How to Use a Teleprompter

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Know your script.

   You should not be reading the script for the first time on camera or in front of an audience.
   
   Read the script out loud a couple of times beforehand., If you have trouble saying a particular word, don't be afraid to switch it out for another one., It's not enough to just read through the script.
   
   You need to practice pacing yourself with a teleprompter., You may tend to speed up when you get nervous so try to slow down.
   
   Don't worry about following the teleprompter's pace.
   
   The operator should force it to follow your pace, not the other way around., Though contractions are often left out of formal writing, they sound more natural when you're speaking.
   
   So don't be afraid to change out "I've" for "I have" or "don't" for "do not."
   
   It will draw your audience in and give you a boost of confidence., Voice your concerns.
   
   If you are not okay with the way the text appears onscreen, let him or her know.
   
   The person should be happy to work with you. , Using a teleprompter means you don't have to memorize.
   
   Plus, memorizing can give your speech a rehearsed feeling, when you really want a natural feeling., If you're nervous when reading the teleprompter, that will show up on screen or to your audience.
   
   Try to calm yourself down.
   
   You can try a meditation technique before reading.One way to meditate is to choose a simple mantra to repeat over and over.
   
   For instance, you could choose the traditional "Om" or try your own, such as "calm and quiet."Another way to meditate is to focus on your breathing.
   
   Close your eyes.
   
   Take a deep breath in, counting to four.
   
   Let the breath out, counting to four.
   
   Repeat this process for several breaths., Whether you're on the stage or in front of a camera, you need over-the-top energy.
   
   Be more energetic than you think you need to be.
   
   You'll come across just fine because both the stage and the camera dampen energy., Hand gestures add to your speech, making it feel more natural.
   
   However, fidgeting, such as tugging on your hair or moving from foot to foot, can be distracting., Talk to a single person, instead.
   
   You don't need to yell at your audience, whether you're on stage or in front of a camera.
   
   If it helps, try picking a person in the audience to speak to or try talking to the person operating the camera., Professional coaches are readily available and are efficient in teaching you how to speak well using a teleprompter.
   
   They can also help you develop your pronunciation. , Teleprompters can help you stay in your time frame, as well as keep you from stumbling through a speech., If you're creating multiple takes, a script on a teleprompter helps keep each take consistent., They are especially good for technical presentations and the like., Note cards and pages can distract your audience.
   
   A teleprompter keeps you looking ahead at your audience., Traditional teleprompters use a reflective piece of glass or acrylic to project the words for you.
   
   The camera is placed behind the glass, but it doesn't pick up the words going across the screen.
   
   The idea is you seem to be looking at the camera or the audience, even though you're reading words., Because you don't need to memorize what you're reading, you can pay more attention to how you're delivering your speech., With a teleprompter, it's easier to get a clean take in one go.
   
   Though you may still need to retake some parts, you'll get more clean readings the first time around., You can purchase kits to create the reflective screen needed for a teleprompter.
   
   However, you can also build one of your own, using an iPad or monitor as the base.To build one, you'll need a flat monitor or iPad, a picture frame (8 inches by 10 inches), a sheet of plywood (2 feet by 2 feet), a 4-foot pine board (1 inch by 2 inches), small hinges, a dowel rod, 4 shelf hooks, a 1/4-inch screw (long), 1/4-inch wood insert, flannel (1 yard), screws, nails, wood glue, gaff tape, needle and thread, and an elastic band.
   
   You'll need certain tools, too, such as a jigsaw, miter saw, screwdrivers, hammer, and a drill., Make it about equal to the frame size., Use a drill to create pilot holes first.
   
   Attach the other side of the hinges to the board., Do the same on the wood, making this set at a 45-degree angle towards the frame.
   
   Both sets of holes should be 5/16 of an inch wide.Cut the dowel rod to fit the holes.
   
   You'll use the dowel rod to prop open the teleprompter.
   
   The window needs to be at a 45-degree angle, as well., Mark it on the wood with a pencil, and make four holes, two along the long exposed side and one each on the other two sides.
   
   One side will be up against the frame.
   
   Attach shelf hooks in the holes to keep the monitor in place., Leave an inch or two past the shelf hooks, but cut off any extra wood along the edge., Cut the 1 foot by 2 feet into several pieces.
   
   Create a stack out of the wood, and use wood glue between each layer.
   
   The top piece should extend out past the other pieces.
   
   Make it stronger with screws as reinforcement., Cut two other pieces that are the same width but twice as long.
   
   Glue each set of pieces together., Screw the 1 foot by 2 feet mount off the end of it on the other side.Screw the small set of plywood on top of the to the 1 foot by 2 feet mount.
   
   It should be on one end of the mount, perpendicular to how the mount runs.
   
   Screw the long 1/4-inch screw facing upwards onto the mount.
   
   It should stick out above the wood to screw, where you'll screw the camera in.You can also drill a 5/16-inch hole on the underside of the teleprompter.
   
   Insert the 1/4-inch wood insert to create a tripod screw., Use the saw to cut out two triangles from the cardboard that came in the frame.
   
   Nail the into the frame, sticking out towards the camera mount.Stretch flannel across the tops and sides of the triangles, using the gaff tape to stick it down.
   
   Create a hole for the camera in the middle by cutting it out., Add the monitor, the dowel rods, and the camera, and your teleprompter is complete., From Prompterous by Labotec to IQPrompter by from Ed4U, LLC, you have a number of options that will let you use your iPad as a teleprompter.
   
   You also have options for PC apps, such as Prompt Lite. , You can copy or type in your script to most programs. , When you're typing out your script, pay careful attention.
   
   Any typo or missed word in the script an cause the reader to stumble., Put your teleprompter to work by creating a new video.
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   Step 2: Work through any difficult parts.

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   Step 3: Practice with the teleprompter.

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   Step 4: Pace yourself naturally.

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   Step 5: Use contractions.

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   Step 6: Give a big smile.

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   Step 7: Communicate openly with your teleprompter operator.

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   Step 8: Don't memorize.

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   Step 9: Take a deep breath.

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    Step 10: Be energetic.

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    Step 11: Don't be afraid to move around

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    Step 12: but don't fidget.

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    Step 13: Don't shout.

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    Step 14: Consider hiring a speech coach.

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    Step 15: Use one for large conference presentations.

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    Step 16: Employ a teleprompter for consistency.

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    Step 17: Use teleprompters when accuracy is essential.

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    Step 18: Read from a teleprompter to keep the focus on you.

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    Step 19: Know how a teleprompter works.

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    Step 20: Use a teleprompter to focus on your style.

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    Step 21: Employ a teleprompter to get it right the first time.

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    Step 22: Build a teleprompter kit.

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    Step 23: Take out the glass and cardboard from the picture frame.Use a saw to cut into the plywood.

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    Step 24: Screw in the hinges to the frame.

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    Step 25: Drill holes halfway down the the frame on the inside.

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    Step 26: Measure how big your monitor or iPad is.

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    Step 27: Slice off any extra wood.

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    Step 28: Work on the camera mount.

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    Step 29: Cut two small pieces of plywood

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    Step 30: similar in size to the 1 foot by 2 feet piece you just created.

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    Step 31: Screw the long piece to the bottom of the teleprompter plywood.

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    Step 32: Create a shade for the camera.

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    Step 33: Place the glass back in the frame.

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    Step 34: Pick an iPad app.

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    Step 35: Type in your text.

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    Step 36: Avoid typos.

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    Step 37: Use your teleprompter to create a video.

Detailed Guide

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