An invisible prompter: micro earpieces for presenters, speakers and actors

In television it is called IFB or foldback: through an earpiece the presenter hears cues from the control room, such as how much time is left, who is next or how a guest's name is pronounced. On big stages artists use in-ear monitors, and conference speakers increasingly use an audio prompter: a recorded text they hear instead of reading it from a card. A micro earpiece is the most discreet version of these solutions.

Who uses it

• Presenters and reporters, especially for live pieces on location, where a classic wired earpiece looks untidy on camera.
• Hosts and event MCs, who get signals from the organiser about delays, programme changes and VIP names in the room.
• Speakers and trainers, who listen to a pre-recorded outline of their talk or key figures instead of glancing at notes.
• Actors and voice-over artists, as a prompter for long texts, dubbing and commercials.
• Models and hostesses at shows and trade fairs, where appearance matters and backstage instructions must arrive instantly.

Setup 1: talking to a director

The simplest and most common setup. The director (producer, organiser, assistant) calls the presenter's phone. The presenter has the phone in a pocket connected to a Bluetooth loop, and a micro earpiece in the ear.

• Choose a loop without a microphone or mute the phone's microphone, so the director does not hear the whole room constantly and their remarks do not echo back.
• Set the phone to auto-answer calls from a trusted number, or answer the call before going on stage.
• The director should speak briefly and to the point: "two minutes", "Mr Smith next", "speed up".

Setup 2: audio prompter with a recording

The speaker records the talk (or its outline) and plays it from a phone or player through a jack loop. They hear the text a split second before saying it. The technique takes practice, since at first it is hard to listen and speak at the same time, but experienced voice artists master it quickly.

• Record at your own pace, with pauses for breathing and audience reactions.
• For longer talks, split the recording into short tracks and switch them with a remote or button.
• A jack loop has none of the delay typical of Bluetooth, which matters when you speak "following" a recording.

Setup 3: walkie-talkie

At large events the crew often communicates by radio. A jack loop can be connected to the walkie-talkie's headphone output, so the host hears the whole team's messages without a visible earpiece with a curly cable. Check beforehand whether your radio has a 3.5 mm socket or needs an adapter.

A dress rehearsal is essential

Every setup needs testing in conditions close to the real thing:

• Test the kit on site: stages, studios and halls are full of sound systems, lighting and power supplies that can cause buzzing.
• Set the volume with the room's PA switched on; it sounds different in a quiet dressing room.
• Carry a spare earpiece battery and a charged loop. Change the battery just before going on.
• Agree a backup plan with the director: what you do if the connection drops.

Which kit to choose

For working with a director, choose an induction micro earpiece with a Bluetooth loop. For a recorded prompter and walkie-talkies, a jack loop. If you work both ways, it is worth having one earpiece and two loops; the earpiece works with either. On a brightly lit stage where every detail shows, consider a nano model.