Career Overview: What I Do As a Teleprompter Operator
It’s hard to look casual. High production values can often be measured by what you don’t see on the show, whether it’s live or on television, and one diligent, necessary worker behind the scenes is the teleprompter operator.
You are probably familiar with the teleprompter idea from local news broadcasts and politicians’ speeches: their prepared words are scrolled across the screen in line-of-sight, usually bouncing off the glass so as not to obstruct the view or camera. … But you may not be aware that this is not automated at all – teleprompter operators control the text, its formatting, and the scrolling speed. Matching the speed of the text with the individual speaker (which can deviate at any moment) requires constant attention, so you cannot just set it and forget.
To learn more about this rare job, we spoke to teleprompter operator Mike Brown, who met with presidents and rock stars to work on improving their performances and performances.
First of all, tell us a little about your current job and how long you have been doing it.
I’ve been running as a prompter for about seven years now. I set up and use prompting systems for videos, public speaking, advertisements, TV shows, political events, concerts, and so on. Almost everywhere someone might need notes or prompts, I’ve been there with my prompts. I use several different systems, from “presidential” style glass blades (like Obama’s) to more traditional through-lens or on-camera prompts. I’ve also done interview-style prompters, which are basically just monitors on sticks.
Occasionally I get a call to make an Interrotron , where there are two prompts on two cameras, one aimed at the interviewer and the other at the interviewee. Each camera sends a signal to the opposite prompter screen, so people can see and react to each other, but they are looking into the camera lens, not to the side.
What prompted you to choose your career path?
I kind of got into a convertible. A friend needed help with his tips business, and I just got fired. I don’t know if I consider this to be the final trajectory of my career, time will tell, but so far it has been very interesting and rewarding.
How did you get a job? What kind of education and experience did you need?
The company I work for is very small, only about 10 people. I spoke with the owner and we talked about the needs and expectations of the company and how my experience resonates with them. Much of the work involved moving a lot of equipment, and I used to be in multiple groups, felt comfortable on stages and equipment, and could work quickly and accurately under pressure.
The other main part of the work is working with the program, preparing the script and scrolling it. I (like most people my age and younger) grew up with a computer on my lap, so it’s pretty straightforward. In fact, there is no need for any special education and most of the skills can be trained on the job. The trick is that you have to be able to work at different hours all the time, with different people almost every day, and you have to have a personality that is compatible with almost everyone else so that you don’t create friction or conflict. … Not everyone has that personality.
What are you doing besides what most people see? What do you actually spend most of your time on?
Depending on what type of gig I’m doing, the workload can be very different. In any environment, it is very important to work together with different departments or team members to make sure everyone has what they need and is ready to go when they need it.
If I perform at a concert, there will be a sound check and then a lot of downtime before the show. But I need to set up all my equipment and get the script or lyrics ready right away, even if artists can change the order of songs, add or remove songs at the last second. So there is a lot of stress here.
For public speaking, depending on the equipment I am using, it may take some time to get set up. Presidential style prompters are not easy to set up. If more than one person will use them, I must set the height and angle of the glass blades so that they can be read from a wide variety of heights. I also have to work with a film crew that does IMAG (live footage) so that they can get close-ups without prompting if possible. Clients often want to rehearse, so this can take from an hour to a full day. I was at work where the clients wanted to rehearse after a dinner party and everyone was tipsy and couldn’t keep together wasting time. I am also assigned to work that is canceled on the morning of the event, so I don’t have to go and I get paid.
By the way, President Obama is known for his penchant for prompters, but every politician who punishes him for doing so also uses them. I know because I suggested them all.
For video or commercials, I use a through-lens prompter, which is usually attached to a camera tripod. It can be very difficult to build such a setup because there are many different types of cameras, and they all seem to be getting smaller and lighter. I have to be able to find the attachment points on the camera, which add-ons need to be bypassed and roughly where everything will be attached. Some cameras have external controls for zoom, focus, and aperture that attach to the lens differently for each camera. I have to balance the entire setup using different mounting plates, sliding rods and sometimes adding weights to the back. Everything must be done carefully and securely, and usually very quickly. I also work with a production director (or DP), sound engineer, and sometimes several other people who are trying to connect their stuff to the camera at the same time as me.
Then the script is formatted. I get everything from Powerpoint presentations to Word files, PDFs, and sheet music. At the last second, I had to type in material by hand and was handed flash drives when the speaker took the stage. This usually happens to politicians because they are paranoid about the prompter changing the script, and they themselves make changes until the last second.
