| | | | Here are some universal questions:
Why are we here?
What is the meaning of life?
Does the light go out when you close the refrigerator? (of course it does)
And
Why won’t non-talent (politicians, CEO’s, managers, etc.) practice or at least review their script prior to a shoot using teleprompter?
It happens every time. They show up usually not having seen the script and do an initial cold read. Then they, the director, and/or their handlers start the script edits. All while the clock ticks. With every read, more and more bobbles occur, the non-talent becomes increasingly self-conscious and even frustrated. The director tries to create edit points and instructs the camera operator to change focal length. After a while neither can remember when the camera was wide or tight. Worst of all is that you can see the subject’s eyes scanning as they read the prompter. Sometimes the big ego insists on trying to get through the entire script in one take, but can’t. I’ve had this happen even when I know we will be going to B-roll, where we’ll be in VO, but can’t convince the subject.
I always try to advise my clients to come prepared. I ask them to spend at least 15-minutes in the office, with the script prior to arriving on location. I explain that it’s a good time to make edits, and practice reading out loud. It's a low pressure, no cost environment to revise and rehearse. There's really no excuse with today’s communication technologies where the script can be delivered via e-mail to computer, Blackberry, I-Phone, whatever. It seems as if this advice is rarely if ever taken and the results are often at best a compromise. If there is nothing to cut away to, changing of focal lengths can look like a band-aid.
Lately I’ve been saved in this situation when shooting HD for SD delivery. I can keep the shot at medium wide for each take. Then in post I can crop in between takes creating a faux cut in. It even works better in a Chromakey situation where you can defocus the background plate to create the illusion of shallow depth of field. This however won't save a cold read.
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