AIM TV Studio Production Class - notes - Teleprompter (for training purposes)

AIM has three studio cameras available to be used during productions. One of these has a speciality purpose. It is the Teleprompter camera.

A teleprompter is a display device that prompts the talent with an electronic visual text of a speech or a script.

Since the basic functions of the three (3) studio cameras are virtually the same, the focus of this document will be the set up and operation of the teleprompter and not the camera functions. Those functions have been covered in a previous lesson.

Take a look at some of the features on the teleprompter:

Clear glass or beam splitter

1

2

Setting up the Teleprompter

Move the camera into position in the studio where you plan to use it

• many productions use this for the host camera

Connect the BNC cable* that is stored on the camera control arm with the focus controller

...to the telepromter output on the studio wall panel

*BNC - Bayonet Neill-Concelman Connector - is a type of coaxial RF (Radio frequency) electrical connector that is used in place of coaxial connectors

Plug an extension cord into the electrical outlet near the studio doors

Run the extension cord to the teleprompter camera and plug in the teleprompter AC power supply.

The teleprompter screen will be BLUE until a signal is sent to it from the teleprompter computer in the control room

Meanwhile...in the Control Room...

Turn on the teleprompter computer (Sony VAIO laptop)

Login PW = password

In the blank screen that appears, script text can be entered manually

When the script is ready to be sent to the teleprompter in the studio, click on the prompt now button in the tool bar

The script will appear on both the teleprompter camera in the studio as well as a prompter screen on the control room laptop

NOTE: scripts can be created ahead of time using MSWord or other text editing apps and then pasted into the script editor screen

Double Click the QPro Teleprompter app icon located in the computer taskbar to launch the app

Teleprompter Controller

Use the Shuttle PRO controller to control the QPro teleprompter in Prompt Now mode

Turn the jog/shuttle wheel to the right to scroll down through the script

Turn the jog/shuttle wheel to the left to scroll up through the script

Use the Prev Marker button to jump back to a previous point in the script that has a marker

Use the Next Marker button to jump forward in the script to a point that has a marker

Use the Reset R. O button to bring the teleprompter back to the beginning of the script

Use the Blank Screen button to turn the prompter to stand by mode during a production

• this is useful if talent gets easily distracted

• press the Blank Screen button again to return to Prompt Now mode

NOTE:

The further you turn to the jog/shuttle wheel to the right the faster the text scroll speed will be

To pause, bring the wheel to the left until the scroll stops. Moving the wheel farther to the left will cause the script to scroll backwards.

Remember that the scroll speed should be dictated by the talent, NOT the teleprompter operator.