Camera setup
A practical teleprompter setup for video recording
Good prompting is mostly geometry: the words, lens, and speaker need to line up. You can get a convincing result with a laptop, tablet, or phone before investing in dedicated glass.
Updated August 23, 2026
01
Choose the simplest workable rig
For a webcam, place a small browser window directly below the lens. For a camera several feet away, a tablet near the lens can work. Beam-splitter glass is useful when direct eye contact is critical; horizontal mirroring makes the reflected text readable.
02
Match text size to distance
Set your camera first, sit or stand in the final position, and increase the font until reading is effortless. Do not compensate for small text by leaning toward the screen. Narrow the text column if your eyes visibly travel across each line.
The focus guide should sit close to lens height. It keeps the current phrase in a predictable place and reduces vertical eye movement.
03
Protect the recording
A browser teleprompter is intentionally simple, but the rest of the device can still interrupt a take.
- Turn on Do Not Disturb and close messaging apps.
- Connect power and prevent automatic sleep.
- Use fullscreen to remove browser chrome once the script is ready.
- Keep a local backup of the script in your writing app for long productions.
04
Balance reading and performance
Keep your head movement natural, blink normally, and look away when the moment calls for it. If the scroll runs ahead while you gesture or demonstrate something, pause it. The audience notices rushed delivery more than a clean edit.
05
Run a short camera test
Record thirty seconds and watch only the eyes. If they sweep left to right, narrow the text. If they drift downward, move the focus position up. If the voice becomes flat, slow the scroll and rewrite long sentences.