Every news or TV studio has a Teleprompter.
It allows the host or news anchor to read his script, as if he or she is talking directly to the audience.
We have a Prompter at the Wingding TV digital studio.
Teleprompter on Your Phone
You can also get one — you guessed it — on your phone.
We chose the Joe Allen Teleprompter.
Why did we choose this one?
- User-friendly: I can dictate my script into my iPhone and quickly start recording.
- Customizable settings: You can customize the font size, color, and background, as well as the speed of the teleprompter.
- Compatible with various devices: The app can be used on both iOS and Android devices.
- Affordable: The Joe Allen Teleprompter app is affordable compared to other teleprompter apps on the market. We paid $15 a few years ago.
- Reliable: it’s always worked for me.
As you will see in the video below, it’s a must for us when we shoot Undercover Jetsetter and then also when I do other segments for Wingding TV.
Some Teleprompter Tips
Let’s give you a little tip on how to create your scripts so you will have a fun and a credible on-camera performance.
First, we suggest dictating your script into the Teleprompter app. Sure, you can write the script. However, for most people, speaking gives you a more conversational feel.
This was something I had to learn when I made the move from newspaper reporting to TV news. It’s totally different. In newspaper reporting, you try to load everything into the first paragraph. The rule was: try to make sure the reader has everything he or she needs in the first 5 paragraphs. In TV news writing, you need to hook them with one interesting item immediately to keep their interest. That’s why you will see segments with sound from video off the top showing something actually happening.
As far as speaking on camera, you need to grab them as if you are talking to them at a bar or over dinner. “Did you hear this?” You don’t waste time teasing your friends with info; you hit them with it right away. You want to grab them — immediately — or you could lose them. Hey, we are in a fast-paced internet, social media world. Grab them with something interesting, intriguing, or funny, which leads to…
Second, use 3 W writing formula: who; what; and why. It is three simple sentences. The first is who are you? The second is what are you talking about? And the third one is why you need to see and hear this. Use that as your outline when you’re putting on camera Segments together. You can mix up the sentences. Sometimes, the WHY works better first. “You need to see this.” Don’t go overboard on who you are. Tell them your name and who you work for. Then tell them what you are doing. “I am coming to you from downtown.” Or, “There’s a new trend in town.”
Third, when recording yourself using the Teleprompter do two things. One, smile while you’re talking. It will seem like you are overdoing it, but what happens is video takes away a degree of enthusiasm. A smile will make you seem enthusiastic and interesting. The second trick is to talk like there’s somebody 10 feet behind the camera. This way you will project your voice better.
How I Learned These Tricks.
I have been fortunate to have friends who are accomplished actors and hosts like John O’Hurley, Bryan Cranston, Stephen Root, and Romy Rosement. Getting advice and watching them has helped my performance. They speak to the camera as if they are on stage, trying to reach the person in the back row of the theater.
The other way happened during my first year on TV. I was doing a stand-up for a news story at night. A big wind blew and just as I was finishing my words, the light, on a tall stand, did a big lazy dive at my feet — that was caught on camera. I broke out laughing. But I still had to do the stand-up again. So, my cameraman Russell set it all up again and we tried to record again that could be used in the newscast. The result, I was surprised to notice, was a more “engaged me” because I had been laughing and was having fun. Try being that way when you are on-camera.
Try those tips once you download the Joe Allen Teleprompter. And remember, the more you talk on camera the more comfortable and second nature it will be.
Susan Anzalone and John Daly are the Co-Creators and Co-Hosts of Undercover Jetsetter, a show on travel, food, wine, mixology and, of course, golf. They show you how to jet set the world and at home. They also co-authored the book, The TV Studio In Your Hand: How to Shoot, Edit & Deliver the Easy Way on Your iPhone. Join them for tips and hacks on the road, at home, or in the kitchen. Yes, as you will see, all on the iPhone.