HOSTING NEWBIE: WHERE DO HOSTS USUALLY HAVE THE SCRIPT THEY ARE READING? AND...TIPS ON HOW TO LOOK

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
October 7, 2021
4 replies
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HELLO.

I WOULD LIKE TO REFER TO MY SCRIPT WHEN I HOST; MY QUESTION IS- HOW DO I BALANCE LOOKKING INTO THE CAMERA ON MY LAPTOP WHILE OCCASSIONALLY REFERRING TO MY SCRIPT?

IS THERE A FUNCTION THAT I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT WILL ROLL MY SCRIPT ALONG THE TOP OF MY SCREEN?

TIPS ON HOW TO LOOK LIKE I AM LOOKING AT PARTICAPNTS, i.e. tips on exactly where to look on my laptop qould be GREATLY appreciated!

Best answer by TheMysticReader

Nicole, I cannot answer all of your questions but here are a few things I have used.

NOTE I AM A LOW TECH PERSON and also could no justify big expenditures at my level of Zoom use for now:
1) Just as an aside: Most important to make sure that you are well lit. This is not expensive to do, See youtube for suggestions. Also consider using the "enhance me" feature on Zoom (sorry I have forgotten the name of that option.) It softens the focus by degrees.

2) Yes! Look into your laptop camera lens AMAP. I have taped a hand drawing of two eyes next to my laptop lens to remind me to look into the camera (meaning as if into the eyes of my audience.) It works!

3) For one off, cheap note checking...without buying a Teleprompter... some choices to try:
a) Be honest and tell the audience that you have notes to refer to -- don't try to pretend you are not checking notes because then you just look shifty eyed and guilty and you do not take the proper time needed to read your own prompts confidently.

b) Write out your script or high points on a large white board or flip chart and place it strategically behind your computer/camera where you can take quick glances for reminders of what you want to say without glancing to far off lens. Record samples and find the least distracting placement relative to your eye movements,
c) Print out a sheet and tap it or prop it in a place for easy quick glances. Also no harm in glancing down at a sheet in your hand if you have already told them that you will be checking your notes.
d) Use the split screen feature of Windows 10 (sorry I don't know Apple) to split your view with Zoom session on one side and your scripted document on the other. Use an extra large font on your prompt doc so it is easy to read,

4) Invest in a real teleprompter they are getting cheaper now and some are apps that run on a tablet. See youtube for tons of videos on different things people have set up with their scripts and teleprompters.

Good luck!

Rupert

Community Champion | Customer

Hi @NicoleG

There are various ways, but really the only real way is with an "Interrotron" - which is a teleprompter used for face-to-face (eye-to-eye) communication. You can also use it as a teleprompter - for your script. Or both. I overlay one over the other.

With an Interrotron you will be looking straight down the lens when you are looking at your guests, or when reading a script.

https://www.google.com/search?q=interratron

https://www.google.com/search?q=teleprompter

https://prompterpeople.com/

There are things like the https://www.plexicam.com/ but all paths lead to a teleprompter-interrotron.

N

NicoleGAuthor

Newcomer

THANK YOU RUPERT.

I AM A LAY PERSON AND I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT; THIS SEEMS A BIT OUT OF MY TECH ABILITY.

THANK YOU AGAIN!

T

TheMysticReaderAnswer

Newcomer

Nicole, I cannot answer all of your questions but here are a few things I have used.

NOTE I AM A LOW TECH PERSON and also could no justify big expenditures at my level of Zoom use for now:
1) Just as an aside: Most important to make sure that you are well lit. This is not expensive to do, See youtube for suggestions. Also consider using the "enhance me" feature on Zoom (sorry I have forgotten the name of that option.) It softens the focus by degrees.

2) Yes! Look into your laptop camera lens AMAP. I have taped a hand drawing of two eyes next to my laptop lens to remind me to look into the camera (meaning as if into the eyes of my audience.) It works!

3) For one off, cheap note checking...without buying a Teleprompter... some choices to try:
a) Be honest and tell the audience that you have notes to refer to -- don't try to pretend you are not checking notes because then you just look shifty eyed and guilty and you do not take the proper time needed to read your own prompts confidently.

b) Write out your script or high points on a large white board or flip chart and place it strategically behind your computer/camera where you can take quick glances for reminders of what you want to say without glancing to far off lens. Record samples and find the least distracting placement relative to your eye movements,
c) Print out a sheet and tap it or prop it in a place for easy quick glances. Also no harm in glancing down at a sheet in your hand if you have already told them that you will be checking your notes.
d) Use the split screen feature of Windows 10 (sorry I don't know Apple) to split your view with Zoom session on one side and your scripted document on the other. Use an extra large font on your prompt doc so it is easy to read,

4) Invest in a real teleprompter they are getting cheaper now and some are apps that run on a tablet. See youtube for tons of videos on different things people have set up with their scripts and teleprompters.

Good luck!

N

NicoleGAuthor

Newcomer

Thank you Mystic!

Both the f=guidance on lighting, where exactly to look at my HB (running on Windows 10) and the flip chart and posting it behind my laptop are soo actionable and what I was hoping for ...down to earth advice!

Could you elaborate with so stupid simple specifics on the split screen...am I able to put my Word doc on the other side of my screen (thereby negating the need to set up a whiteboard or flip chart)?

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR INSIGHT!!!

T

TheMysticReader

Newcomer

Sorry Nicole -- I did not see this further question until today.

I learned how to do split screen on Windows 10 just by typing that into my browser "Using split screen on Windows 10?" So do that look up so that you get a fuller explanation.

What I do:
1. I go to my Zoom meeting screen, put it on full screen, and then I hold the "Window Key." (Or some call it system key. It is four white panes of a window, between Fn and Alt, bottom left of keyboard.) With it held down I hit my RIGHT arrow key and it puts my Zoom session on the right side.
1. I go to my MSWord screen, put my document view as READ Mode or WEB Mode so that the edit and navigation panes disappear and its a fuller screen, clean doc view (there may be even cleaner, better ways to do this using Print to File, etc.) Then I press and hold the "Window Key" and, with it held down, I hit my LEFT arrow key and it puts my MSWord doc prompting doc on the left side.

SEE SCREEN SHOT ATTACHED FOR A SAMPLE OF THAT SPLIT.