Yes, we offer a 4-hour on-site rate.

Our flat panel prompters range from 6 lbs. to 20 lbs. Most of these are universal, working seamlessly with most professional cameras and tripods. However, some of our prompters will fit your specific needs better than others, and some rarer camera configurations will ONLY work with a very specific type of prompter. Bottom line: Give us any details you have regarding the camera and tripod, along with your shoot details, so we can supply the prompter best suited to your shoot. The more info you give us, the more tailored the solution.

No problem! We know which prompters will offer the optimal weight, size, and hood clearance for wide angle lenses to get the job done right.

Yes, our smallest thru-the-lens prompter adds only 6 lbs. to your camera, but the cameraman will determine how long is too long to go handheld.

Perhaps, but we haven’t run into them yet. Some of our prompters will work better than others when it comes to things like long lenses or large matte boxes. BUT, other attachments such as the Reflecmedia Light Ring will ONLY work with a specific type of prompter. Give us the details… we’ll give you a solution.

The glass will block ¼ to ½ stop.

Yes, but we must know ahead of time. Pre-planning needs to include power, prompter visibility in sunlight, and operator preparedness.

Yes, to scripts@speakeasyprompters.com. In fact, we prefer to get scripts ahead of time. We’ll reformat and prepare them for teleprompting, so that we can arrive on site ready to go. Any preproduction script prep that takes over 30 minutes will incur a small hourly charge. But that’s time you won’t have to spend on shoot day, thereby offering a great return on investment! If you don’t have scripts available beforehand, bring them to the shoot on a USB flash drive in any of the formats listed below. But keep in mind, preparing a lengthy script on site may eat into some of your shoot time.

We can work with whatever you’re using. The most common files are .doc, .docx, .rtf, and .txt files. We’ll need to reformat whatever files you give us for teleprompting. If you’d like to save some prep time and possible charges, you can take out anything that won’t be prompted, like the video column, headings, and any copy not to be recorded during the job for which you’ve hired us.

Yes, we can, but let us know ahead of time so we can send our most optimal prompter for PowerPoint graphics. We can take both .ppt and .pptx.

• On-camera: The prompter is attached to the camera unit. On-camera doesn’t necessarily mean “thru-the-lens.” It can be an on-camera “over the lens.”
• Over-the-lens: Usually on-camera, but above the camera lens, meaning your talent will not be looking directly into the camera. As long as your talent remains a good distance away from the camera, you can assimilate a good eyeline.
• Thru-the-lens: This is the most common type of prompter and will always have the piece of reflective glass which displays your copy. While most “thru-the-lens” prompters are also “on-camera,” they don’t have to be used that way. By simply placing the prompter on an adjustable stand with the glass positioned in front of the lens, it becomes an “off-camera,” solving weight issues, but greatly limiting pans and tilts.
• Off-camera: The prompter is not attached to the camera unit. Typically, it’s a monitor on an adjustable stand placed on either side of the lens (interview style), or “over–the-shoulder” of talent (interaction style). But “off-camera” can also refer to a “thru-the-lens” prompter placed on a stand in front of the camera.
• Side Monitor: This will always be off-camera. It can be used interview style or interaction style -- for example, between a host and guests or between actors in a skit. Your script will dictate whether you need multiple side monitors or a combination of side monitors and thru-the-lens prompters.
• Standalone: This prompter is always on its own adjustable stand. It can be placed “thru-the-lens” or elsewhere on your set.

We'll offer as much or as little help as you'd like. We can sit quietly in the background, or we can give your talent a quick “Prompter 101” course. Most importantly, we can assist them in editing their script to be conversational -- spoken in their own words, not read.

Our operators come from several different backgrounds – some with journalism, communications, and media degrees, some with TV news experience, and some with impressive executive assistant credentials.

Here’s what you can expect from SpeakEasy operators:

• Computer savvy
• Quick, proficient typists and transcriptionists
• Mastery of the equipment we provide
• Professional set-etiquette, including knowing when to speak up, when to stay quiet, and when to defer to the powers that be
• Personable, experienced and dependable
• Service-oriented, anticipating your needs and delivering above and beyond the expected!

Our operators have many years of “in the trenches” experience! So go ahead… SpeakEasy – we’ve got you covered.

Yes, to scripts@speakeasyprompters.com. In fact, we prefer getting scripts ahead of time. We’ll reformat and prepare them for teleprompting so that we can arrive on show site ready for more. Any preproduction script prep that takes over 30 minutes will incur a small hourly charge. But that’s time you won’t have to spend on show site, thereby offering a great return on investment! Any subsequent scripts can be brought to the show site on a USB flash drive in any of the formats listed below, or sent via email pending internet access in the ballroom.

We can accept just about anything. The most common files are .doc, .docx, .rtf, and .txt. We can even use your notes from .ppt and .pptx files. Just send us what you have and we’ll take care of formatting it for teleprompting.

Yes… just give us your PowerPoint file (.ppt or .pptx). We’ll extract your notes and during rehearsals you can add to them as you see fit, so that you’ll not forget to address any important details. We can scroll your notes as bullets in our teleprompter software, complete with color-coded title headings and cues. If you prefer, we can even “advance” your bullets page by page rather than “scroll.”

