Lower third
Also known as: name super, name tag, caption bar
A text graphic in the lower part of the frame that names a person, place or detail, such as a rider name and trick, without covering the action.
Updated
What it means
A lower third is the text strip you see in documentaries and sports broadcasts: a name and a short description in the lower portion of the screen. It identifies who is speaking or riding, where a scene takes place or what trick is being performed.
The name comes from its position in the lower third of the frame, which keeps the subject visible while adding information. It is more subtle than a full title card and can appear while the action continues.
In action edits, lower thirds often show the rider name, the location, the trick name or data such as speed or altitude, giving context without stopping the flow.
How it works in practice
Keep lower thirds short, ideally a name and one line. Show them for a few seconds when the person first appears, then remove them cleanly. Consistent design, font, color and animation across the video looks professional and helps viewers recognize the graphic instantly.
Place them inside safe zones so platform interfaces do not cover them, especially on vertical video where the lower part of the screen is crowded. On widescreen video, the lower left corner is a common position.
For data such as speed or GPS, a telemetry overlay is a specialized kind of lower third.
What to watch out for
Lower thirds that appear during the most important action distract from it. Introduce riders during calm moments, such as the approach, a slow shot or a reaction after the run.
Busy animated designs age quickly and can look cheap. Simple, clean graphics hold up better and stay readable on small screens.
Text that is too small becomes unreadable on phones. Test your lower thirds on a phone screen before publishing, and make sure there is enough contrast with the background. A thin dark bar behind white text solves most readability problems.
How RawClip handles it
RawClip delivers your highlight without text graphics, as clean footage cut to music. Add lower thirds with rider names or locations in your editor afterwards, starting from the 4K version of your highlight.