How to use a teleprompter app without looking like you're reading
A teleprompter app scrolls your script over the camera view so you do not have to memorise it. Viewers can tell when someone is reading, though, so setup matters as much as the app.
Put the words next to the lens
Shrink the text box to a narrow strip at the top of the screen, right under the front camera. The closer the words are to the lens, the less your eyes move.
Use the rear camera with a separate tablet or second phone below it as the prompter if you want the sharper lens; the same rule applies, keep the text as close to the lens as possible.
Big text, slow scroll
Use a large font so you can read it from a normal distance, and only three or four words per line. Long lines make your eyes sweep side to side, which is the giveaway.
Set the scroll speed slightly slower than you think and speed it up after a test. Many apps can follow your voice and scroll as you speak.
Write for the prompter
Use short sentences and mark pauses with a new line. Put words you want to stress in capitals so you remember to hit them.
Read through once out loud before recording. Unfamiliar wording is where reading sounds flat.
Break it up
Record one or two sentences at a time and join them in editing. Looking away from the screen between chunks and back to the lens looks more natural than reading a full minute straight.
Frequently asked questions
Where should teleprompter text sit on the screen?
In a narrow strip at the top, right under the camera. The closer the words are to the lens, the less your eyes move.
How many words per line should a teleprompter show?
Only three or four, in a large font. Long lines make your eyes sweep side to side, which is the giveaway that you are reading.
How can I make teleprompter reading sound less flat?
Use short sentences, mark pauses with new lines, put stressed words in capitals, and read the script aloud once before recording.