Caption Slots to Place Text on Screen

Planning safe zones

Captions need space that does not cover logos, faces, or text in the video. A format library can define safe zones for each platform. For example, YouTube and other players often crop edges on some devices. A team can mark a bottom band of the frame for captions on most clips. This keeps text readable without hiding key visuals.

Defining caption slots

Caption slots are fixed places on screen for text. A format library can list slots like 'bottom-left', 'bottom-center', or 'top-right' with notes on when to use them. For a product demo, bottom-center may work for voice captions, while top-right may show short labels. By picking from a small list, editors do not have to place text by eye each time.

Matching slots to content

Different scenes need different slots. A scene with text at the bottom may need captions at the top. A scene with a logo at top-right may need captions at bottom-center. For a tutorial with step numbers on screen, a format library can say which slot to use for each segment type. This prevents conflicts between on-screen text and captions.

Put captions where they never fight with what the viewer needs to see.

Testing slots on target devices

A slot that looks fine on a laptop may cover text on a phone. Test caption slots on common screen sizes for your audience. For example, a school video may need to work on older phones with small screens. A format library should include test notes for each slot. This catches issues early before publishing to many viewers.

Key takeaways

• Define safe zones and caption slots in your format library for each target platform.
• Pick from a small set of slots so placement stays consistent across editors and clips.
• Match slots to scene types to avoid covering logos, faces, or on-screen text.
• Test slots on common devices to keep captions readable for most viewers.