21.05.2024 – Lower Third
Week 26 – Lower Third
Lower Third: It is a combination of text and graphical elements placed in the lower area of the television screen to give the audience more information. It doesn’t necessarily have to occupy the “lower third” of the screen, but that’s where it gets its name. They might seem trivial, but their necessity becomes clear when they’re used poorly or missing altogether, which can confuse the audience.
When is it a good time to use lower thirds? If you’re filming a documentary or any other interview-type program, keeping track of all the subjects can get confusing without lower thirds. If the show, company, or film has a certain tone or aesthetic, it’s good to keep the lower third design “on brand.” All elements of the lower third should work together to add to the visuals, not distract from them.
Elements of a Lower Third:
- Color
- Typography
- Animation Style
- Size and Position
- Shapes and Logos
Curve Editor: You can edit the animation curve in it.
- Right-click > Interpolation > Linear: reset the curve
- Ctrl + Alt + click curve: Add a point on the curve.
- F: Fit the curve in the editor.
Extra nodes:
- TimeBlur: Creates a kind of fake motion blur that affects all layers.
- TimeEcho: Makes the result repeat frames.
- Blocky: Pixelates the source.
To Create a Master Controller:
- Create a NoOp (similar to Null in After Effects) node.
- Add a point slider.
- Create a node that you want to control, such as Multiply.
- Copy the link from the NoOp and paste it to the other node with absolute. Using this technique, you can adjust however many nodes you need.