Ideally, I would like to have at least 30 minutes to work with the script, because I still have a lot to do. First I need to put the script into a state with one column and text. I like to give stage directions and names of performers in a different color so that the performer knows not to say, “You can believe in me, smile and look convincing.” I also like to add spacing where there is a natural opportunity to pause and take a breath. I also like to preview the script with a prompter to make sure there are no glitches or anomalies. Things like hyperlinks, tracked changes, markup, all the meta things modern word processors can do are really ruining my hint program. Depending on who I work with, there may be requirements for font, size and line spacing. Sometimes I fail to do what I like, and sometimes the client or talent has their own ideas of how things should look, so unless there is a really good reason, I just do what they want.
What misconceptions do people often have about your job? I think a lot of people think that teleprompters are somehow completely automated!
Most people have no idea how prompters work. The principle is the same for presidential style or through lenses. The monitor is positioned horizontally, and its image is reflected off the glass at an angle. The camera (or audience) cannot see the words, but the speaker can.
For some reason, an absurd number of people think that prompter blades are bulletproof shields.
Many speakers who have never worked with a prompter need a little mentoring to understand that I am scrolling at the same pace they speak, and not vice versa. Some speakers speed up, then I speed up to match them, then they speed up even more, then I speed up to match them, and they think I’m racing with them, and pretty soon we’re out of control. The directors come up to me and say: “He’s in a hurry, could you slow it down?” and I have to answer, “If I slow down, he just won’t have the words to say and he’ll look like a fool.” Some guidance systems can be foot pedal controlled using the speakers themselves, but this editorial craze seems to have subsided. Most MCs already have a producer in headphones, a script to follow, makeup, lights and all … they also don’t want the pressure of having to launch a prompter. But by and large, prompting a speech or script is very similar to playing music with someone. Learning the rhythm of their speech and working with it, knowing what to do if they are improvising something, is a skill that most of the time goes unnoticed even by the speakers themselves. Another case: “if you do right, nobody notices, but if you do wrong, he stands out.”
What’s your average uptime? Is this a normal 9 to 5 job or not?
I work when there is work. Sometimes at work they call at 5 am, sometimes at 7 pm. Some jobs last 2 hours, others several 16-hour days. The variety of concert types leads to crazy hours. Some videos require a certain look that can only be captured at dawn or dusk. It can often be difficult to shoot in busy locations during peak hours, so it’s best to do it early.
Many theaters and concert venues are unionized here, so everyone who works there must abide by union rules, whether you are a member or not. This means that you will have a break every few hours, that you cannot work until a certain time or after a certain time, and the like. They will actually kick you off the stage if you try to ignore them. This is a great luxury because interruptions are rare in many other workplaces. There are also quick tricks – jobs that take longer to create and demolish than filming. On the one hand, I like them because I get half a day no matter how short the job, but on the other hand, I live 25 miles out of town, so commuting sucks, especially for a two hour job.
What personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?
Efficiency and good habits are critical.
Packing my gear the same way every time means I don’t forget anything, which means I’m confident that everything was securely packed and ready for the next job.
I also try to arrive at least 15 minutes early, usually a little more if I’m not familiar with the meeting point, just so I can walk in, park, feel no rush, be present and focus on that client.
I have a package of nuts and bolts that are standard sizes for tripod and camera heads, and cable adapters so that if I need to connect something to something else, I can get this to work. I also keep the tools I need to do this with me. I use the cable winding method from top to bottom and I have Velcro cable ties. Because of this, I rarely have to deal with tangled cables and it makes setup and disassembly much faster.
I know my gear. I know how they fit together, how they work, how they can break, how to fix it if they break. I know what each button, switch, dial, knob, menu setting, in, out, screw thread, hole and slot does, and how to rearrange it to make it work in today’s unique situation. I’m also confident that even if something REALLY breaks in a way I’m not ready, I have the skills and tools to fix whatever comes my way. Also a crimson ribbon .
However, most of the shortcuts are in software. Mere knowledge of all the key commands saved me when the USB controller crashed in the middle of speech. The ability to quickly and easily navigate through the script is incredibly useful as well. Almost all tooltips allow you to set bookmarks throughout the document, which I use all the time, which is very convenient, especially during rehearsals. Let’s say, for example, I am holding an awards ceremony. There is a presenter who introduces several speakers who, in turn, introduce the winners and then make acceptance notes. If I have bookmarks for each speaker, I can quickly rehearse just for that person by switching between sections at the touch of a button. I also have it set to automatically use a specific font and size, which is a good baseline 85% of the time, so if I have to add the script and go, I know there is some consistency in that.
