Lower Thirds with Alpha in DaVinci Resolve & Premiere Pro

Updated September 22, 2026

In post-production a lower third is just another clip on a track above your footage. Titlo exports MOV ProRes 4444 with alpha (10-bit, 4:4:4), the standard delivery format for graphics with transparency — it drops onto a timeline in DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro, on macOS and Windows.

Before you export

Match your timeline frame rate. Titlo exports 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94 and 60 fps (up to 120) — pick the one your project uses so the animation isn't resampled. There is no 23.976 option yet: on a 23.976 timeline, export at 24.
Match the resolution (1080p or 4K) to avoid scaling the graphic in the editor.
Titlo's MOV uses straight (un-premultiplied) alpha. Remember that for the alpha settings below.

DaVinci Resolve

Import the .mov into the Media Pool.
Place it on a video track above your footage (V2 over V1).
If the transparency isn't applied or the edges look dark, right-click the clip in the Media Pool → Clip Attributes → Video, and set Alpha Mode to Straight.

Premiere Pro

Import the .mov and drag it onto a track above your footage.
Premiere reads the alpha channel automatically. If edges look off, select the clip in the Project panel → Modify → Interpret Footage, and check the Alpha Channel section: the file should not be interpreted as premultiplied, and Ignore Alpha Channel must be off.

Final Cut Pro

Import the .mov and connect it above your primary storyline. Final Cut reads the ProRes 4444 alpha channel natively.

Troubleshooting

Dark halo around text or shadows

The editor is treating the straight alpha as premultiplied. Set the alpha mode to straight as described above.

Black background

Either the alpha channel is being ignored (check the interpretation settings), or the file was transcoded to a format without alpha. Use the original MOV from Titlo.

Very large files

That is normal for ProRes 4444 — it trades file size for quality and easy decoding. Keep clips as short as the on-screen time you need, and trim or delete unused renders.

Rolling end credits

Titlo also builds rolling end credits (Pro plan). They export the same way — a ProRes 4444 clip with alpha to lay over your final shot or a black slate.

Make the lower third first

Titlo is a browser editor for animated lower thirds: design on a timeline, export MOV ProRes 4444 with alpha or a transparent PNG. The free plan exports 720p with a watermark (MOV up to 4 s) — enough to test the whole workflow in this guide.

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