Teleprompter Practice Tips

 

Helping you sound your best at your next meeting for Over 20 Years

If you have never worked with a teleprompter before, you are probably wondering:

“How does a Teleprompter Work?”

A teleprompter is basically a computer monitor that displays text and then reflects that text onto transparent glass that reflects the text back to the reader.

The words appear in front of the lens of a camera where the speaker is able to see the text. The text is not visible to the camera or the audience.

If you would like a teleprompter practice script we have a copy of the

“Steve Jobs Commencement Address at Stanford 2005” below. You can use this as a “teleprompter test” by scrolling and reading out loud.

Top tips for reading on a teleprompter are

Slow your speech – Most speakers speed up their speech, especially when they are nervous. Try to take a deep breath before you start and speak at your normal pace if you were perhaps telling a story to a child.

Be comfortable with Gestures – A common question is “What should I do with my hands when speaking on a teleprompter?” The answer is Act Naturally!

While speaking , do what you would normally do when speaking to a friend while standing. Try to avoid no movement or too much movement that maybe distracting to your audience. Natural movements include shifting your weight from one foot to another or using your hands to emphasis a point of your speech. You want the audience to focus on what your saying and the story your telling first and foremost.

What should you not have to worry about?

A few traps that you should not have to worry about with an experienced teleprompter operator are

• Eye movement (your operator should know how to adjust the text and your distance to avoid any eye movement )
• Reading speed – your operator will adjust the reading speed in the perfect pace for you to comfortably see all the words of your speech
• Spacing and punctuation – Some readers can read with very little punctuation and others require a more structured sentence structure to read through the speech. Your operator should be formatting the text after your read through to make it more comfortable to your preference.

If you would like us to help you practice or in need of some teleprompter training for your next speech either in person or via a Zoom call please Call 800-884-1643. All operators have a minimum experience of at least 100 different prompter events.