They’re expected. In fact, we encourage changes throughout the rehearsals. But keep in mind, as showtime nears, you’ll want to be as familiar with your copy as possible. If that copy has been in a perpetual state of change, or if you’re making drastic last-minute revisions, you’ll have missed the opportunity to really become comfortable with your copy before “showtime.”

We’ll offer as much or as little help as you’d like. We can give your presenters a quick how-to “Prompter 101” course or a more advanced mini-workshop addressing how they can best utilize prompter according to their delivery style. The most beneficial thing we can do for presenters is to help them edit their script to be more conversational and in their own words, making it easy to speak– rather than read.

Jerry Seinfeld once quoted a survey that found more people feared having to speak in public than feared death itself. Therefore, he surmised, at any given funeral, more people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. With that said, we know how uncomfortable people can be about speaking in front of an audience. We, at SpeakEasy Prompters, aim to deliver on our namesake, using a variety of tools.

• The Presidential System: This type of prompter can be a great tool to make public speaking easier. While presenters appear to be looking at the audience, they’re actually reading their copy on the glass panels, and the audience slips into the background. The podium itself can be a comforting anchor.
• The Words: We can help craft the speech into your presenter’s own words, making it conversational and natural to speak. When our operators work closely with presenters throughout their edit sessions and rehearsals, we become an invaluable lifeline and a trusted partner, providing confidence and support. SpeakEasy is committed to your success.
• The Rehearsals: When your speech is scripted, you don’t have to worry about what you’re going to say. Now you can focus on how you’re going to say it, and with some gentle coaching, each rehearsal gets easier and each delivery becomes more relaxed.
• The Control: For some presenters, the reluctance to use the prompter stems from a fear of losing control over what and how they present. Just knowing they have choices can be reassuring. But maintaining control over their presentation, including which tools and methods to utilize, is paramount to their on-stage comfort. We can lay out the options and list the benefits. However, in the end, you can lead a presenter to prompter, but you can’t (and shouldn’t) make them use it.

Our operators come from several different backgrounds – some with journalism, communications, and media degrees, some with TV news experience, and some with impressive executive assistant credentials.

Here’s what you can expect from SpeakEasy operators:

• Computer savvy
• Quick, proficient typists and transcriptionists
• Mastery of the equipment we provide
• Professional set-etiquette, including knowing when to speak up, when to stay quiet, and when to defer to the powers that be
• Personable, experienced and dependable
• Service-oriented, anticipating your needs and delivering above and beyond the expected!

Our operators have many years of “in the trenches” experience! So go ahead… SpeakEasy – we’ve got you covered.

The choice is entirely up to you, but here are some things to consider. Scripting word for word will give you a more carefully crafted, formal “presidential” style of address. It will also help you achieve the following:

• Better control over the content and stay “on message”
• Articulate a complex issue without struggling for the “right” words
• Bring relief to your Human Resources or Legal Department with a carefully crafted “approved” address
• Come across as an expert in the content you’re delivering, even if you’re not. (Think “Presidential Address” – can he possibly be an expert on all of those complex topics? He doesn’t have to be… he just needs to read the words the experts have written for him.)
• Deliver your message within a given time allotment

Using “bullet points” or “talking points” for your presentation will help you to communicate in a more relaxed conversational manner, as long as you’re very familiar with your content. Bullet points work like a road map showing you where you are right now in your presentation and where you’re going next. They can offer the following benefits:

• Freely speak around each bullet, expounding or condensing at will.
• Connect with your audience using a more casual “off-the-cuff” delivery style.
• Don’t have time to write a script? You can use your notes from your PowerPoint file as a starting point, and then during your rehearsals, you can add any additional information you want to be sure to cover.

Both systems offer advantages. It comes down to your personal preference and speaking style. The big question you need to ask is, “Do I feel more comfortable standing behind a podium or moving freely on the stage?” Consider the following:

The Presidential:

You’ve undoubtedly seen many U.S. Presidents use this system to delivery their addresses -- hence the name. Using the Presidential System will provide several advantages:

• You may find it more comfortable to stand behind the podium.
• Your prompted copy will be closer to you, making it easier to see.
• It will automatically offer you great eye contact with your audience.

Floor monitors:

These are nothing more than multiple TV’s placed right in front of the stage, which will display your script (or bullet points) and your graphics. Floor monitors can provide the following advantages:

• Freedom to move about the stage. And if you’re a comfortable speaker, this can create a more dynamic stage presence.
• No podium and no glass to obstruct you from the view of the audience, and also the view from the cameras that will be putting your image up on the big screen.
• Less dependence on your script.

Because of the location of the floor monitors, you should practice breaking away from the prompted copy every so often, in order to make eye contact with your audience. These “break away” moments can be determined ahead of time and even “cued” within the prompter copy. This can also lead to a more conversational delivery.

There may be cases when you won’t have a choice, due to what your company has requested for your convention. But regardless, we'll help you to best utilize whatever tools are available in order to best communicate your message.

SpeakEasy Prompters delivers more than just your lines. We deliver a professional, dependable service, focused on your success.