciplinary team of researchers present a series of reflections. The topic of mediated presence requires that both teacher and student indulge in theory and practice from a range of disciplines. Over 200 student projects and 20 research installations have been designed and executed over the years, each addressing spatial and temporal strategies for producing presence, along with critical design concepts: how to establish trust in mediated environments and the formation of a tacit communication contract between participants. These will be key aspects for the future of personal video communication.