\documentclass[xcolor=x11names]{beamer}

% Packages 
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{amsmath, amsfonts, amssymb}
\usepackage{rotating}

%Beamer layout things
\useinnertheme{default}
\usefonttheme{serif}
\usepackage{palatino}
\setbeamertemplate{itemize items}[circle]

%Change fonts
\setbeamerfont{title like}{shape=\scshape}
\setbeamerfont{frametitle}{shape=\scshape}

%Change colors of text
\setbeamercolor*{normal text}{fg=black,bg=white} 
\setbeamercolor*{alerted text}{fg=red} 
\setbeamercolor*{example text}{fg=black} 
\setbeamercolor*{structure}{fg=black} 
\setbeamercolor*{frametitle}{fg=DeepSkyBlue4}
\setbeamercolor*{block body}{bg=Azure3}
\setbeamercolor*{block title}{bg=Azure3}

%Remove the annoying navigation bar
\beamertemplatenavigationsymbolsempty


%commands for text colors
\newcommand{\red}[1]{\textcolor{red}{#1}}
\newcommand{\blue}[1]{\textcolor{blue}{#1}}
\newcommand{\green}[1]{\textcolor{SeaGreen4}{#1}}
\newcommand{\black}[1]{\textcolor{black}{#1}}

%spacing commands 
\newcommand{\vspacer}{\vspace*{1em}}
\newcommand{\hspacer}{\hspace*{1em}}
\newcommand{\vcloser}{\vspace*{-1em}}
\newcommand{\hcloser}{\hspace*{-1em}}

%Document Begins
\begin{document}


	%Title Page
	
	%Draw the fancy elliptic curve in the background
	{\setbeamertemplate{background canvas}{
		\tikz[remember picture,overlay]
		\node[opacity=0.3] at (current page.center) {
			\includegraphics[width=\paperwidth,
							 height=\paperheight]{curve.png}};} 
							%replace "curve.png" with another picture


	%The actual slide
	\begin{frame}
		\title{\textsc{Beamer Template}}
		\author{David Mehrle \\ \textit{Carnegie Mellon University}}
		\date{\today}
		\maketitle

	\end{frame}}



	\begin{frame}
		\frametitle{Slide} 
	
		\begin{block}{\underline{\textsc{Important Stuff Block}}}
			Look at this important thing 
		\end{block}
		
		\vspacer
		
		\begin{itemize}
			%Make the 
			\setlength{\itemsep}{1em}
			
			\item Item 1
			
			\item Item 2
		
		\end{itemize} 
		
		
	
	\end{frame}
	

\end{document}