Place a Title on the Thirds With Exact Position Values

The rule of thirds splits the frame into three columns and three rows. A title placed near one of those lines leaves the subject clear and gives the picture room to breathe. DepCut stores a title's position as a percentage of the frame, so you can type the third you want and get the same spot every time.

What the Position fields mean

A title's position is the point at its center. X counts from the left edge and Y counts from the top edge, both as a percentage of the frame. Since the numbers are percentages, a title keeps its place when you change the aspect ratio.

A new title starts at X 50 and Y 42. The fields accept values from 2 to 98. The thirds sit at about 33 and 67.

Set a title's position

1. Move the playhead to where the title should begin and press T. A title that reads "Your text" appears in the preview and on the title row of the timeline.
2. Change the words in the Text tab of the right panel, or double-click the title in the preview. Letter keys run editor shortcuts, so type in the Text tab.
3. Click the Transform tab in the right panel. The Position row shows X and Y.
4. Click the X value, type 67 and press Enter. Click the Y value, type 33 and press Enter.
5. Play the shot and look at the title against the picture.

Choose the third

• Subject on the left third: put the title on the right third, at X 67.
• Subject on the right third: use X 33.
• Open sky or a plain wall: the upper third, at Y 33, keeps the title clear of the action.
• A name label: the lower third, at Y 67, suits it.

Text is centered on X, so a long title at X 67 spreads to both sides and can reach the edge. Shorten the words, break them over two lines, or lower the number in the Size tab until the whole title sits inside the frame.

Drag when you want to feel it out

Dragging a title in the preview snaps it to guide lines. The guides mark the frame edges, a safe margin near each edge, the center line, and the edges and centers of other titles and captions on screen at the same time. Hold ⌘ or Ctrl while dragging to move freely.

After a drag, open Transform to read the new numbers. Round them to the nearest third and type the rounded values. The next title you place the same way lines up with this one.

Check the result in a post preview

Export the video, open Media and choose the Assets tab. Click an export under Exports to open Preview as a post. It opens on Original and offers TikTok, Instagram and YouTube mock-ups. Look at where the title sits next to the interface drawn on each one.

Your next title

Press T in DepCut, open Transform and type the third. Reuse the same numbers for every title in a series.