Overlay

What is Overlay?

An overlay is a video, image, or graphic element placed on a separate layer above the base footage in an editing timeline. Overlays can be fully or partially transparent and are used to add texture, branding, captions, or supplementary visuals without replacing the original clip.

When you'd use it

1. 1When you need to add text, captions, or graphic elements on top of existing footage.
2. 2When branding elements such as a logo, color wash, or texture need to appear over video without replacing it.
3. 3When a second video clip or looping graphic needs to play on top of base footage to add context.
4. 4When a data point, stat, or call-to-action needs to appear on screen at a specific moment in the clip.

Example

A creator places a film grain overlay set to Screen blend mode at 15% opacity over a lifestyle b-roll clip. The grain adds texture and warmth without obscuring the original footage or shifting the color grade established by the LUT underneath.

Use cases

1. 1Adding a semi-transparent brand color wash over B-roll to make the clip feel more cohesive with the campaign palette.
2. 2Placing an animated stat or pull-quote graphic over a talking-head clip at the moment the speaker mentions it.
3. 3Layering a product close-up clip over a lifestyle background shot to show the product in context.

Related terms