Use a SmallRig teleprompter without SmallGoGo
SmallRig's teleprompter pairs with SmallGoGo, an app built mainly for controlling SmallRig lights. If login or connection problems get in the way, Reframely runs the same rig from the tablet's browser.
Step by step: set up a glass teleprompter rig
- Lay the screen under the glass. Put your phone or tablet face up in the tray, under the angled glass. The camera sits behind the glass and films straight through it.
- Pick your rig in Reframely. Open the sliders and choose Your rig. Tablet or Phone in a glass rig mirrors the text, so it reads the right way round in the glass.
- Turn the brightness all the way up. Beam-splitter glass passes only part of the light, so the reflection is dimmer than the screen. Full brightness and a darker room keep the words crisp.
- Check it through the camera. Look at the camera’s screen, not the tablet. If the hood’s edge shows in a wide shot, zoom in a little or widen the side margins. Then pair a clicker or your phone and press play.
What users report about SmallGoGo
SmallGoGo describes itself as a wireless control tool for photography lights, with a teleprompter function added in a 2022 update. It averages 1.0 out of 5 from a handful of ratings, with reports of failed logins, an add-device button that doesn't work, connections that fail or take a long time, and crashes (App Store). A buying roundup also reports the SmallRig 3646's Bluetooth remote dropping its connection in testing (Markus Hagner Photography).
Run it with Reframely instead
- Mount your tablet (the 3646 takes tablets up to 11 inches) and open Reframely in its browser.
- Tap Open prompter and choose Your rig → Tablet in a glass rig.
- Pair your phone as the remote with the code. There's no account and no device to add.
Nothing about the hardware changes: the 3646 still needs its 15mm rail baseplate and works with tablets rather than phones.
Setting up the 3646 for a clean read
- Rails and tripod. The prompter hangs off 15mm rails in front of the camera. Balance it over the tripod head; a front-heavy rig drifts down during a take.
- Lens and hood. Close the cloth hood around the lens so no light leaks in behind the glass. Light leaking in shows up as a faint reflection of the room in your shot.
- Zoom. Wide lenses can see the edges of the hood. Zoom in slightly, or step the camera closer, until the frame is clean.
- Tablet orientation. Landscape gives longer lines and fewer line changes; portrait gives more lines on screen. Most people read more naturally in landscape with the text quite large.
Reading distance
A common rule of thumb for prompters is about one foot of reading distance for every inch of screen. An 11-inch tablet suits roughly 6 to 11 feet away; closer than that, shrink the text a little so your eyes move less and the viewer doesn't see you reading.
If the remote keeps dropping
Bluetooth remotes that disconnect between takes are often going to sleep. Press a button just before you start, keep the remote within a few metres of the tablet, and fit fresh batteries. A phone remote avoids the problem: it stays connected for as long as the page is open.
Questions
Do I need to log in to use Reframely?
No. There are no accounts. Scripts are stored in the browser on each device.
Can I still use SmallGoGo for my lights?
Yes. Use SmallGoGo for lighting and Reframely for the script.
Sources
Last updated .