diff --git a/components/FamousTemplate.tsx b/components/FamousTemplate.tsx
index 8ec7c73..3ac7f70 100644
--- a/components/FamousTemplate.tsx
+++ b/components/FamousTemplate.tsx
@@ -13,9 +13,12 @@ import { useDeviceType } from "@/hooks/useDeviceType"
 /**
  * A compact template showcase with a header and link to all templates.
  * Shows first 12 templates, in 3 columns, each with thumbnail, name and brief.
+ * @param {object} props - Component props.
+ * @param {boolean} [props.showTabs=true] - Whether to show category tabs.
  * @returns {JSX.Element} - FamousTemplate component
  */
-const FamousTemplate: React.FC = () => {
+interface FamousTemplateProps { showTabs?: boolean }
+const FamousTemplate: React.FC<FamousTemplateProps> = ({ showTabs = true }) => {
   const { templateStoryList, getTemplateStoryList, isLoading } = useTemplateStoryServiceHook()
   const dispatch = useAppDispatch()
   const { isDesktop } = useDeviceType()
@@ -47,23 +50,25 @@ const FamousTemplate: React.FC = () => {
         <h2 data-alt="famous-template-title" className="text-xl py-4 font-semibold text-white">
           Hot Templates
         </h2>
-        <div data-alt="template-tabs" className={`flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2 ${isDesktop ? 'ml-4' : 'ml-0'}`}>
-          {(["all", "music", "animation", "fantasy"] as const).map((tab) => (
-            <button
-              key={tab}
-              type="button"
-              data-alt={`template-tab-${tab}`}
-              onClick={() => setActiveTab(tab)}
-              className={`px-3 py-1 rounded-none text-sm transition-colors border ${
-                activeTab === tab
-                  ? "border-white/60 bg-white/80 text-slate-900"
-                  : "border-white/20 text-white/80 hover:border-white/40 hover:bg-white/10"
-              }`}
-            >
-              {tab.toUpperCase()}
-            </button>
-          ))}
-        </div>
+        {showTabs && (
+          <div data-alt="template-tabs" className={`flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2 ${isDesktop ? 'ml-4' : 'ml-0'}`}>
+            {(["all", "music", "animation", "fantasy"] as const).map((tab) => (
+              <button
+                key={tab}
+                type="button"
+                data-alt={`template-tab-${tab}`}
+                onClick={() => setActiveTab(tab)}
+                className={`px-3 py-1 rounded-none text-sm transition-colors border ${
+                  activeTab === tab
+                    ? "border-white/60 bg-white/80 text-slate-900"
+                    : "border-white/20 text-white/80 hover:border-white/40 hover:bg-white/10"
+                }`}
+              >
+                {tab.toUpperCase()}
+              </button>
+            ))}
+          </div>
+        )}
       </div>
 
       {isLoading ? (
@@ -82,7 +87,7 @@ const FamousTemplate: React.FC = () => {
                 >
                   <div
                     data-alt="template-thumb"
-                    className="w-full h-full rounded-md overflow-hidden border border-white/10 flex-shrink-0"
+                    className="w-full h-full rounded-md overflow-hidden border border-white/10 flex-shrink-0 relative"
                   >
                     <img
                       src={t.image_url?.[0] || ""}
@@ -93,6 +98,10 @@ const FamousTemplate: React.FC = () => {
                     <div data-alt="template-meta" className="flex-1 min-w-0 absolute bg-black/50 bottom-0 left-0 right-0 px-3 py-3">
                       <div data-alt="template-name" className="text-base font-bold text-white truncate">{t.name}</div>
                     </div>
+                    <div
+                      data-alt="template-hover-overlay"
+                      className="absolute inset-0 bg-black/40 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-300 ease-out pointer-events-none z-10"
+                    />
                   </div>
                 </div>
 
