Overview
A lower third is a graphic element placed in the lower portion of the video frame to identify a speaker, location, or information. Done well, it's invisible in the sense that viewers absorb the information without consciously noticing the graphic. Done poorly, it competes with the content and reads as unprofessional.
What You Need
- After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, or Premiere Pro
- Our Lower Third Builder to preview styles before building
- Our Safe Zones Guide for platform-specific placement guidelines
Steps
Understand lower third anatomy
A standard lower third has two text elements: a primary line (name or main information) displayed larger, and a secondary line (title, organisation, or location) displayed smaller below. Optional elements include: a background shape (bar, box, or gradient), a brand colour accent bar (the coloured horizontal rule often seen in broadcast), and a logo. Not all of these are required — often fewer elements read more cleanly.
Common lower third styles
Classic broadcast: White text on a dark semi-transparent bar, with a coloured rule above. Authoritative, clean, used in news. Corporate clean: White text on a solid brand-colour rectangle with a subtle drop shadow. Readable on any background. YouTube modern: Bold name in a bright colour, secondary line smaller below, no background shape — relies on contrast with the video. Documentary: Plain type, minimal or no background, uses the natural video as context. Kinetic: Text animates on with energy — slide, scale, or reveal. Use our Lower Third Builder to preview all five.
Typography rules for lower thirds
Primary line: use a bold, legible sans-serif (Inter, DM Sans, Helvetica). Set at a size that reads clearly at 1080p — minimum 36pt equivalent on a 1920×1080 canvas. Secondary line: 60–75% of the primary size, Regular or Medium weight. Avoid italic for information text — it reduces legibility at small sizes. Keep the character count short: a name plus title that wraps to a third line is too long.
Safe zone placement
Lower thirds should sit within the Title Safe Zone — typically 10% in from all edges. This ensures the graphic isn't clipped on broadcast monitors with overscan or cropped on various social media platforms. At 1920×1080, the title safe zone starts at 192px from the left and 108px from the bottom. The lower third's bottom edge should sit above the 10% bottom margin. Use our Safe Zones Guide for exact pixel values per platform.
Animation principles for lower thirds
Lower third animations should last 15–25 frames at 25fps for the reveal, and equal time for the exit. Faster feels rushed; slower feels sluggish. Common reveal types: slide in from left (classic), wipe from left behind a background shape (broadcast), opacity fade (minimal), scale up from 95% (modern). Always ease the motion — linear movement looks mechanical. The exit animation mirrors the reveal. Time the reveal to happen 0.5s after the speaker starts talking, not before.
Pro Tips
- Display the lower third for 3–5 seconds, then remove it — keeping it on screen indefinitely becomes a distraction from the speaker.
- If you have multiple speakers, all lower thirds in a programme should share the same style — inconsistent designs look like separate projects stitched together.
- Export lower thirds as QuickTime with alpha channel (ProRes 4444) so they can be dropped into any NLE without rebaking them into the footage.