Captions & on-screen text
Lower third: definition and examples
What is Lower third?
A lower third is a text or graphic overlay positioned in the lower portion of the video frame, used to display identifying information such as a person's name, title, or location. In short-form video, lower thirds frequently appear in interview-style clips and talking-head content to give viewers context without covering the subject's face.
When you'd use it
- 1When introducing a speaker on camera whose name and title the audience does not already know.
- 2When filming in a specific location that is relevant context for the viewer.
- 3When a clip features multiple guests and each needs to be identified when they first appear.
- 4When you want to add context without covering the speaker's face or the main action in the frame.
Example
A founder does a 60-second talking-head clip on LinkedIn announcing a new hire. At the four-second mark, a lower third appears with the new hire's name and title in white type on a dark semi-transparent bar, stays on screen for four seconds, then fades. Without it, viewers who land mid-scroll have no way to know who the clip is about until the founder says the name, which happens at the 20-second mark.
Use cases
- 1Displaying a guest's name and job title at the start of an interview segment.
- 2Adding a city name and date tag to a field video from a brand event.
- 3Labeling each speaker in a multi-person panel clip as they begin their section.
FAQ
What is the difference between a lower third and a subtitle?
Subtitles transcribe spoken dialogue so the audio can be followed without sound. A lower third displays identifying or contextual information, such as a speaker's name or a location, that is not necessarily said out loud. They serve different purposes and often appear together in the same clip.
Make on-brand short-form video from the footage you already have.