ItemlumeDECISION GUIDE / Product videos
How should subtitle line breaks change between horizontal, vertical and square ads?
Treat each aspect ratio as a separate subtitle layout using the same approved meaning. Keep stable cue IDs and timing during the first comparison, then review line breaks in each destination preview. Scaling one text box proportionally does not establish that a phone viewer can read it.
Mark the units that must stay understandable
Fictional exercise: a narrated line introduces organizer A-20 for dry indoor shelves only. A narrow layout breaks the identifier across lines and leaves the restriction on a later screen. The words survive, but the product message becomes harder to understand.
Mark A-20 as one identifier and link the use restriction to the claim it qualifies. Keep a master transcript and cue reference; do not create three independently shortened scripts merely to fill three text boxes.
Give each layout a specific review question
Compare the actual crop, product position and platform interface. The same line break need not work everywhere, and a different break need not change the approved wording.
| Practice layout | Likely decision | Inspect |
|---|---|---|
| Horizontal | Use available width | Claim and restriction stay linked |
| Vertical | Reflow semantic units | Identifier remains intact |
| Square | Balance text with product | No essential detail covered |
| Destination overlay | Adjust placement | Controls do not hide wording |
Approve the reflow before changing timing
Adobe describes caption work in an editing workflow. Use the current editor to prepare and inspect these layouts; Itemlume does not automatically create ratio-specific subtitles.
- Assign a cue ID to the approved words and record the current interval.
- Create separate horizontal, vertical and square layout versions.
- Reflow at meaningful boundaries without separating identifiers or qualifications.
- Watch each export at normal speed on a phone with destination controls visible.
- Record acceptance, or request an external edit and another timing review.
Escalate an impossible fit instead of hiding meaning
If a layout cannot remain readable in its approved interval, ask for a revised hold, cut or approved script. Do not silently omit the restriction or force arbitrarily small lettering. No universal character count or font size guarantees readability across products and destinations.
A later change to a crop or cut reopens the affected layout check. Preserve the accepted cue, wording, timing and aspect version together so an editor can identify what the previous approval actually covered.
Record the decision in a manual worksheet
Subtitle reflow agreement — fictional practice rows
The download contains fictional practice rows. Actual evidence and release decisions are blank for you to fill in. This manual record does not inspect products, update a store or certify compliance. Keep private material out of public copies.
Sources and further reading
Sources for this page were checked on . Platform rules can change; verify the current source before publishing. Prompt examples and workflow recommendations are Itemlume editorial guidance, not independently measured results.
Frequently asked questions
Must three aspect ratios share identical line breaks?
No. Preserve meaning and reviewed timing while approving the layout of each version.
Can I shorten a spoken caption to make it fit?
Keep it faithful to the approved audio; request an appropriate script or edit review rather than silently changing it.
BUILD FROM A PRODUCT YOU KNOW
Put this workflow into practice with your own product.
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