Before you think that I’ve gone cuckoo, since I’m delving deep into mankind’s history with regard to technology, let me tell you that I’m totally fine. The reason I am saying all this is because man’s evolution along with technology has given birth to numerous amazing machines that make us the most efficient race on the planet. One of those machines is the teleprompter, a behind the curtains kind of machine, that does more work than it gets credit for. In this blog, I will be telling you and answering a very important question: Can we use a teleprompter for a testimonial response?
What are Teleprompters?
A lot of times, when you watch a speech on TV, or a television presenter conversing, do you imagine how they seem to have memorized everything so perfectly? Me too. I keep thinking how they can keep direct eye contact with us and still manage to say everything crisply and accurately. Then, I read about these awesome gadgets known as teleprompters and the secret was a secret no more. You want to know too? Read ahead.
A teleprompter, also known as an Autocue, is a machine that allows a television presenter or narrator to read a script, simultaneously while maintaining a proper eye contact with his or her audience. Thanks to this useful machine, the narrator does not even need to look down to consult hand-written notes or scribbles and the illusion is created that he or she has memorized the entire script amazingly and is speaking spontaneously.
So, how does this teleprompter work? Well, other than the addition of new technology and other bells and whistles, the basic mechanics of the teleprompter hasn’t changed after his invention in the 1950s. The teleprompter’s fundamental principle is that the visual text gets displayed on the monitor that stays mounted beneath the piece of a reflective mirror, also known as a “beamspitter”. This reflective glass is transparent on one side, enabling the camera to shoot directly through the back of it, or to appear non-existent to the audience, and the other side is reflective so that the narrator can see the reflection of the visual script.
Traditionally, the teleprompter has two main uses which are carried forth widely. The first one is when the teleprompter is used by television presenters who want to look straight into the audience while they’re narrating as well as reading from the visual script. The other one is when the teleprompter is used by politicians, public speakers, and presidents, who want to maintain direct eye contact with the public. In this day and age, teleprompters are also used by video bloggers, for scripter video productions, PowerPoint presentations, and singers as well.
What are Testimonial Videos?
Have you noticed how companies and businesses have become totally dependent on advertising videos, to propagate their views and purposes? The past decade has shaped us in such a way, that we tend to get attracted towards companies who have mesmerizing visual aids, showcasing their products. Such advertisements and videos are the best way for companies to reach out to the audience on a bigger scale, showcasing their products and services.
Testimonial videos are a great way for a company to humanize their product videos and advertisements. These videos often seem to be stocky and boring, which is the reason why many companies lose out a major portion of their consumer base. Testimonial videos are the best way to build trust and inform your target audience about how efficient your product or service is. For the decision stage of the consumer’s journey, testimonial videos work extremely well. These videos are the ‘push’ that consumers and buyers need to take that next step when deciding whether they should go along with your company or not.
To make the video effective and to get lasting effects or results, you need to make your testimony video human. You need to make the video real, where real people are included, in order to connect with your audience on such a level that they start trusting you and preferring you. This means that you have to work well on the video, concentrate on making it humane and emotional, conveying the truth and something that the audience will love.
Using Teleprompters for Testimonial Videos
Now, coming to the question at hand for this blog, can we use teleprompters for testimonial videos? Well, why not? As I said, testimonials are basically used by TV presenters, public speakers, etc. This means that they’re mainly used to make video recordings and thus, can be used for testimonial videos as well. In fact, some might even find it handy to have a teleprompter at his or her disposal, to say the right lines at the right time and connect with the audience. Right?
The question now stands at, is it wise to use teleprompters for testimonial videos? Well, for testimonial videos, one option is to use a scripted video to put forth a good performance. This is because most of the subjects of the video are not really experts when it comes to conversing in front of the camera, and with a script, things become very easy.
On the other hand, if you’re working on a testimonial video and interviewing employees or potential clients, about a particular company or topic, a candid response will be your best bet. For that, the use of a teleprompter is not advised because a lot of time, the interviewees will not be having a proper teleprompter training, as a result of which, their answers will appear scripted. The more scripted their response appears; the less value and credibility is given to your brand via the video. Also, the audience will understand that the narrators are reading from the teleprompter as their eyes will be a pretty dead giveaway. Thus, your best bet, when it comes to these situations, is to not use a teleprompter and opt for a candid response.