How to Add Lower Thirds to a Video

Step by step

1. 1

   Match the plate to the program

   Bar Slide is the plain choice for interviews and podcasts. Split Line Name centers the name over a thin line, in a serif face, and suits documentaries and wedding films. Box Pop gives you solid blocks with a news feel, and Corner Tag slants for gaming and sports.

2. 2

   Enter the name and role

   Type the name in Title (up to 60 characters) and the role in Subtitle (up to 90). Then set Font, Weight, Size, Letter spacing, Text color and Primary. Box Pop and Corner Tag also have Secondary for the second block and Corner radius for its edges.

3. 3

   Set the hold and the position

   Clips default to 2 or 3 seconds. Raise Duration, up to 30 seconds, to hold the name longer. The entrance stops at 1.6 seconds and the exit at 1 second, so extra time goes to the hold. Use Position to set where it sits, such as bottom left or bottom center.

4. 4

   Leave the background transparent

   All five presets start with a transparent background, which is the point of a name plate. MP4 would turn that into solid black. Export a PNG sequence for Premiere Pro or After Effects, and WebM with alpha for CapCut, Resolve or an OBS overlay during a live stream.

5. 5

   Place it above the speaker

   Bring the frames into Premiere Pro through File > Import, clicking the first file and ticking Image Sequence. Set the frame rate under Modify > Interpret Footage, then drag the clip to a track above the interview. Start it just after the person begins speaking.

Where it is used

• Interview and documentary subjects

  A name and job title appear when a new contributor first speaks, so viewers know who is talking and why their opinion counts, without the narrator having to explain.

• Podcast video episodes

  Each host and guest gets a plate early in the episode, and the same plate returns after a break, for viewers who have joined in partway through or skipped ahead.

• Live streams and webinars

  A plate loaded into OBS as an overlay names the presenter when a session starts or a new speaker joins, using the event's colors rather than a default title style.

Presets

5

Default duration

2 to 3 seconds, up to 30

Default background

Transparent

Best export

PNG sequence or WebM with alpha

Which format should you export?

Transparent WebM, without exception. A name plate is defined by what shows through it.

Format

MP4 · WebM · PNG sequence

Alpha

WebM or PNG sequence

Resolution

720p to 8K

Aspect

16:9 · 9:16 · 1:1 · 4:5

License

Commercial use included

Three tips that make it look intentional

• Introduce a speaker within their first ten seconds on screen and hold the tag for four to six seconds.
• Keep the role line shorter than the name line so the block stays balanced.
• Always export transparent WebM: a solid background defeats the point of a lower third.

Three things people get wrong

• Putting the plate in the lower third of a 16:9 export and then cropping to 9:16, which moves it off centre. Export each frame separately.
• Holding the name for two seconds. Five is the broadcast convention because that is how long it takes to read and remember.
• Setting the role in the same weight as the name, so neither reads first.

Frequently asked