DIY Teleprompter with an iPad
In addition to shooting video, I also enjoy making much of my own equipment. Partially from necessity and lack of funds, but also because I just enjoy making and building things.
This photo is of a teleprompter (yes, a teleprompter) I made from 1/2″ plywood, a few 1x1s, some screws, glue and a piece of plexiglass. This was for a professional project in which the subject would need a teleprompter as they were inexperienced in front of the camera and, due to the subject matter, needed one. The image source is an iPad and app designed specifically for this purpose.
Teleprompter: Glue then Screw
I later replaced the glass with a custom piece of 12″x12″ mirrored glass, but the client didn’t notice the difference. It lacks a camera mount on the back so it must be mounted separately, but we were using a stationary camera anyway. I will later modify this so it will take a small DSLR or something fairly light like a DVX-100, but, as necessity usually drives these builds, that won’t happen for a while. The idea is to place the 1/4″ camera mount on the bottom farther to the rear, then put a simple wood or steel/aluminum mounting block with a camera mount. It’s really quite simple.
Mini DSLR Table Dolly
The (PVC) Mini Table Dolly
Cameras that sit still are no fun at all. At least I’ve always thought. Solution: move that camera! Here is my DSLR table dolly. Made from 3/4″ PVC pipe from Home Depot, a few t-joints, elbows, ends, etc., some 5/16″ screws, four (4) wheels from an inline skate from a thrift store and I bought a set of new bearings (the ones with the skates were full of dirt and barely turned) and a small quick-connect I use for most of my DIY camera rigs.
The idea for this was taken from this great site – The Frugal Filmmaker. Incidentally, the idea for this next rig is from that site as well:
The DIY Camera Crane
DIY Camera Crane with Adjustable Camera Pitch!
It’s really hard to see in this picture, but this is a camera crane (incidentally, I also “built” the tripod and spreader, but that’s for later) with adjustable pitch for the camera. The way it works is pretty basic: the camera mounts on the L-bracket seen in the lower-left of the photo. The wheels act as pulleys which are connected with a long piece of 1/16″ braided stainless steel cable. When the pulleys are held in place (by hand), the camera will stay level relative to the ground, but can also move the camera forward and back (pitching up and down). The entire rig is balanced with barbell weights from a used sporting goods store. The central rod is from a 10′ chain-link fence top rail cut in half at the Home Depot. The entire unit breaks down into two five-foot sections and the bucket at left. Finally, the unit has a lazy susan mount which supports the entire rig (or I can clamp that down). I also just picked up a small 7″ monitor and a converter so I can actually see what the camera sees, too. Pretty awesome, eh?
Random: the tripod is actually a surveyor’s tripod reinforced with thick(er) aluminum rods and JB Weld as well as reinforced leg mounts so it will take more than about 20 pounds. The plans for the tripod and spreader came from the book here: Killer Camera Rigs That You Can Build! This tripod works great for all sorts of stuff and works as well as any $600+ set I’ve used in the past. It does not have a 75-100mm ball mount, but I use screw mounts anyway and it works fine with my Manfrotto video fluid head. I also believe the author, Dan Selakovich, of the book above deserves credit and his book is a total bargain at twice the price – he shows how to make thousands of dollars worth of equipment for very little money and time. Unlike some who show you how to make your own equipment, he uses all of his stuff professionally and can prove it. The stuff holds up to equipment costing thousands more in some cases.
Later, I’ll show you my spring-stabilized camera rig. No joke. I actually built a working steadicam, but it needs work and maintenance and I need to get some kinks out of it before I go showing it off. Design was based off the original patent application which has since expired – remember Rocky?
