How to read a Prompter

It is important to go through the script several times before recording or presenting in front of an audience in order to get to know the structure and content better. This gives you the opportunity to make possible individual improvements and prepare for difficult words or abbreviations.
Avoid reading the script for the first time in front of the camera or audience to avoid confusion and mistakes.

Pro Tip: Since only you see the text in the teleprompter, it is important that you include long words with hyphens or words that are difficult to pronounce in your script and indicate how to pronounce them correctly. You can also use the option of coloring individual letters, parts of words or even entire words in your script in order to highlight certain parts of words or add emphasis.

To appear natural and authentic, it is advisable to use informal language that is similar to the way you normally speak. If you use a speaking style that differs significantly from your normal way of speaking, you run the risk of stumbling over your own words and sounding unnatural.
This can give the listener the impression that the text has been read out too much.

Pro Tip:


It can be helpful to take a few test shots with a teleprompter to get used to working with this tool. These recordings can be made completely independently of a planned event. It is then advisable to analyze the recordings together with people you know well and who write your speeches. This can help you make improvements and ensure that the text is clear and understandable.

The best way to write a script for the teleprompter can be found here

To ensure that the teleprompter text is understandable, you should go through it thoroughly before you start recording or presenting to an audience. Avoid superfluous or unnecessary information and try to remain factual and objective. This promotes concentration on the important content and prevents distractions.

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Your audience does not see the text you are reading, they only listen to you and must be able to follow you. Avoid an overly complex structure. Use language that is easy to understand.

It is completely normal to be unaccustomed to reading from a teleprompter and to have the feeling that the text is “running away” from you.

It is important not to rush and try to read quickly from the teleprompter. Instead, you should try to speak slowly and calmly to achieve a more natural appearance.
This helps to ensure that the message is better received by the audience and that you come across as confident. Therefore, follow your own pace and adapt your speaking speed to your language difficulty and the content.

Pro Tip:


Insist on an experienced prompter operator. It’s important to have an experienced teleprompter operator who can help you maintain a steady speaking speed and prevent you from going too fast.
It can be particularly helpful for inexperienced speakers to get to know the operator briefly in person before the recording or presentation in order to build up trust and put themselves at ease.
A professional operator plays an essential role in ensuring that your presentation runs smoothly.

This creates trust and reassures you.

When using a teleprompter, make sure that the prompter is not too large when you are at a close distance.
Make sure that your eyes do not move back and forth while reading, similar to watching a tennis match.
If your eyes visibly move back and forth, this could indicate that the prompter is too large for the selected distance or that the mirror is too close to you.
An experienced operator or rental company should advise you accordingly and ensure that the prompter is the right size for your application.

The font size in the teleprompter should be chosen so that you can read it easily and comfortably.
A font that is too large can lead to too many syllable divisions, which makes reading unnatural and tiring for the eyes and concentration. Therefore, choose a font size that is comfortable for you to read in order to maintain the fluidity of the text.

Pro Tip: Insert a blank line after each sentence. They emphasize better and can breathe better.

There may always be some words in the script that are difficult for you to pronounce or are not “compatible” with you.
Feel free to replace them with your own words.

The teleprompter operator will continue to control your text. If you “slip up” a word, do not try to improve it. A study by Progl+Gerlach has shown that when listeners do not understand a word correctly, they do not blame the speaker, but themselves. The listener will try to concentrate better on listening. Only when you try to correct a “misplaced” word with all your might will the listener realize that the mistake is yours. By staying in the flow of your speech, you will appear more professional.

Depending on the type, you should use your body language when reading from a teleprompter. One of the great advantages of reading from a teleprompter is that you don’t have to concentrate fully on the content of your script, allowing you to focus more time and attention on your body language and pronunciation.
With good body language and pronunciation, you can convey your message even better and hold the audience’s attention

Pro Tip Conference Prompter: To avoid appearing stiff, you should consciously move lightly.
However, you should not move too much and too fast.
It is advisable to keep your eyes on one part of the audience for a while before turning to the other part.
However, avoid changing your gaze too regularly, as this could make you look like you’re watching a tennis tournament.
Also use your hands to look more natural.

Pro tip camera prompter: If you only read the text from the teleprompter and do not move, it will be obvious that you are reading from the prompter. Without movements and without an expression on your face, it will look as if you are reading the text against your will.
To appear more natural, try to move your head and face slightly and show emotional expressions to match your content.

Teleprompters are technical devices that have been developed for maximum reliability, but even the best device can break down.
Despite all precautions against possible failures, there is still a very small residual risk, for example that someone might accidentally pull a plug.
Paper, on the other hand, has no glitches. Although it has never happened at events managed by Progl+Gerlach Rental that a speaker has had to fall back on his paper script, it gives the speaker the security of knowing that he has a plan B in case of an emergency.

If you want to use a teleprompter for a stage presentation, you should take a look at how board members use the conference teleprompter at annual general meetings or US presidents at events. Notice how they pause, how they change speed, how they change their tone of voice and how they move their body.

If you are using a camera prompter to record a video message, for example, you can also look at newsreaders or presenters in magazines to see how they use the prompter. Look closely at how they move their head and how they use gestures and facial expressions.