What is Teleprompting and how can my production benefit from using a Teleprompter?
Before teleprompters, there were cue cards. Teleprompting evolved in the 60’s as an aid to anyone who has to deliver lines directly to the camera. The original teleprompters involved hand-writing the script on a roll of paper (think “paper towels!”) then suspending a camera over the paper as it was hand-cranked to make the script scroll. The camera’s output was then fed to an up-facing monitor placed in front of the lens with a partially-silvered mirror fixed at a 45 degree angle in front of the studio camera’s lens, with the “taking” camera shooting through the glass. In this manner, the on-camera talent could deliver the script directly to the taking camera’s lens without having to memorize or look down to a hand-held script. Eye contact with the lens is very crucial to establishing credibility with the television audience, and anyone who has to deliver lines directly to camera can benefit from a prompter because credibility is increased and no memorization is required. This gives on
