Riverside's Teleprompter: An Unexpected Stand Out Feature

No Physical Teleprompter? Riverside’s Built-in Feature Could Surprise You

For many creators, teleprompters are essential tools. For me? I’ve rarely even considered one—until now. Reading a script from a teleprompter has never been part of my video creation process. Probably because I rarely use a script and don’t own a teleprompter. In fact, the one reason I’ve considered getting a teleprompter is not for scripting videos; it’s to place the production screen in front of the camera so I could look at my remote guests, change shots, and review comments without staring down at my computer screen.

But there are instances where a script can improve delivery, especially for short-form videos or precise messaging. That's where Riverside 's teleprompter mode comes in.

Riverside to the Rescue

In Riverside’s browser-based production studio, you have both a script mode for writing or pasting your text and a teleprompter mode that enlarges the text and scrolls it up the screen as you read it. I’ve been testing this feature out over the past week, and I’ve come away impressed.

You can adjust the speed of the scroll to make it work for your pacing and how you structure your script or notes. If you ad-lib or go off-script for a bit, you can easily reposition the scroll with your mouse to get back to where you need to be without needing to pause the recording or edit out dead air in post.

With the large text toward the top of your monitor, you can position your camera right over the monitor to have intermittent eye contact with your audience. The feature is easy to use and intuitive, taking almost no time to get it up and running. Any physical teleprompter will require a lot more work to prepare for your first read.

My Ideal Teleprompter Speed

The default speed for Riverside’s teleprompter is 30. I find that it goes by much too fast for me to keep up. Perhaps if my script were double-spaced or followed other industry standards, that speed might work better. Keeping it at 19-24 fits my pacing better.

Tips for Writing Scripts to Read On-Camera

When writing for the teleprompter, I follow many of the same conventions as when writing scripts for radio, and I find they apply equally well to video:

• Use Conversational Language: I often imagine I'm talking to a friend. For instance, instead of saying, “John Doe, who has 10 prior arrests, was taken into custody on suspicion of murder,” I’d say, “John Doe was arrested on murder charges and remains in custody. He has ten prior arrests.” Simple and relatable. Avoid formal or overly complex language; keep it straightforward and conversational to make reading easier.
• Keep Sentences Short: Shorter sentences help with pacing and breathing and make it easier for you to glance away from the teleprompter without losing your place. For example, instead of “The teleprompter feature in Riverside’s platform is quite intuitive and allows for customizable options,” try “Riverside’s teleprompter is intuitive and customizable.”
• Pace with Natural Pauses: Use punctuation (commas, ellipses, dashes) to signal natural pauses and give yourself time to breathe. This helps prevent a rushed delivery and sounds more conversational. For instance, “Let’s explore our options… and find what works best—step by step” provides cues for breathing and pacing.
• Spell It Out: Spell out words the way you want to say them in your video. Don’t put abbreviations in your script if you intend to say the full name. For instance, write out "United States," or if you intend to say the abbreviation, write "U-S" (instead of “US”) to avoid tripping over words mid-sentence.
• Spell Names How They Sound: Since nobody else will see your script, spell out the name phonetically or just spell it wrong if that means you’ll pronounce it right. For example, if “Niamh” is tricky, you might write “Neev” so you don’t stumble.

Try It Out

Try out Riverside ’s teleprompter feature and see how it feels to read from a script. I’d love to hear your thoughts—let me know if it helped you level up your videos!

Does Your Really Podcast Need Video?

As the media landscape shifts, we must acknowledge the reality: video creates a next-level opportunity to engage and grow.

Here are four reasons why you should strongly consider adding video to your podcast.

Read the article , listen to the audio podcast or watch the video .

Authortunities Expo: Choose Your Writing Adventure on Sat, Nov 2nd

Join the Authortunities Expo on November 2—a free, virtual “Choose Your Own Writing Adventure” for authors seeking fame, fortune, credibility, or craft. Hosted by Angela Yuriko Smith , this event offers clear, actionable steps to guide you on your unique writing path, alongside a supportive community of fellow writers. The day closes with the premiere Linzner Awards, honoring exceptional work in Space and Time magazine.

I'll be speaking about how I first started publishing books to reinforce credibility and expand opportunities in the livestreaming and podcasting industry, but now use video podcasting to help build credibility for my author and indie publishing brand.

Explore resources and start your adventure in the Authortunities Hub .

Check out our BrandStack Podcast interview with Angela, founder of the Authortunities Substack and author of How To Be an Authortunist .

Want to learn even more about Angela Yuriko Smith ? She is featured this week here .

Around the Universe: Newsmakers & Milestones

Jodi Krangle Nominated for Voice Arts Award

Voiceover artist and podcast host Jodi Krangle is a Voice Arts Awards Nominee! The 11th annual awards honoring voiceover actors nominated Jodi in the category of Outstanding Podcast — Career & Business — Best Producer or Host.

“I am nominated along with two other VERY worthy podcasts/hosts.” she writes on Instagram, regarding her recent nomination. “I find their topics to be equally as fascinating as my own. I know we all say it — but it really is wonderful just to be nominated (especially given who I'm nominated next to!).”

If she wins, it wouldn’t be Jodi’s first Society for Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS) Award. She won the 2018 SOVAS Award for Outstanding Narration Demo.

A top voice actor who has worked with major brands such as Dell, Marriott, Walmart, Kraft, HGTV and Bose, Jodi hosts the podcast and YouTube show, “Audio Branding: The Hidden Gem of Marketing .” The podcast started in November 2019 and has released 259 episodes.

Hosted by SOVAS, The Voice Arts Awards’ purpose, according to the SOVAS website, “is to provide a stage for international acknowledgment of the extraordinary skill and artistry that goes into voiceover acting and to hold up an evolving best-in-class standard of achievement to which the voiceover industry can continually aspire.”

Cancer coach (and all-time great livestreamer) Leslie Nance just launched her first book, Become the Boss of Your Cancer: Your Essential Healing Guide: Cancer is Not Your Destiny .

A Certified Holistic Cancer Coach, nutritionist, and healing intuitive, Leslie believes patients shouldn’t define themselves by their cancer. She encourages her clients to take the lead in make healing choices rather than playing a passive role in their recovery.

“When I was diagnosed, I felt lost in a sea of information and advice, but one thing became crystal clear: healing begins with clarity,” Leslie wrote on Instagram. “That’s why I wrote Becoming the Boss of Your Cancer—to guide you step-by-step through the noise and confusion with simple, powerful strategies for healing on your terms.”

Nance is the former host of the pioneering livestream cooking show, GoToKitchens. She was a Shorty Awards finalist for “Periscoper of the Year” in 2017.

Become the Boss of Your Cancer is currently available on Amazon for 99 cents in the Kindle ebook version.

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