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Recording Video with Power Prompter

Warning

You'll be prompted to allow Power Prompter access to your camera and microphone. Be sure to grant permission, as video recording won't function without it!

Introduction

Power Prompter includes a built-in video recording feature, eliminating the need for an additional recorder app. This feature is simple yet suitable for most scenarios. For more advanced video recording needs, it's recommended to use a dedicated video recording solution.

The recording function captures both video and audio from any camera/microphone recognized by macOS as a video/audio device. This includes the built-in Mac webcam, iPhone through Continuity Camera, or a Mirrorless/DSLR camera with "webcam" functionality. However, it won’t work with cameras that only act as storage devices. For video-streaming or webcam functionality, refer to your camera's manual.

Starting a Recording

To begin recording, open the Video inspector in the script editor’s sidebar and click on the Start Recording button. By default, your Mac’s default audio and video sources will be used, and the recorded video will be saved in ~/Movies/Power Prompter, located in your Home directory.

Stopping a Recording

Simply press the Stop Recording button to end the session.

Record on Play

When this option is enabled, video frames are written to the output file only when the teleprompter is in the playing state. This feature conserves space and computing resources and is recommended to stay enabled. If disabled, frames will be recorded throughout the session, regardless of whether the teleprompter is playing.

Customizing Your Recording

You can choose a different video or audio source via the respective drop-down menus. All available cameras and microphones will be displayed. If your device is missing, try restarting Power Prompter.

Accessing Recorded Videos

By default, your video files are saved in ~/Movies/Power Prompter. You can access this folder through Finder or by clicking the Reveal in Finder button, which opens the output folder in a Finder window. Each recording creates a new file, named after your script and marked with the recording start date. You can edit these files in iMovie or other video editing software.

You can change the output folder by using the Select Output Folder button.

Note

The recorded video file is only available once the recording is complete. During the recording session, the file is temporarily stored in a directory, usually located on your primary hard drive. Ensure you have sufficient free space.

Video Preview in Teleprompter

To enable the video preview, click the Video Preview button in the toolbar. The preview can either appear as a large background behind the text or as a smaller window positioned at the top of the screen, above the text.

You can switch between these modes by right-clicking inside the teleprompter window and selecting the desired option from the context menu.

Note

Displaying the video preview is not required to record. Recording will proceed even if the preview is hidden. Additionally, the preview can be displayed without initiating a recording, based on your preference.

Video Recording Issues & Problems

No Capture Device Found

Power Prompter is compatible with any video/audio capture device that is recognized by macOS as such. This means that cameras which act solely as storage devices (for example, to import photos) cannot be used as a video recording source unless it's possible to enable video streaming. Please refer to your camera's manual for instructions on enabling video streaming to your Mac.

If your camera is a proper video source and Power Prompter still can't detect it, try quitting Power Prompter via cmd + q and restarting the app. Power Prompter might not recognize devices that are connected while the application is running.

If the device is still inaccessible, check if other apps, such as Photo Booth or QuickTime Player, can access it. If they can, Power Prompter may not have the appropriate permissions to access video/audio. Refer to the following section on how to reset video permissions.

Restoring Missing Video/Audio Permissions

If you mistakenly denied Power Prompter access to your camera or microphone, you can reset those permissions by following these steps:

  1. Exit Power Prompter by selecting Power Prompter ▶ Quit Power Prompter from the menu.

  2. Open Terminal and enter the following commands, pressing Enter after each line:

    tccutil reset Camera io.suborbital.powerprompter

    tccutil reset Microphone io.suborbital.powerprompter

  3. If you are using Power Prompter Express, use these commands instead of Step 2:

    tccutil reset Camera io.suborbital.powerprompter-express

    tccutil reset Microphone io.suborbital.powerprompter-express

  4. Restart Power Prompter, open the Video inspector, and grant the necessary permissions when prompted.

I have read the manual and still need help!

No need to worry! :) We're here to assist you. Simply send us an email and let us know what issues you're facing with Power Prompter. We'll do our best to help! Please make sure to include your Mac model, the version of OS X you're using, and the Power Prompter version.