Title Card in the First 3 Seconds
A title card in the first three seconds is a large line, not a logo. It should be the point of the reel.
Put a title card in the first three seconds so the reel states its point before anyone decides to stay. Two to six words, large, in the upper-middle. A logo is not a title. A welcome line is not a title. If you turn on-screen text off, do not sneak writing in through a logo instead.
The words are the hook
Write the line you would want quoted. If it only makes sense after the reel, it is a conclusion, and conclusions make bad openings.
Hold it
Three seconds feels long in the edit and short on a phone. Do not flash the title for half a second and call it a hook. People need time to read while the swipe is still in their thumb.
Match the language of the voice
A Cantonese voice with an English title card splits the audience. Use the language you set for on-screen text, and say a compatible first line.
A worked example
Card: "Cut the breath." Held three seconds over a quiet waveform-like picture. Then the first word of the voice arrives. The logo stays in the caption.
Before you post
- The card is the point, not a logo.
- It is held, not flashed.
- The language matches the voice.
Where Scro fits
With on-screen text on, Scro puts that large title on the opening of an explainer. Turn text off and the clip stays free of writing. Approve the still so the words sit in the safe zone.
Set the opening title. Finished samples are on the examples page.
Related: Listicle as a Cartoon Reel.