A Portable Teleprompter for Vloggers
Handheld mini teleprompter lets you read and look into the camera on the move.
If you've ever tried to film yourself talking into a camera, you normally have a dilemma: look slightly off screen and read a script, or gaze directly at the camera and repeat memorized lines. If you're quick on your feet and comfortable on camera, impromptu speeches may not be a problem. For the rest of us, including Modern Hobbyist (MH), this can be very hard.
Of course one could use a teleprompter, which superimposes to-be-read text or talking points in front of the camera lens. MH took this concept and ran with it, creating a vlogging teleprompter rig that's battery powered and can be held at arm's length for filming. It also features a trio of buttons for control while filming, and a power button to keep it from draining the batteries when not needed.
The project explanation is seen in the video below, and involves creating a 3D-printed grip/holder for a camera and a Raspberry Pi, plus a vertically oriented 3.5" touchscreen. The Pi outputs saved script/talking points – mirrored and upside down – to the touchscreen.
This output is projected onto a section of beam-splitter glass, which mirrors and flips the image, displaying properly-oriented text directly in front of the camera lens. Control buttons – routed through a Pro Micro board acting an an HID – allow the user to speed up, pause, and slow down the script for quick adjustments during filming.
It's quite a clean build, and something that could come in handy. MH's write-up has more details if you want to create one yourself and take your vlogging game to the next level!