Filmmaker Paul Cook Selects Autocue

Cancer can be treated, but it's important to find the right information. With all of the noise on the internet, it can be a hassle trying to figure out what real experts in the healthcare industry would recommend, but through the power of video, a private healthcare company in the UK found a way to cut through all the noise. Now, with the help of an Autocue Starter Series teleprompter, they have found a way to make producing those videos quicker and simpler.

Offering important services relating to cancer detection and prevention, the screening company Check4Cancer has produced impactful videos focusing on cancer awareness with the help of freelance cameraman and video editor, Paul Cook. As a solo filmmaker, Cook provides the complete video production from start to finish. For four years, he has consistently produced educational videos for Check4Cancer that usually feature one of their expert consultants talking about the various stages of the screening or answering FAQs.

"It's a way to sell the service, but it provides public information as well," said Cook. "So if you just wanted to know more, you could watch these videos without having to ever use the service. It's an important component to their business and helps produce social awareness, overall."

Over the years, Cook has produced and edited almost 30 videos in total for the company, eight of which have been from this year alone. Until recently, working with talent that isn't used to being on screen made for a time-consuming and challenging production.

"In previous videos and shoots, we've had to print the script large and hold it either above or below the camera, which I absolutely hate, but it's been a necessity for the types of people we film because they just don't have time to learn five pages of text. As doctors, they're working 90 hours a week, and the last thing on their mind is this video that we're going to be shooting in their two-hour gap between surgeries. It's certainly been a struggle," Cook commented.

After weighing his options, Cook decided to incorporate Autocue's Starter Series 10" Teleprompter (SSP10) into his workflow to get better content in a shorter period of time. A compact solution designed for reading up to 4 meters (13 feet) away, the teleprompter was the perfect solution for Cook's setup and on-screen talent.

"My initial concern was if they're going to be able to read from an Autocue straight away or if we're going to spend an hour of them getting used to it and end up spending as much time as we used to learning it on the spot and delivering it line by line to the camera. Ultimately, it was a relief that the Autocue teleprompter was easy to use, and that [the doctors] found it simple to read from immediately."

Along with the hardware, Cook also received the QStart teleprompting software that comes included with the package. By using QStart, he could easily import the script, change the font and its size to fit his needs, and take advantage of its dual-screen capabilities that position the words correctly for both the talent and the operator. Moreover, the SSP10's flexible camera mount and balancing system mean that Cook doesn't have to worry about changing camera requirements as almost any camera can be paired to the hardware; from a heavy ENG camera to a smaller DSLR.

"The Autocue system absolutely made my life so much easier. It made everything run smoother. We were able to shoot more in a day, which obviously saved the client quite a lot of time and money. And it saved 50% of my editing time by not having to go through multiple takes of everything to try to find the best ones. It was definitely an advantage because I knew I had what I needed in one or two takes with Autocue's teleprompter."

www.autocue.com

www.check4cancer.com

(JP/LM)