Teleprompters can be a great tool for talking in front of a camera without memorizing the script. However, teleprompters can cause the person speaking to sometimes seem less authentic to the viewer when they are not used properly. Here are some tips to follow to ensure that you're getting the best possible experience while using a teleprompter. 

Avoid Shifting Eyes

One common problem that people have when using a teleprompter is shifting their eyes back and forth when reading the teleprompter, which makes the speaker feel unnatural. This is a problem that can be solved in a couple of ways. 

The first tip is to decrease the size of the text so that the reader has to shift their eyes less. It should be small enough so that it can still be read comfortably, but not too big where the text needs to scroll quickly. In addition, the active line of text that is being read should always be in front of the camera lens. If the person reading the teleprompter reads words at the top one moment and then the bottom the next, it will cause their eyes to appear as if they are reading. 

A good tip to avoid this problem is to make sure that the text in the teleprompter stays within the lens of the camera. This means that text may need to be shifted towards the center so that the left justification isn't outside the camera lens. You can also increase the distance between the camera and the subject so that the eye shifting is not as noticeable. 

Phonetically Spell Words

A person often reads from a teleprompter because they are not familiar with the script that is being read. They may only have a few chances to read through the script and still be unfamiliar with it by the time it needs to be performed on camera. Consider changing the spelling of tough words so that your talent doesn't need to figure out how to say them on the fly. You can do this by phonetically spelling out the tough words how they sound to avoid any potential confusion.

In addition, you'll want to spell out the numbers how they are supposed to be said rather than use an exact number. For example, the number 1,500 can be said as fifteen hundred or one thousand five hundred. If you're writing the script and do not want any accidental interpretation, you should spell out those numbers exactly as you want them. 

Talk to a teleprompter operator for more advice.