Overlays and Scenes

Overlays and scenes let you add visual elements on top of your camera feed — things like your name, social handles, "Be Right Back" screens, or branded graphics. They are what take a stream from casual webcam footage to a polished, professional broadcast.

What Are Overlays?

An overlay is a visual layer that sits on top of your camera feed. Viewers see the overlay combined with your video. Common examples include:

• Name and title bar — A banner showing your artist name and what you are doing.
• Social media handles — Display your Instagram, TikTok, or other handles on screen so viewers can follow you.
• "Now Playing" display — Show the name of the song you are performing or playing.
• Branding elements — Logos, borders, or decorative frames that match your brand style.
• Alerts — Animated notifications when someone subscribes, donates, or joins your community.

What Are Scenes?

A scene is a preset layout that you can switch between during your stream. Each scene can have a different combination of camera angles, overlays, and backgrounds. For example:

• Main scene — Your camera feed with your standard overlays.
• Starting soon — A branded screen that shows before you start talking, letting early viewers know the stream is about to begin.
• Be right back — A holding screen for when you need to step away for a moment.
• Full-screen content — A scene that shows your screen share without your camera, useful for music production sessions.
• Ending — A closing screen with a thank you message and your social links.

Adding Overlays

1. Open the Streaming Studio for your stream.
2. Click on the Overlays panel.
3. Click Add Overlay.
4. Choose the type of overlay you want to add:
   • Text — Add text that appears on screen. Customize the font, size, color, and position.
   • Image — Upload a graphic or logo to display on your stream.
   • Banner — A pre-styled bar with text, perfect for displaying your name or song title.
5. Position the overlay by dragging it to where you want it on the preview.
6. Resize it by dragging the corners.
7. Click Save.

Managing Overlays

Show or Hide Overlays

Each overlay has a visibility toggle. Use it to show or hide overlays during your stream without deleting them. For example, you might show a "Now Playing" overlay only when you are performing a song, then hide it during conversation.

Edit Overlays

Click on any overlay in the panel to update its text, image, position, or styling.

Delete Overlays

Click on an overlay and select Delete to remove it permanently.

Working with Scenes

Create a New Scene

1. In the Streaming Studio, find the Scenes section.
2. Click Add Scene.
3. Give your scene a name (for example, "Starting Soon" or "Performance").
4. Set up the camera, background, and overlays you want active in this scene.
5. Click Save.

Switch Between Scenes

During your stream, click on any scene in the Scenes panel to switch to it instantly. The transition is immediate — viewers will see the new scene right away.

This is how you go from a "Starting Soon" screen to your main camera view when you are ready to begin.

Edit a Scene

Click the edit button on any scene to change its settings — update the background, add or remove overlays, or change the camera layout.

Delete a Scene

Remove scenes you no longer need by clicking the options menu on the scene card and selecting Delete.

Best Practices for Overlays and Scenes

• Less is more — A few clean overlays look better than a cluttered screen. Start simple and add more as you get comfortable.
• Use consistent branding — Match your overlay colors and fonts to your artist brand for a cohesive look.
• Prepare transition scenes — "Starting Soon," "Be Right Back," and "Ending" scenes keep your stream feeling polished during transitions.
• Test before you go live — Preview how your overlays look on camera before starting your stream. Make sure text is readable and graphics are not blocking your face.
• Update your "Now Playing" — If you are performing, change the song title overlay between tracks. It helps viewers follow along.