Can actors use a teleprompter for self-tape auditions?

Avocado can display sides or scripts during a self-tape, but it's best used for reference rather than word-for-word reading — casting directors can often detect when eyes are tracking text. Some actors use it for cold reads or commercial copy where exact phrasing matters and the performance is less about subtext.

How do I record a self-tape audition on a MacBook without a reader?

Avocado can display your scene partner's lines and stage directions in the notch above the MacBook camera, letting you react to cues without a reader in the room. Your sides stay visible in your eyeline so you're not glancing down at printed pages during the take.

Will a teleprompter make my audition look unnatural?

Used for cold reads or complex commercial copy, a teleprompter helps you stay accurate without line anxiety — which often reads as more natural, not less. Avocado's voice-activated scrolling means the text follows your performance pace rather than forcing you to keep up with a timer.

What's the best way to record commercial auditions at home on a Mac?

Commercial copy is one of the strongest use cases for a home teleprompter — the lines are exact and delivery speed matters. Display your copy in Avocado's notch, record in QuickTime or any camera app, and voice-activated scrolling keeps the text advancing as you deliver. Avocado is excluded from the recording, so the footage is clean.

Yes. The core Avocado experience is completely free — no credit card, no time limit. Notch Mode, Floating Mode, Script Markers, Focus Guide, PowerPoint import, and classic constant-speed scrolling on scripts of any length are all included at no cost. Voice scrolling is free on scripts up to 200 words (~90 seconds), and you also get 3 Pro Passes every week to run full-Pro sessions on longer scripts.

What does Pro include?

Avocado Pro adds unlimited voice-activated and adaptive scrolling, AI Smart Cues, Director Mode (control from any device), Teleprompter Viewer, Auto-Naming, Auto-Tag suggestions, mouse scroll, hide controls, and Follow Mouse across monitors. Monthly and yearly plans available.

Does the prompter automatically scroll as I read?

Yes. Avocado uses on-device Apple speech recognition to scroll the script precisely as you speak and pause when you stop — no cloud, no latency. It learns your natural reading pace in real time so you never need to touch a slider. Voice-activated scrolling is free to try on scripts up to 200 words (~90 seconds of talking); Avocado Pro removes that limit entirely.

I don't have a MacBook notch. Can I still use it?

Yes. While Notch mode is designed to blend into the MacBook camera notch for perfect eye contact, Floating mode lets you drag and resize the prompter window anywhere on screen. It works great on external monitors, studio displays, and older Macs without a notch.

Can I use it for solo video recording, not just calls?

Absolutely — Avocado is built for any on-camera moment. Solo YouTube videos, course recordings, Loom walkthroughs, podcast intros, audition tapes. Notch mode places your script directly below the lens so you maintain natural eye contact with the camera, and since Avocado is invisible to screen capture, it won't appear anywhere in your recording.

Does my script stay private?

Yes. Everything stays on your Mac. Voice recognition, AI Smart Cues, and your scripts are all processed on-device using Apple frameworks — no cloud uploads, no account required, and it works completely offline.

Will my audience see the script when I share my screen?

No. Avocado is completely invisible during screen shares and recordings. Whether you're on Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, recording a Loom walkthrough, or streaming through OBS, your teleprompter stays entirely hidden — it won't appear in screenshots or video captures either.

Does it work with PowerPoint or slide decks?

Yes. Drop any .pptx file directly into Avocado and it instantly extracts your presenter notes as a ready-to-read script. Each slide is automatically bookmarked with a Script Marker so you can jump between sections from the sidebar. It's a free feature — no Pro license needed.

Avocado Features Use Cases Pricing FAQ

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Thu Feb 19 8:40 PM

Welcome to Avocado. smile

The stealthiest teleprompter

ever created for macOS.

It remains completely invisible

when sharing your screen on Zoom. pause

Nail every presentation while

maintaining perfect eye contact. breathe

Avocado listens as you speak,

automatically scrolling text

to match your natural rhythm. pause

Start free. Go Pro when you're ready.

Customize the font, size, and color

or detach it into Floating Mode. smile

Start reading beautifully today.

Keep scrolling to see more... long pause

Welcome to Avocado. smile

The stealthiest teleprompter

ever created for macOS.

