How to tape oneself giving scripted message, using laptop

[Neil Orman]

Hi, I have to advise our layman (non-video person) CEO, at the nonprofit I work at, how to videotape himself using a laptop, and also, if possible, use the same laptop as a teleprompter. Is that possible, and could anyone offer any quick guidance there? I’d appreciate it very much. Due to the pandemic we’re having to try new things like this, like many of you I’m sure. Our CEO is at least somewhat video-savvy, as he tapes informal video messages every week that he shares with us. I’m fairly certain he uses a laptop for taping those messages, probably using Quicktime or Windows Media Player, and I’m trying to come up with some fairly simple instructions for him that supplement his existing knowledge, rather than pushing him too much. The teleprompter function would be new to him, but he needs it because the message he’s taping is scripted and long. At the office, I’ve used an ipad-based teleprompter app and an attachment that fits over the camera, so the subject can look directly at the lens. I can’t remember the app’s name, but know it was cheap or maybe even free. So I was thinking an app like that would work, if it works on a laptop too. I’d be grateful for any guidance on apps people like, that work on a laptop, as well as any tips on how to use the recording function and teleprompter app at the same time, again all on a laptop in a way a layman can handle. Or even any related guidance on this topic.

[Greg Ball]

I’ve sen a prompter app that works with your iPhone. You look into your pone and see the prompter at the same time.

It looks like you’re talking right into the lens.

https://scripted.video

Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.

Miami Video Production Company | Miami to Orlando Florida | Corporate

[Neil Orman]

Thanks for the quick response on this, Greg! If possible I want to find a MacBook-based approach, because it seems our CEO is using his MacBook Pro for video stuff already and is familiar with that (again with the objective of making this as simple as possible for him, and me since I’ll likely be advising him remotely). He’s just never done it with a TelePrompter. So let me know if you or anyone else here has used TelePrompter apps much, especially on a MacBook or laptop, and especially if you’ve used them on a laptop you also used for videotaping. Most of the ones I’m seeing, like Teleprompter from Pavonine Software, cost money to use. So it would be great to pick a good one. However, I’ll definitely consider iPhone-based approaches, especially if it turns out I’m wrong and that’s how he’s taping himself already. Do you happen to know how high res iPhone video is?

Thanks again,
Neil

[Neil Orman]

Thanks for the quick response on this, Greg! If possible I want to find a MacBook-based approach, because it seems our CEO is using his MacBook Pro for video stuff already and is familiar with that (again with the objective of making this as simple as possible for him, and me since I’ll likely be advising him remotely). He’s just never done it with a TelePrompter. So let me know if you or anyone else here has used TelePrompter apps much, especially on a MacBook or laptop, and especially if you’ve used them on a laptop that you’re simultaneously using for videotaping. Most of the ones I’m seeing, like Teleprompter from Pavonine Software, cost money to use. So it would be great to pick a good one. However, I’ll definitely consider iPhone-based approaches, especially if it turns out I’m wrong and that’s how he’s taping himself already. Do you happen to know how high res iPhone video is?

Thanks again,
Neil

[Greg Ball]

Depending on his iPhone, he can shoot great quality up to 4K!! I think everything else would be to complicated for him to set up and operate.

Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.

Miami Video Production Company | Miami to Orlando Florida | Corporate

[Greg Ball]

Depending on his iPhone, he can shoot great quality up to 4K!! I think everything else would be too complicated for him to set up and operate.

Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.

Miami Video Production Company | Miami to Orlando Florida | Corporate

[Greg Ball]

Hi Neil,

Most iPhones can record at 720p, 1080p and 4K. The Pavonine Software looks good on the surface, but I would question where your eyes are in relation to the lens. Can you make eye contact when reading the prompter on your laptop or desktop with either a built in camera or from a webcam?

If you boss is too close to the screen and camera his eyes will be way off.

Also what is the sound quality like?

With an iPhone, you can purchase an inexpensive lav microphone and plug it in through the lightning cable for clearer sound./

Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.

Miami Video Production Company | Miami to Orlando Florida | Corporate

[Andy Ford]

Reading directly from prompter software on your laptop makes the reading more noticeable due to the closeness. There are cheap beam splitter mirrors that work with ipads, more expensive ones that work with laptops. A second person can record with a phone and external mic via trrs cable. That’s what we did with our ceo.

————————————————-
Video Producer / Digital Marketer / Gear Reviewer / Author
— http://www.AndyFordVideo.com —

[Thomas Clark]

Hi Neil,

If you are recording on a newer iPhone, it should have 4K as an option, if you are in the camera mode you can adjust that setting in the top right hand corner of the camera app. If its not there, it is in the settings. From there you can select your desired resolution, whether its 720p, 1080p, or 4k. I believe they have varying frame rates as well. All of which should be great for web use content!

I hope that helps

Best,

Thomas
Cinematrocity Video Production

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[Mark Suszko]

If you’re prompting at arm’s length on a laptop, you should reduce the size of the prompter screen output from full-screen to something smaller. This will fix the “eyes travel too far left and right” issue.

Your prompter software doesn’t offer that? Well, besides getting another one, a fallback could be using powerpoint and building the copy into a slideshow, centered at the top of each slide, then you could literally place the iPhone right below the copy, using rubber bands or some ingenuity.

The copy could also be rendered out as as scrolling credits in your NLE and operated in a quicktime or VLC player window on said screen. There are many ways to fix this problem; just takes imagination.