When filming a corporate interview or scripted video, sometimes a teleprompter isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. But choosing the right teleprompter setup can have a significant impact on how efficiently a production runs and how comfortable the person on camera feels.

At Mile High Films, we’ve used everything from traditional professional teleprompters with dedicated operators to iPad-based systems and large monitors positioned just off camera. Each approach has its place.

When a Professional Teleprompter Is Worth It

For a tightly scripted presentation, a professional teleprompter is usually the best option. And when time with executives or other talent is limited, having a dedicated teleprompter operator can be just as important as the equipment itself.

Scripts have a way of changing on set. A sentence doesn’t sound quite right when spoken aloud. A marketing executive wants to change a phrase. Legal asks for different wording. Or the person on camera simply wants to say something in a way that feels more natural.

A good teleprompter operator can make those changes quickly and keep the production moving. They can also adjust the scrolling speed to match the speaker’s natural delivery rather than forcing the speaker to keep pace with the technology.

On a busy Denver video production, saving five or ten minutes between takes can add up quickly—especially when you’re working with an executive who may only have an hour available.

iPad Teleprompters: Affordable and Convenient

iPad teleprompters have become incredibly capable, and they’re often the most cost-effective solution for smaller productions. There are numerous apps that allow a producer or crew member to control the prompter remotely through a Bluetooth device.

For the right project, they work great.

But they also introduce another layer of technology that can potentially cause problems. Bluetooth connections can drop. Apps can behave unexpectedly. Text needs to be transferred and formatted correctly. Batteries need to be monitored.

None of these things are major problems—until you have a CEO standing in front of the camera waiting for you.

There also tends to be more fiddling involved with an iPad system than with a dedicated professional prompter. And because you’re limited by the size of the tablet, an iPad prompter can’t provide the same large, easily readable display as a full-size system.

As a Denver videographer, our goal isn’t simply to find the least expensive piece of equipment that can do the job. It’s to choose a setup that makes sense for the production, the talent and the amount of time we have available.

Another Option: Put the Script Beside the Camera

There’s another approach that we recently used on a corporate shoot: a large TV monitor connected to a laptop and positioned beside the camera.

This isn’t a substitute for a teleprompter if the speaker needs to look directly into the lens. Their eyeline would obviously be off camera.

But for a corporate interview where the subject is intentionally speaking to an interviewer positioned beside the camera, it can be an excellent solution.

Instead of displaying a word-for-word script, the monitor can show talking points, questions, key statistics, product names or other information the speaker needs to remember. Because the screen doesn’t have to fit onto the camera, you can also use a large monitor that is extremely easy for the subject to see.

We used this approach on a recent corporate production and it worked extremely well. The speaker could maintain a natural off-camera eyeline while having the information they needed immediately available. It helped keep the conversation focused without making the interview feel scripted.

The Best Teleprompter Is the One That Fits the Production

There isn’t one teleprompter setup that’s right for every video shoot.

An iPad prompter can be a great economical solution for a relatively simple script. A full-size professional teleprompter and dedicated operator may be the better choice when working with executives, complicated scripts or a tight production schedule. And for an off-camera corporate interview, sometimes a large monitor with carefully selected talking points is more useful than a traditional prompter at all.

An experienced Denver production company should be able to look at the script, shooting style, talent and schedule and recommend the approach that will make the day run as smoothly as possible.

Ultimately, that’s what the technology is there to do. The audience shouldn’t be thinking about the teleprompter. They should simply see a confident, comfortable person delivering their message naturally.

For professional Denver video production, that’s the result that matters.