Mother’s Day is Sunday, so don’t forget to call your mom. Now that we have that reminder out of the way, let’s talk about text in video. Used judiciously, text can add emphasis and bring clarity to a corporate video. Here are some tips and information to keep your video texting game on point.
Types of Text
Let’s start by talking about the kind of text used in video. The most common use you’ll see in corporate video is the lower-third. This is an identifier typically placed in the lower third of the screen the first time someone is shown. In longer pieces, the lower-third may be used more than once. Standard information on this type of text includes name, title and company.
Informational text can be used anywhere in a video to emphasize a point or illustrate parts. Since so many videos today are viewed without sound, text can either enhance a voice-over or replace it completely. The goal is to draw a viewer’s attention without being distracting.
Credits are another way to use text. We’re all familiar with credit rolls at the end of movies and tv shows. Corporate video isn’t usually a place you find credits, but it does happen. More often, a company’s website address and logo appear on the end page to close a video. The accompanying url may be text-generated if it’s not already part of the logo.
How to Text
When using text in a video, keep it short. Don’t tax your audience with too much reading. Text will also lose its emphasis if it’s constantly on-screen. Choose the moments you want to highlight with text and let elements like footage and narration do the rest.
Spacing is important in a video. Put text where it makes sense and not covering interesting or essential visuals. Text can stand alone with a neutral background if it’s the focus of the production, or it can sit in a place that doesn’t interfere with the accompanying footage.
Make text easy to read by choosing the right font in the right colour. This is a time when size matters. Make the text big enough to read, but not so big that it feels like shouting. And consider how other typography elements like outline and kerning affect ease of reading.
Branding
Text is a great opportunity to give your video a slick and seamless feel. Consider the branding of the company and use their colours, style and font for your text. Most businesses have a style guide that can be used to make sure the video looks perfectly in place alongside other marketing materials.
We Like to Text
Text is part of almost all of our videos and is especially prevalent in animated productions. To discuss how text can enhance your corporate video, call us today for a free quote.
