How do I use a teleprompter?

So you’re going to give a big presentation – perhaps as part of a corporate video – and you’ve decided you need a teleprompter.  Your next thought should be “How do I use a teleprompter?”  I say that because, for many people, using a teleprompter means you get to just read your script.  Yes, you can do that but without a little work upfront, you’ll also look like you’re just reading your script!

Using a teleprompter is slightly more complicated than just reading.

Using a teleprompter is a skill.  Fortunately, it’s a skill that can be easily mastered with a bit of practice.

What is a teleprompter?

In case you don’t already know, a teleprompter is basically a device that projects or reflects a script onto a piece of glass – often in front of the lens of a camera.  The camera shoots through the glass and does not see the text, but a person looking into the lens of the camera can clearly see and read it.

Therein lies the problem; you are reading.  The key to being able to effectively use a teleprompter (or just “prompter” as it is often referred to) is to not look like you are reading. That takes some work.

Tips for using a teleprompter:

Read your script ahead of time… several times… out loud!  The mistake many first-time prompter users make is that they assume “All I have to do is read what I see.”  No one wants to listen to you read – there is no “life” in just reading.  By reading the presentation out loud ahead of time you can listen to how you sound.  Does it sound like you are just reading from a newspaper?  Or does it sound like you are speaking naturally?  The goal is to sound natural.  You may have written something that sounds good to your inner voice, but when you say it out loud it sounds stodgy, too formal or confusing.  Don’t be afraid to change what you’ve written to reflect the way you talk.

When I write a script with my friend and producer/writer Dave Topping, we often read the script out loud so that we can hear how it sounds.  When we’re on set with a CEO or someone who is not a professional spokesperson, we stress that they should feel free to make changes to “make it sound more natural.”

If you have the ability to rehearse your speech using an actual teleprompter and operator, do it!  Even just running through the script once or twice will be helpful when the time comes to do it for real.

And speaking of giving your presentation for real, the prompter operator is another key factor in the quality of your delivery.  The prompter operator’s job is to control the speed of the words scrolling past the screen.  His or her responsibility is to keep up with you, not the other way around.  If you pause between paragraphs, add a word on the fly, or speed up, the prompter operator must adjust the speed to keep the words you are about to say on the screen.  Perhaps the biggest mistake I see as a director is a presenter speeding-up because he or she is trying to keep up with an inexperienced prompter operator.  Remember, speaking at a conversational speed and trying not to sound like you’re reading are critical to presenting your message effectively.  If the prompter is moving too fast or too slow, stop and tell the operator.

Lastly, as you read from the prompter, you may find that you keep stumbling over a phrase or a word, or you may realize that something just doesn’t sound natural.  Don’t be afraid to stop and tell the prompter operator to change wording… It’s easy to do and will greatly improve your presentation.

The difference between sounding and looking natural or looking like a deer caught in headlights is completely in your control.