StreamLive ProWhat is a lower third? Name titles in video, explained
A lower third is the name and title shown at the bottom of the screen when someone speaks. What it contains, how long to show it, Hebrew pitfalls, and how to add one.
A lower third is the graphic at the bottom of the picture that tells viewers who is speaking: a name, and usually one more line such as a role, a topic or a handle. The name comes from where it sits, in the lower third of the frame, below the face and above the bottom edge. In Hebrew production it is often called כתובית שם, or simply "lower third" in English. It is one of the oldest tools of television, and on a live stream it matters even more, because viewers join at any minute and need to know who they are looking at.
What a lower third contains
| Part | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main line | The speaker's name | The largest text, easy to read on a phone |
| Second line | Role, topic, place or handle | Shorter and smaller than the name |
| Plate | A coloured band or box behind the text | Gives contrast over any background |
| Accent | A line, a logo or a colour block | Optional; ties it to your show's look |
| Motion | Slides or fades in and out | Optional; a short, calm movement is enough |
The two lines are the whole idea. A lower third with three or four lines stops being a lower third and becomes a slide that covers the picture.
Lower third, ticker, logo and captions: the difference
These four sit near the edges of the frame and are easy to confuse.
| Element | What it shows | How long it stays |
|---|---|---|
| Lower third | Who is speaking, sometimes the topic | A few seconds, then hidden |
| Ticker | A line of headlines or announcements scrolling along the bottom | As long as you want, often the whole show |
| Logo (also called a bug) | Your brand, usually in a corner | The whole broadcast |
| Captions | The words being spoken | Changes with every sentence |
In a news style show you may see all four at once. Keep them apart: the lower third above the ticker, the logo in a corner, and captions where they do not hide the name. A ticker is covered in Add a news ticker to your live stream, and logos and overlay channels in Add a logo and overlays to your live stream.
What makes a good lower third
- Two lines at most. The name, and one short line under it.
- Readable on a phone. Many viewers watch on a small screen. If the text is hard to read on a phone held upright, it is too small.
- Inside the safe area. Keep it away from the edges, where networks place their own buttons, and where a vertical crop cuts the picture. The studio's safe-frame guides show what remains after a 9:16 or 1:1 crop.
- Shown for about 5 to 8 seconds, then hidden. Bring it back when the topic changes or after a long stretch, for viewers who joined later.
- Strong contrast. Light text on a dark plate, or the other way round. A plate keeps it readable over a busy background.
- Correct spelling of names. Check every name with the person before the show. A misspelled name on screen is the mistake people remember.
Hebrew and Arabic lower thirds
Right-to-left text breaks in many tools. The full stop at the end of a line jumps to the wrong side, a number or an English name in the middle reorders the words around it, and brackets turn around. Before a show, test a title that has a number and an English word in it, for example a role with a year or a company name, and look at it on Program, not only in the editing box. StreamLive Pro is built for Hebrew and English, and titles in the browser studio read right to left correctly. The same right-to-left issue in caption files is explained in Automatic Hebrew captions for Premiere Pro, step by step.
Lower thirds in StreamLive Pro
- Live studio in the browser. Open Live stream, then Browser Studio. On the studio bar, Graphics holds the title, the ticker and comments on the screen. You can drag and resize the title and choose its layer order. Studio keys for switching and overlays: Keyboard shortcuts in the browser studio.
- Podcast studio. In Podcast, the Lower Thirds + Ticker panel holds a name, a role and a news ticker.
- StreamLive Pro Studio, the desktop app. It is not released yet. Its title templates for Hebrew, English and Arabic will come with it; see StreamLive Pro Studio: the facts about the desktop app for Mac and Windows.
The full how-to, with design tips, is How to make lower thirds for a live stream.
Lower thirds and Shorts from the broadcast
A lower third is part of the picture, so it stays in everything made from that picture. When StreamLive Pro cuts vertical Shorts from a broadcast, the 9:16 crop follows the speaker, and a name placed near the left or right edge of the wide frame is cut off. If you plan to make Shorts, keep the lower third closer to the centre, inside the vertical safe frame, or hide it during the moments you expect to clip. The Shorts themselves get their own captions; see How to create Shorts from any video, no live stream needed.
Think about the side, too. If the speaker sits on one side of the frame, put the lower third on the same side, under them, so the eye links the name to the face. In an interview with two people, each gets a lower third on their side when they first speak, not both at once.
A simple plan for a live show
- Write the names and roles before the show, and check spelling with each person.
- Prepare one title per speaker, with the same position and style for all of them.
- Show it when the person first speaks, for about 5 to 8 seconds.
- Show it again after a long stretch or when the topic changes.
- Hide titles during close-ups of documents or slides, so they do not cover what viewers need to read.
Common mistakes
- Text too small for a phone.
- Three or four lines that cover the speaker's chest and hands.
- A lower third that never goes away.
- Names placed outside the 9:16 area, so they are cut off when the broadcast becomes a vertical Short.
- Hebrew punctuation on the wrong side because nobody checked it on Program.
Frequently asked questions
What is a lower third in video?
A graphic in the lower part of the picture with the speaker's name and usually one more line, such as a role or a topic. It tells viewers who is speaking.
Why is it called a lower third?
Because it sits in the lower third of the frame, below the speaker's face and above the bottom edge.
How long should a lower third stay on screen?
About 5 to 8 seconds, then hide it. Show it again when the topic changes or after a long stretch.
What is the difference between a lower third and a ticker?
A lower third names the speaker for a few seconds. A ticker is a line of text that scrolls along the bottom, often for the whole show.
Can I make lower thirds in Hebrew in StreamLive Pro?
Yes. The browser studio and the podcast studio support Hebrew titles that read right to left correctly. Check titles with numbers or English words on Program before the show.
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