Your cast are the people on screen. Record each one with their on-screen name and title, set the order, and keep contact private — and the list feeds your lower thirds.
Your cast are the people who appear on screen — presenters, guests, pundits, performers. In Show Runner you keep a cast list on the show, and it does double duty: it's your contact list for the people on camera, and it's the source of your lower thirds, the name strips that identify each person. This guide covers adding cast and getting their on-screen names right. It's part of getting started with Show Runner.
Cast vs. crew
It's worth being clear on the split:
- Cast appear on screen. They have on-screen names and titles, and they get lower thirds.
- Crew produce the show off screen. They have roles and call times, and sign off safety documents.
Show Runner keeps the two lists separate because they carry different information.
Add a cast member
For each person on screen, record:
- Name — their full/contact name.
- On-screen name (lower-third line 1) — exactly as it should appear on the graphic.
- Title or role (lower-third line 2) — what sits under the name (e.g. "Presenter", "Head Coach").
- Order — where they sit in the list, which sets the order the lower thirds are generated in.
- Contact — phone and email, if you need them.
Getting the on-screen name and title exactly right here is what stops the classic on-air spelling mistake — the correct spelling is captured once, in one place.
Keep contact details private
A cast member's phone and email are useful to you but shouldn't leak. You can mark a cast member's contact as private, which keeps their phone and email out of any shared or public views of the production pack — so you can share the pack without sharing personal contact details.
The cast list feeds your lower thirds
Because each cast member carries their on-screen name and title, the cast list is your lower-thirds source. Build the list once and you have both your on-camera contacts and the exact text for every name strip — which flows into your broadcast graphics. You can also share the lower-thirds list itself with whoever's operating graphics.
Cast checklist
- Every on-screen person added to the cast list
- On-screen name and title set exactly as they should appear
- Order set so lower thirds generate in sequence
- Personal contact marked private where needed
- The list used as the source for your lower thirds
FAQ
What's the difference between a cast member's name and their on-screen name?
The name is their full/contact name for your records; the on-screen name (lower-third line 1) is exactly what appears on the graphic, with the title or role on line 2. Keeping them separate lets you store a formal contact name while showing a preferred on-screen form.
Can I hide cast contact details when I share the pack?
Yes — mark a cast member's contact as private and their phone and email are hidden from shared or public views of the production pack, so you can distribute the pack without exposing personal details.
How do cast members become lower thirds?
Each cast member carries their on-screen name and title, so the cast list is the source for your lower thirds — the name strips that identify people on screen. Build the list once and the text for every lower third comes from it.
With cast in, set up the graphics: broadcast graphics and overlays. Or start for free.