How To: Build DIY iPad Teleprompter for 15mm Rail Mount

Many of the DIY teleprompters I found were bulky and made mostly out of wood, or too cheap and made out of cardboard. Some didn't mount very well or made it tricky if you wanted to adjust the camera at all. I needed something small, durable, flexible enough to work on multiple camera systems and tripods, and looked good enough to use with a client.

Full blown teleprompter systems are expensive and simple professionally made iPad teleprompters can cost quite a bit and often didn't have the features I was wanting. So I decided to make my own that fit my needs. I had most of the parts laying around the house already so I just needed to get a couple of picture frames a 15mm rail block and a few bolts.

It's a fairly simple project if you can use a drill and saw. There are definitely things I can do to improve this design but hopefully this gives you some idea of how you can make your own and adapt it to fit what you need. Leave any comments or questions below. I pretty much respond to every comment/question.

Here are links to the rail system I am using in this video:

EzFoto Rail ($65.99)

15mm Railblock ($15.90)

The prices may change.

UPDATE!!!!!

The Remote+ app I talk about in the video is no longer offered in the app store. The company that made it (Bombing Brain Interactive) has now bundled it together with the Teleprompt + app and released it as Teleprompt+ 3. It does come with a larger price tag than it used to. Right now (12/4/2014) it costs $24.99 but I can tell you the old versions of the app are really good so I would assume the new version is improved and worth the money if you are needing a teleprompter and already have an iPad. It cut my production time the other day DRASTICALLY so the talent didn't have to memorize lines, which is well worth $25 in my opinion.

If you purchased the old apps when they were still around, you should still have access to them. I know I have them installed on an iPhone 6 and iPad Air. There are a few other apps out there but I've found this one to be one of the best. BUT if you have any other suggested apps leave a comment and let me know what apps you prefer.

Hey Just J. LLC

Music: "Coffee" (Instrumental Version)
By Josh Woodward

[PhilpottBruce]

Well thought out and well executed. You've kept it wonderfully simple! Thanks for posting this.

[mattledding]

Love it.  Just a thought... some cheap craftstore/dollar store b ack evo foam on the bottom will block out any brown and make it soft and comfortable for your pet iPad.

[vinvin]

Nice job. Very similar to the one I made sometime ago. But I like your additional features. Velcro is better and less fiddly than my clamps. The black T-shirt is great idea also.

[BNLconsult]

Really grat work, i m not really good at manual work, can you show plans, and maybe the names of pieces? That's an amazing work. To be frank, i want exactly the same one ^^

[BNLconsult]

Really nice, i waiting your post, and work with what you give me. Thanks again

[akvenkat]

Hi Jake, Good innovation. What type of wood (MDF or Ply) did you use for the base and how did you attach the wood to the perimeter of the frame? Dud you glue it or drilled screws? How thick was the wooden base to accept the screws of the rail block?

[guber]

Hi J would you please give me a list of the mounting hardware for your TelePrompTer? Enjoyed the video too, BTW.

[HapillyMe]

I noticed some extra pieces that you mounted on the backside of the small rack for the camera support that you did not mention. Can you tell us what are those pieces, and provide a link to purchase them?
Thanks!

[lauratdrummer]

Should you put mirror tint on one side of the mirror or just keep the mirror plain?...

[choccyboyau]

Hi - I couldn't find the Remote Plus app on the appstore - could you provide any more details about remote controlling the teleprompter app?  Great design and I'm looking at making one of these.  Love the folding design - got to be portable for me.

[lowgun]

I noticed that you added another piece of wood (or something) under the release plate on your rail mount. I assume this is to make the camera the appropriate height to shoot through the glass...? Can you talk about what you did here? Is there another mount that we should look for that accommodates for extra height or is the workaround fix you did easy enough? Thanks!

[rsstnnr]

Great video! I've called a few local glass shops and no one knows what "beam splitter glass" is. Do you think applying window tint to the glass would achieve the same result?

[sharptenor]

I was in the middle of my DIY build and switched directions mid path because of the design of yours I love it. My camcorder is not a DSLR, it's a Panasonic AG160 (5.5 lbs). 
Now here's where I want to look before I leap: I'm using a manfrotto 502A fluid head- will your rails solution work for this head and weight? Any suggestions on what to do if it won't? I can't wait to get this thing built!

[wojciechbobilewicz]

Hey, a question (or a few of them, actually): how did yu manage to find a picture frame whose dimensions fit so perfectly the size of your tablet or ipad? Also, do you think the phoenician glass will work (the kind of glass they use in interrogation rooms)? I heard in order for phoenician glass to work best the ratio of the light coming out of the one side needs to be 8 times stronger than the light on the other side (in other words 8:1), wouldn't it be too dark or enforce having to shift the exposure of your camera quite a bit? I also wonder (but that it something I'm sure you don't have an answer to ;-) ) where to buy beam-splitter glass in Poland... (I don't even know what the Polish equivalent of beam-splitter glass is, although I do understand the concept, my camera has this translucent mirror that works exactly this way). Finally, could you tell me exactly how you mounted: a the 15-mm rail block to the bottom of your prompter (the one you recommend doesn't seem to have holes in it to scrw them onto the base of the prompter), and b) how exactly you raised the camera up with the use of a wooden block (I know you have explained it below but I still don't quite get it)? Many thanks and I hope you are now using the third-generation DYI prompter. ;-)

[FosterBamford]

Hey, what's the name of the app you mentioned for the remote?  I looked up "remote+" and "remote plus" and couldn't find either in the app store.

[jamesdean]

were did you get the rail bars and the fittings from

[RogerOnTheRight]

Might have been nice to see a finished example of output.

[heyjustj]

I've updated the description to include links to the rail system I am using. The picture frames are from Wal Mart. The rest you should be able to get at wal mart or any craft store. I may start writing more detailed blog posts on my website about the things I build.