2010Journals forum
Lightweight prompter mounting solutions for film camera rigs
16 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- A 7-inch monitor mounted above the lens is a practical standard for most prompter applications when the talent does not need to look directly into the lens.
- Through-the-lens prompters require careful rigging but enable direct eye-line contact with the camera when needed.
- Mounting a prompter directly on the lens focus ring creates mechanical challenges and requires counterweighting to maintain balance.
- A 7-inch LCD with wireless receiver and custom mounting bracket can be optimized to approximately 5.5 pounds total weight.
- Small lightweight prompter units around 1 pound each can be mounted both above and below the lens simultaneously in compact studio spaces.
- Custom brackets for mounting prompters onto standard 15mm or 60mm camera support rods can be fabricated quickly to accommodate specific rig configurations.
Depends on
- The 12-inch prompter size mentioned was criticized as impractical and overly heavy for typical camera work.
- One through-the-lens solution was described as plastic and aluminum construction weighing 8 inches, but specific weight and performance data were not provided in detail.
- Custom bracket solutions required modification of off-the-shelf components and LCD panel swapping to achieve optimal weight reduction.
- The feasibility and final results of some proposed bracket designs were noted as untested at the time of discussion.
- Studio-specific constraints like maximum 20-foot subject distance may affect which prompter solutions are appropriate.