What are you doing differently from your colleagues or colleagues in the same profession? What are they doing instead?
Everyone in my company has a different skill set and each uses their own strengths. I am well versed in technology and the mechanics of things. I can embed a prompter in any camera system, on any stage, etc. I know the software like the back of my hand and can handle it quickly. Other operators work better with clients and talent, and develop their speaking, communication and networking skills. We each have our own style of prompts, as do all musicians in different ways. Some operators keep the speaker’s reading line at the very top. Some keep it somewhere in between. The rest are closer to the bottom. Some people set the prompter to one speed and make gradual adjustments as the speaker’s tempo changes. I drive at a pace and try to keep myself as fluid as possible with the speaker. We all have different color preferences for stage directions compared to performer names and VOG announcements [“voice of god,” industry term], etc., and some don’t use different colors at all. There are also several different types of handheld controllers and software, and this is just a matter of preference.
What’s the worst part of a job and how do you deal with it?
The worst part of my job is lack of information. Often events or filming takes place at the very last moment, like in fashion. Things like location, call times, precise transmission settings all flow seamlessly down to the last second. When I walk up to a guarded government building and can say to a security guard, “I’m here for video filming,” without giving my name, phone number, or even knowing what it was about, that’s not the best look. Often times I don’t know the show schedule or daily routine, so I don’t know where and when things like lunch for the team are happening, or what time they want to rehearse. The best way I have found is to find someone who can answer my questions and not lose sight of them throughout the presentation. If I pester them to death, they invariably toss me up the chain to someone more important, which is better anyway.
What is the most enjoyable part of the job?
I have met the President, the First Lady, almost all prominent politicians, many of my musical idols, such as Robert Plant, Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello, Bobby McFerrin, the list goes on. I understand all speech, not just the part that is taken out of context for the audio fragment. I find myself behind the scenes or behind the scenes next to some of the most important people on the planet as they literally make history. I’m not as famous as they are, but I can feel a little of their flame from a point of view that few people can.
How much money can you expect at your job?
Money can be very different. I work for a company and I know how much they charge, which is nowhere near what I earn, but I also get health insurance and I don’t have to do the “other half” of freelance work – working with phones. , message tracking, etc., so the tradeoff is worth it. As I mentioned above, I don’t have paid or sick leave, but I can also just be “unavailable” anytime I want. If you are self-employed, the money may be much better than I make, but the stress takes its toll.
How are you “progressing” in your field?
Most people move by moving. Some find work on the TV channel and go from prompter to assistant operator, producer and climb the career ladder. Some move to the side and start drawing graphics (Powerpoint) or sound, learn from someone, and from there learn and move up. I learned so much from helping set up lights and sound equipment and asking questions that I was able and confident enough to do a couple of my own photo shoots and video projects as a freelancer. Just knowing how a set works may be enough to open the door for you.
What do people underestimate / overestimate in what you do?
I think the most underestimated is the connection between me and the speaker. I made a metaphor for a musician, and it’s true. It takes skill to instantly understand the rhythm of a person’s speech, how they use pause and breathing, how they distinguish certain words from others, and most importantly, when and where they might deviate from the script, and what to do. when it happens. Some people will digress and return to the next line of the script. Other people will actually say the meaning of the next line, but they use different words, so I need to know how to scroll through it. Some people jump and they are probably the most difficult because there is nothing I can do to predict or soften their improvisations.
In addition, many clients openly object to the prices of my services. But they don’t always realize that I’m saving them money in the long run. Video filming with a prompter, which lasts 2 hours, without it will take 6-7 hours.
I have dealt with clients who, the first time I worked with them, complained about the price and asked how much it would cost to buy a prompter system directly. The second time I worked with them, they proudly showed me their new prompter system and asked me to teach me how to use it. And the third time I worked with them, their prompter system was collecting dust in the corner because no one could work with it properly.
What advice would you give to those who want to become your profession?
Apply for an internship at a TV studio or production company. There are not many hint companies out there, but they are almost always looking for new people. Be reliable, polite, professional, respectful. The rest is easy.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.