Seeing a headline slip behind a speaker’s shoulder makes a video feel like a produced piece, not a phone clip. It is called a depth-text effect, and it needs one thing: the app has to know where the person is in every frame. CapsField does that with masking. This guide shows how to use it, line by line or for the whole video.
Start with captions that are already made. If you have not made them yet, follow how to add captions to a video online first.
The short version
Open the Masking tab, tick the caption lines that should go behind the person and press Mask selected captions. When the mask is ready, those lines can sit Behind the person. You can also switch any line from the person icon in the Captions list.
How the effect works
Normally captions are drawn on top of the video. With masking, CapsField cuts the person out of the footage for the moments you choose and builds a transparent version of the video. The captions are then drawn between the background and the person, so the person overlaps the text.
Three words are used in the editor:
- Masked: a stretch of the video where the background has been separated from the person.
- Behind: a caption that is drawn under the person. It only has an effect where a mask exists.
- In front: the normal setting, with the caption drawn over everything so it is always readable.
A caption is never hidden by accident. Until you choose Behind for a line, it stays in front.
What works best
The effect is easiest to read when:
- One clear person is in the frame, with the background separate from them.
- The caption is big enough for the part behind the person to look deliberate, not like a mistake.
- The caption is short. A single strong line, such as a title or a key phrase, works better than a paragraph.
- The person does not cover the whole word. Place the text so most of it stays visible, and only a part passes behind.
Use the effect for hooks, titles and punchlines rather than for every caption.
Step 1: Open the Masking tab
In the left rail of the editor, choose Masking. The panel shows how many masking minutes you have left on your plan, and a button to buy more if you need them. Masking uses a separate allowance from transcription, and each plan includes a set number of minutes.
Step 2: Choose what to mask
Below the balance you will see Choose lines to mask, with one row for each caption in your project, numbered like the Captions list. Tick the lines you want behind the person. You have two ways to start:
- Mask selected captions masks only the stretches of video that those lines cover. This is the careful, economical choice.
- Mask whole video masks everything. It uses more minutes, and it replaces masked parts you already have, so use it only when you need the effect on most of the video.
Press the button for your choice. A message such as building transparent video shows that the mask is being made. Wait for it to finish before you judge the result.
Step 3: Set which lines sit behind the person
When a mask is ready, the panel’s heading changes to Behind the person. Each masked line has a toggle: Behind (under the person) or In front. Lines without a mask show that no mask covers them yet, because there is nothing to hide behind.
You can also work from the Captions list. Every row has a small person icon:
- On a line with no mask, clicking it masks that line and, when the mask is ready, puts it behind the person.
- On a line that is already masked, clicking it switches between behind and in front.
- The icon colour tells you the state at a glance: green for behind, pulsing while a mask is being made, grey for in front or not masked.
If you unlock the preview (hover the caption and press the lock), the Block toolbar also has a Behind button for the selected caption.
Step 4: Check it and export
Play the section. Check that the person’s outline looks clean, and that the text is still readable where it passes behind them. If a line does not work, switch it back to In front. Export as usual: the mask is part of the video, so the effect is in your file. See how to export for the options.
Tips for a better result
- Mask only the lines you need. It keeps minutes for the next video.
- Choose a bold, large style for the lines behind the person. Our styling guide shows how.
- Keep the other captions in front so the video stays easy to read.
- Check hair and fast hand movement. These are the hardest edges for any cut-out, so look at them before you export.
- Place the caption deliberately. Moving it a little changes how much of it the person covers. You can drag it on the preview after unlocking.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a green screen?
No. CapsField separates the person from the background with software, so you can use normal footage.
Does masking use my transcription minutes?
No. Masking has its own minutes allowance on each plan, shown at the top of the Masking tab.
Will masking change the timing of my captions?
No. Masking only affects what is drawn in front of and behind the text. The words and their timing stay exactly as they were.
Can I mask only part of the video?
Yes. Choose the caption lines you want and press Mask selected captions. Only the stretches of video covered by those lines are masked.
Can the person cover the text completely?
It depends on where you place the caption and how the person moves. If a line gets hidden too much, move it a little or set it to In front.
Try the depth effect on your own video
Make one hook line stand out. Create a free CapsField account, add your captions, then open the Masking tab and try it on the first line.
