Yesterday, I recorded a fully scripted 10 minute video in 15 minutes.
I haven't talked about this much, but a teleprompter might be the single best investment I've made in my YouTube workflow.
I've been using one for six months now.
And I want to give you my honest assessment, because depending on your content style, there's a good chance it can simplify your workflow and raise your production quality in a single swing.
Early on… (tell me if this sounds familiar)
Filming was painful.
I'd usually work from a bulleted outline, look at the camera, try to deliver a point, then come back to my notes and realize I'd missed virtually ALL of the points I wanted to make.
So I'd re-record the take.
Then I'd realize I was rambling and before you know it, I've got 40 minutes of raw footage for what should be a 12 minute video.
Sometimes I'd write a full script instead, which meant memorizing one sentence at a time, delivering it, then memorizing the next.
This was mind-numbingly difficult because I simply couldn't memorize a line to save my life, and I'd fumble through 10 takes of trying to get a single sentence out.
(Has that happened to you? Let me know so I know I'm not crazy)
But then… I caved.
There was a lot of resistance trying a teleprompter.
Like many of you, I prided myself on being authentic and imperfect so my viewers could relate to me.
Also, the technology itself kind of intimated me.
But here's what I've come to realize: it's easy to sound robotic when reading from a teleprompter. That part is true.
But it's a skill. And like everything else on YouTube, you get better at it.
With time and practice, writing your personality, stories, and humor into the script becomes second nature.
In fact, it's encouraged.
And, the technology is actually a lot simpler than I imagined. (see below)
Over the last 6 months I've recorded about 12 videos with the teleprompter, and each session has gotten progressively easier to setup and deliver, and for my editor, to edit.
Here's what my simple setup looks like.
Here's what I've noticed:
My videos are shorter and more value-packed. Zero rambling, which respects the viewer's time.
My writing is getting sharper because I'm forced to get to the core of what I actually believe about the things I'm teaching.
I think more intentionally about stories, analogies, and metaphors to keep viewers engaged.
Working with my editor became way more efficient because the footage is clean and tight from the start.
And one benefit I didn't expect:
I never miss a call to action.
If I want to direct people to my newsletter or a paid offer, it's written right into the script.
When you're rambling unscripted, that stuff gets lost.
To use a teleprompter well:
- Start writing scripts.
- Learn to write in your speaking voice.
- Write in your personality, humor, and stories.
- Rehearse like a madman to get comfortable with the flow, pacing and inflection so it comes out naturally during filming. (This is what turned my 40 minute rambles into 15 minute sessions)
What I use:
Hardware: Elgato makes two models — a 9-inch Prompter that's very affordable, and the Prompter XL with a 15.6-inch display ($600).
I went with the bigger one because my eyes aren't great and I wanted my camera further away. Either will do the job.
Software: Teleprompter.com — it's an app available on macOS and iOS.
*The Elgato Prompter comes with its own software for inputting your script into it BUT I don't recommend it because it kind of sucks.
I strongly recommend Teleprompter.com.
It's much easier to use and it has a voice tracking feature that scrolls through the script as you speak and it works very well. 🤯
Bottom line:
If filming feels like a grind, if you're spending too long in front of the camera, rambling, re-recording, or dreading the process, a teleprompter might be worth looking into.
It won't fix bad scripts (you still need to get good at that part), but it makes the filming part feel almost easy.
Six months in, I'm not going back.
Talk soon,
Ty
P.S. If simplifying your recording workflow is something you need help with, this is precisely the thing I help my clients with inside my 6-Month Momentum Builder mentorship program. Book a call here and let's talk about it.
