Text is part of the picture
Text placed over video competes with everything else on screen. Done well, it adds information the picture cannot, such as a name, a place or a key phrase. Done poorly, it hides the subject, flashes by too fast to read, or disappears into a bright background. The goal is simple: the viewer should understand the text without effort and without losing the image.
This article focuses on how on-screen text works visually. Spoken-word subtitles for accessibility have their own considerations, covered under video captions.
Decide what kind of text you need
Different text jobs have different needs:
- Titles: introduce the video or a section. They can be larger and stay on screen a little longer.
- Lower thirds: short labels, usually in the lower part of the frame, identifying a person or place.
- Captions or subtitles: words that mirror speech, shown in short chunks.
- Callouts: small notes pointing at something in the shot.
Ask whether each piece of text is necessary. If the picture or the voice already says it clearly, the text may only add clutter.
Size and typeface
Text should be large enough to read on a small screen, since many people watch on phones. As a rule of thumb, if you have to squint at the preview in your editor, it is probably too small. Check your result at the smallest size you expect people to use.
Choose a plain, sturdy typeface. Thin or highly decorative letterforms break apart over moving images and compression. Fewer styles look cleaner: one or two typefaces for the whole video is usually plenty. General advice on typeface choice applies here, with extra weight placed on clarity at small sizes.
Contrast with the background
Video backgrounds change constantly, so text that is readable in one frame may vanish in the next. Several approaches help:
- Use a strong difference in lightness between text and background; see color contrast for the principle.
- Add a subtle shadow or outline so the letters separate from busy areas.
- Place a semi-transparent panel behind the text when the background varies a lot.
- Choose a calmer part of the frame where possible, such as sky, a wall or a blurred background.
Avoid relying on color alone. Some viewers have trouble telling certain hues apart, so a difference in brightness is more dependable, a point discussed in color blindness. Also avoid placing pale text on a bright sky or dark text on deep shadow without checking it frame by frame.
Placement and safe areas
Keep text away from the extreme edges. Different devices and players crop or cover the borders, and some platforms overlay buttons or progress bars at the top or bottom. Leaving a comfortable margin on every side, often called the safe area, keeps your words from being clipped.
Within that area, think about what the shot contains. Do not cover faces, especially eyes and mouths, or the action that matters. If the subject sits in the lower half, put the text higher, and vice versa. Placing text where the eye already goes can be good, but only if it does not hide the reason the shot exists. This is the same balancing act described in image composition: text is another element that has visual weight.
Keep position consistent. If lower thirds appear in the same spot and style each time, viewers learn where to look. Jumping text around makes the video feel disorganized and tires the eye.
Timing and reading speed
Viewers need time to notice, read and still look at the picture. A short title of a few words can usually be read quickly, but longer sentences need longer. A simple test is to read the text aloud at an unhurried pace and make sure it stays on screen at least that long, then add a little extra. People who read more slowly, or who are watching in a second language, benefit from the margin.
For speech-based captions, keep lines short, break them at natural phrase boundaries and avoid more than two lines at once. Let the words appear close to when they are spoken. Sound and text should feel synchronized, which you can check during the video editing stage by watching the whole piece without stopping.
Transitions for text should be simple. A quick fade or a plain appearance is usually enough. Avoid heavy animation, constant movement and flashing, which can be tiring and, for some viewers, uncomfortable; see motion sensitivity for more.
Writing the words
Edit your text as tightly as possible. Captions and titles are not the place for long paragraphs. Use plain language, front-load the important word and avoid abbreviations your audience might not know. Check spelling and names carefully, since a typo that sits large on screen is hard to miss.
If the video will be viewed without sound, as often happens in public or shared spaces, spoken content may need to appear as text as well. Writing a full transcript or captions for such cases also helps people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
A quick checklist
- Is every piece of text necessary?
- Can it be read on a small phone screen?
- Does it contrast with the background in every frame where it appears?
- Is it inside the safe area and clear of faces and key action?
- Does it stay on screen long enough to read comfortably?
- Is the style consistent from start to finish?
Run through it with fresh eyes, ideally on the device your audience is most likely to use. Needs vary by audience and platform, so treat these points as starting guidelines and adjust after seeing the result.