Late one evening (about 10pm), a long-time client Walker called to request a prompter for 8am the next morning. We were able to help. And he followed with this email:
“A lot of what we were shooting today was people going beyond the call of duty. So along those lines, let me say that I have really appreciated our ‘partnership’. There are not many people that I can call on just ten hours notice. Thanks for being there today.”
After a multi-day project prompted by operator tech Renee, a client wrote,
“As a media trainer and presentation coach working with teleprompter operators all over the country, my recent experience with Dallas Prompter exceeded all expectations.
“Part of the job at an annual conference was to prep presenters for their big speeches before two thousand peers. Some had used prompters before and some had not, and operator Renee Roberts gave comforting reassurance that she was there to follow their lead. Many last minute changes were no problem, and the running joke at dress rehearsals was that she must be reading minds, completing changes on the prompter before the speakers finished making them from the podium.
“Renee’s extra effort was key in successful presentations. Our leaders got to know her on a first-name basis and all were grateful for her calm attentiveness.
“Thank you Renee and Dallas Prompter.
You made my job easier and everyone looked great.”
— Mark W., Boston, MA
We were hired to prompt a video about a silicon chip that operates with very low-power. To make the point, they produced a short video with the designers giving a demo of the chip — powered by the acid from a strawberry.
When I arrived, the producer explained the project. We would record the chip designer (on-prompter) as he introduced the device, break from the prompter and shoot b-roll as they connected the chip to the strawberry, and then finish with the designer back on camera, reading from the prompter.
During the prompter break, I watched as they tried to connect the wires to the strawberry and the chip. It was a bit of a struggle, the wires didn’t stay in the strawberry, the chip and berry wouldn’t stay in position, and setting it up took more effort than expected.
They were finally successful. The LCD clock came to life and began counting off seconds. The crew and I watched this for a few moments. The producer turned to me and said, “okay, now let’s rebuild the prompter.”
I was about to spring into action, but something was bothering me. I didn’t remember anyone saying “roll camera.” So I asked the producer, “Don’t you need a shot of the chip and strawberry working?”
“Oh right,” he said, “thanks for reminding me!”
We’re often asked if we can mount a prompter to whatever camera is new and popular. And the answer is yes, we can build a prompter on almost anything.
And this photo proves the point. It’s a throwback to the days when my video production colleagues were first learning how to shoot high-end video projects on DSLR cameras.
In this case, we have a Canon 5D bolted to a power frame, and buried under a monitor, sound gear, and various cables. And it’s paired up with one of our 15″ high bright prompters. (You don’t have to be outside to use a high bright monitor.)
As the camera assistant and I built this on the fluid head, we ran into a problem. Even with the Sachtler wedge plate locked in place, we could wiggle the whole rig. It was loose inside the receptacle.
Our camera and prompter package wasn’t going to pop off the Satchler, but we knew it would displease our director of photography.
Thanks to the excellent resources at MPS Studios (where we were shooting), we were able to quickly swap it out for a better fitting plate.
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P.O. Box 571233
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