On the other hand, if you’re working on a production that requires a $280 teleprompter, there’s a good chance you’ve got something better than a $130 webcam. That’s why Elgato includes a pair of alternative backplates. One, a universal cover, has a simple rectangular hole and a fabric cover, like the one I described above. If all else fails, this backplate will support any camera that will fit inside the teleprompter.
If Elgato only included these two, it would be enough, but the company went further and included a DSLR/mirrorless backplate and eight climbing rings From 48mm to 77mm. These rings attach directly to the front of the camera lens. They then snap directly onto the back plate of the prompter, blocking all stray light without the need for a lens hood. This made it much easier to attach my cameras to the prompter.
The Prompter also comes with a platform that can be adjusted up or down to align the camera exactly where it’s needed. The camera can also be screwed onto the platform, though in my tests it wasn’t spacious enough to support larger devices like Blackmagic Cinema Cameras. If you’re using a particularly bulky camera or long lens with the Prompter, you may need to build a custom bracket to mount it.
As an added bonus, the prompter has two shoe mounts on the top, allowing you to mount things like lights or a microphone. This is handy if you have to build a rig around the prompter.
Photography: Eric Ravenscraft
The second screen I need
Teleprompters became relatively inexpensive when manufacturers realized that many people have iPads (or a spare phone) that they can use to display their scripts. We even recommend a couple of them. Elgato takes the Prompter in a different direction by including a display directly.
When connected to a computer (Windows or Mac), this screen is recognized as an external display, just like any other monitor. By default, you can mirror or extend your desktop, allowing you to use any application to display your script. You can even open a Google Doc and increase the text size if you want to put in as little effort as possible with the teleprompter.
