Is time getting in your way of creating videos and getting your message out there?
What if you could get a month’s worth of video content done in one day… potentially even more than that?
I feel my strength lies in writing, more than speaking off the cuff, so I use a teleprompter (or autocue) to smash out my video content and get multiple videos recorded in one sitting.
If I’m going to spend the time putting a face on, cleaning up my office and setting up my gear, I want to make the most of it by recording more than one video.
Using the teleprompter has decreased my editing time dramatically. I used to come away with half an hour to 45 minutes of me stumbling over my sentences to create a ten-minute, even five-minute video!
Just like the pros who read the news, you can get a portable teleprompter to use with a tablet or smartphone app and read from a pre-written script instead of trying to come up with content on the fly.
The teleprompter isn’t for everyone. Working with lots of different people with and without the teleprompter, I’ve seen lots of mixed feelings about using it. If you are a natural speaker and perform best when you’re talking off the cuff about your business, you may find the autocue cramps your style and actually hinders your performance.
But if you prefer writing and want to turn your blog posts and articles into videos without having to worry about missing any important points, a teleprompter could be a great option for you.
Check out the video above for a step by step guide to setting up the teleprompter.
A few notes about talking with a teleprompter – it can take some practice to get out of the headspace of just ‘reading the words’ to being able to deliver them with conviction.
When you speak to camera, about 10% of your energy drops as soon as it hits the lens. It makes a big difference to your on-camera performance if you give it more energy than might feel natural for you at first.
A bit of overemphasis and some over dramatisation can give your script a real lift.
When you’re reading from a script it’s even more important to keep in mind that you’re talking to a person on the other side of the screen.
When you’re reading through make sure it feels natural for you, that you’re using language you would when you talk ordinarily. If it feels unnatural and uncomfortable for you reading it, it will come across as uncomfortable and unnatural for your viewer watching it.
For some tips on how to target your language, content and energy, check out this post to learn the ‘One Person’ visualisation technique.
When I use the teleprompter for my videos, I do spend quite a lot of time getting the scripts right beforehand. Once I have a few scripts ready to go I plan my filming session. It takes about half an hour to set up my space for recording, a bit of time putting some makeup on but then I can record my scripts in real-time with very minimal editing on the backend.
Like any skill, using a teleprompter takes practice. But it could save you literally hours of recording time once you get into the swing of using it.
Check out these teleprompter kits:
Teleprompter Apps:
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2 replies on “How to Create a Month’s Worth of Videos In One Day”
Great article!
Can you recommend a particular teleprompter for a basic set up?
Thanks Nikki! This is the one I use, I really like how easy it is to set up: https://www.prompt-it.com.au/product/prompt-it-maxi/
You’ll just need a stand or tripod to go with it as it doesn’t come with one in the kit. These are the stands I use for this kit and for LED lights: http://thatcameragirl.com/ledlightstands (Amazon)