(Conflict of interest indicator on this opinion: 10 out of 10! I'm a prompter operator for hire!)
The iPad-iPhone-iPod Prompting System from ProPrompt sniffs other Apple devices and wirelessly unifies the prompting effort, so that various iPods/iPhones/iPads can act as controllers and slaves for a wireless prompter solution. I haven't tried it or seen it in person but it seems worth talking about.
Both iPads and iPhones act as either/both the LCD under the semi-reflective glass, and the prompter character generator. One unit is under the camera, and the other (optionally) is in-hand acting as a remote control.
Part of their solution is software based - a license for iPads, iPhones, and iTouch is $9.99.
They also have a version that pushes scripts to reporters in war zones exlusively.
The hardware price points vary. For example they offer an iPad bracket and mount that on your stand, but the talent won't be looking directly into the camera. They also offer a range of TelePrompTer style rigs based on Apple products, as well as their one rig that works on DSLR's up to ENG/Studio cameras.
TECHNIQUE POINT
What you may or may not know about shooting, is that film works at the level of registering how someone is thinking about something. The camera-subject relationship aligns the audience with events and people. So if someone is supposed to be looking either at a) someone else or b) you-the-camera, and that's off by even the slightest degree, I-as-audience, feel that person is disconnected from my "reality" as defined by the camera. So the decision to move the script off the camera lens is extremely crucial, and one that shouldn't be taken lightly.
Basically the cost of the prompter is worth the cost of the project because it's a critical point of failure - have you ever spoken to someone who can't look at you? or have you seen someone not looking a the person they were supposed to be talking to even a little bit? I know! They look crazy, right?
My two cents: The talent should be doing nothing other than reading the prompter. The should not be scrolling it, which demands a kind of distracted attention of their presence that cannot-but-register on camera, no matter how talented they are. Their entire presence should be focused on connecting to people with the material running through them. Always try to have a separate operator who is skilled enough to keep the relationship between the talent and the material seamless.
Obviously, the one or two-man band that newsrooms frequently deploy obviate this. I'm just trying to illustrate a goal and some points. Your mileage may vary.
Of course the most optimal is no prompter, but that's not always optimal when there are legal implications of what is being said.
(Conflict of interest indicator on this opinion: 10! I'm a prompter operator for hire! But I believe in this logic 100% as I am also a classically trained actor, and have also worked in newsrooms. While the neural stress may make the person onscreen more engaging, it's not really the right kind of tension that develops trust -- it just makes the talent look medicated, in a bad way.)
NEWSROOM/REPORTER APPLICATION
This apparently makes it easy for reporters to "scroll their own" in the field and in the studio. From live updates, to stories that fall through, to demanding weather conditions, they have a lot to cope with while trying to look like they marched straight out of Brooks Brothers or Nordstrom's, as the world turns around them.
It also allows producers and associate producers to push scripts to repoters (via email) to update their stories in the field.
Those who worked during 9/11 remember the long hours of talking about the same thing over and over again with no end in sight and no new information except for a rushed words just before air from their producer. As we seem to be living in an era of increased possiblities of 9/11's, climate change disasters, and the manipulation of commodities prices that is precipitating revolutions that demand 24/7 coverage, this seems like an excellent way to push volumes of timely copy to reporters on a relatively inexpensive setup.
What's the value? Basically it's how much gripping air time you can generate by keeping your talent on-air longer with cutting edge truth waiting to be spoken. How many commercials can you weave in around live updates that are geniunely useful and new?
With this the talent can be hands-free (which frees up their musculature to appear more relaxed and natural), rather than do the look into the camera - look into the iPad - look into the camera - look into the iPad thing.
There are some costs though: do you really want reporters to be virtually paperless? Paper may not be the most reproduceable media any more, but it certainly seems to be extremely durable compared to LCD displays powered by batteries.
LIVE/STUDIO/DOCUMENTARY/FILM/SITCOM/WEBISODE APPLICATION
In a secure location it seems very useful. A key concern will be the daylight visibility of the i-series devices, and syncing updates with the writer/producer so that changes can be made rapidly.
I'm going to be scheduling an interview with ProPrompter to discuss various (newsroom, sitcom, film, hosting demo, field) applications, advantages, limitations, cost/benefit, ease of use and integration into newsroom environments, and any other issues.
Do you have any questions? Email a text or MP3 of your question, and I'll be happy to pose them during the interview. I'll use your first-name only and not disclose your email on-air or blog.
Have you tried the software or the hardware? In what environment? How did it work? Comments are welcomed.
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