It remains completely invisible

when sharing your screen on Zoom. pause

Nail every presentation while

maintaining perfect eye contact. breathe

Avocado listens as you speak,

automatically scrolling text

to match your natural rhythm. pause

Start free. Go Pro when you're ready.

Customize the font, size, and color

or detach it into Floating Mode. smile

Start reading beautifully today.

Keep scrolling to see more... long pause

Teleprompter for Self-Tape Auditions

Self-tapes are now the first round for almost every role. Avocado keeps your sides at the camera lens so your eyes never drift — giving casting directors the direct, present performance that gets callbacks.

macOS Sonoma 14+

1,000+ creators record with Avocado

Right under the lens.

Put your script where your eyes already are — so you look straight down the barrel of the camera.

Hands-free, at your pace.

No operator, no foot pedal — the script keeps up with your voice and waits when you stop.

Read it like you wrote it.

Find your place instantly, stay on the active line, and let on-device AI handle the pacing.

Avocado editor showing the script-marker sidebar as a live table of contents

Run the shoot from anywhere.

Turn any phone, tablet, or laptop into a remote and a second screen — no app, no account.

It keeps working between takes.

Apple Intelligence keeps your library organized, and every session becomes a private, on-device report — only the counts are stored, never your words.

An Avocado script auto-named by Apple Intelligence, with auto-suggested tags above the text

Avocado Pro

Ready to go further?

Unlimited voice scrolling, AI Smart Cues, Director Mode, and more.

Or try it free first — every week includes 3 Pro Passes, no card required.

See plans

Sound like you know it by heart.

From the blog

The Difference Between Practicing a Speech and Rehearsing It

→

How Avocado Solves Teleprompter for Auditions

100% Invisible on Auditions

Native macOS System Integration

Voice-Activated Smart Scrolling

Zero Latency, On-Device AI

Read why Avocado works for Auditions

The casting industry has largely moved to self-tapes as the default first round, and the technical quality of your tape — particularly your gaze direction — has become a real differentiator. Eye contact that's even two degrees off the lens reads as uncertainty or distraction on screen. The traditional workaround of taping sides to the wall beside the camera is immediately visible to casting directors who watch hundreds of tapes a week. Avocado positions your script in the MacBook notch, directly at the camera, so your eyeline stays locked on the lens while you read. This works especially well for cold reads and same-day sides where full memorization isn't realistic — you get the appearance of a memorized performance without burning your focus on recall instead of the scene. Use Script Markers to break multi-scene sides into labeled sections so you can jump between them instantly without scrolling between takes. The prompter is completely invisible in your recorded video — your tape looks exactly like every other professional self-tape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can actors use a teleprompter for self-tape auditions?: Avocado can display sides or scripts during a self-tape, but it's best used for reference rather than word-for-word reading — casting directors can often detect when eyes are tracking text. Some actors use it for cold reads or commercial copy where exact phrasing matters and the performance is less about subtext.
How do I record a self-tape audition on a MacBook without a reader?: Avocado can display your scene partner's lines and stage directions in the notch above the MacBook camera, letting you react to cues without a reader in the room. Your sides stay visible in your eyeline so you're not glancing down at printed pages during the take.
Will a teleprompter make my audition look unnatural?: Used for cold reads or complex commercial copy, a teleprompter helps you stay accurate without line anxiety — which often reads as more natural, not less. Avocado's voice-activated scrolling means the text follows your performance pace rather than forcing you to keep up with a timer.
What's the best way to record commercial auditions at home on a Mac?: Commercial copy is one of the strongest use cases for a home teleprompter — the lines are exact and delivery speed matters. Display your copy in Avocado's notch, record in QuickTime or any camera app, and voice-activated scrolling keeps the text advancing as you deliver. Avocado is excluded from the recording, so the footage is clean.

View modeNotchFloating

Teleprompter for Self-Tape Auditions

Right under the lens.

Notch Mode

Floating Mode

Notch Mode

Floating Mode

Hands-free, at your pace.

Voice scrolling

Adaptive speed

Voice scrolling

Adaptive speed

Read it like you wrote it.

Script Markers

Focus Guide

Smart Cues