@@ -113,7 +122,20 @@ const FamousTemplate: React.FC = () => {
                       setIsModalOpen(true)
                     }
                   }}
-                />
+                >
+                    <button
+                      type="button"
+                      data-alt="try-this-button"
+                      className="absolute top-2 left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 z-20 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-300 ease-out bg-white/40 text-white hover:bg-white hover:text-black text-slate-900 text-xs font-medium px-2 py-1 rounded-full border-white/60 shadow-sm"
+                      onClick={(e: React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement>) => {
+                        e.stopPropagation()
+                        const id = t.id || t.template_id
+                        dispatch(selectTemplateById(id))
+                      }}
+                    >
+                      Try this
+                    </button>
+                </div>
               </div>
             )
           })}
@@ -136,7 +158,7 @@ const FamousTemplate: React.FC = () => {
               dispatch(selectTemplateById(id))
               setActiveTemplateId(null)
             }}
-            primaryLabel="Try it Free"
+            primaryLabel="Try this"
           />
         )
       })()}
diff --git a/components/HomeBanner.tsx b/components/HomeBanner.tsx
index 9851d9a..ab088fc 100644
--- a/components/HomeBanner.tsx
+++ b/components/HomeBanner.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { X, ChevronUp, ChevronsDown } from "lucide-react";
 import { ChatInputBox } from "@/components/ChatInputBox/ChatInputBox";
 import { VideoCreationForm } from '@/components/pages/create-video/CreateInput';
 import { useDeviceType } from '@/hooks/useDeviceType';
+import { useAppSelector } from '@/lib/store/hooks';
 
 export const HOME_BANNER_CODE = "homeBanner";
 const HOME_BANNER_COLLAPSE_KEY = "homeBannerCollapsedDate";
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ export default function HomeBanner() {
   const skipAutoCollapseRef = useRef<boolean>(false);
 
   const { isMobile, isDesktop } = useDeviceType();
+  const selectedTemplateId = useAppSelector((state) => state.creationTemplate.selectedTemplateId);
 
   /** Returns YYYY-MM-DD for user's local timezone */
   const getLocalDateKey = () => {
@@ -96,6 +98,19 @@ export default function HomeBanner() {
     };
   }, []);
 
+  // Collapse banner when a template is selected/changed
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!selectedTemplateId) return;
+    setIsFlying(true);
+    try {
+      localStorage.setItem(HOME_BANNER_COLLAPSE_KEY, getLocalDateKey());
+    } catch {}
+    if (autoCollapseTimerRef.current) {
+      clearTimeout(autoCollapseTimerRef.current);
+      autoCollapseTimerRef.current = null;
+    }
+  }, [selectedTemplateId]);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     let active = true;
 
diff --git a/components/common/TemplatePreviewModal.tsx b/components/common/TemplatePreviewModal.tsx
index 97ec233..04a948b 100644
--- a/components/common/TemplatePreviewModal.tsx
+++ b/components/common/TemplatePreviewModal.tsx
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export function TemplatePreviewModal({
     title,
     description,
     onPrimaryAction,
-    primaryLabel = 'Try it Free',
+    primaryLabel = 'Try this',
 }: TemplatePreviewModalProps) {
     const [isReady, setIsReady] = useState(false);
     const [isExpanded, setIsExpanded] = useState(false);
diff --git a/components/pages/create-video/CreateInput/VideoCreationForm.tsx b/components/pages/create-video/CreateInput/VideoCreationForm.tsx
index 6dc0a32..7ebaefe 100644
--- a/components/pages/create-video/CreateInput/VideoCreationForm.tsx
+++ b/components/pages/create-video/CreateInput/VideoCreationForm.tsx
@@ -394,14 +394,14 @@ export default function VideoCreationForm() {
                 {/* Template Description */}
                 {inputPlaceholder && (
                     <div data-alt="template-description-wrapper" className="px-4">
-                        <div data-alt="template-description-text" className="italic text-white/50 text-sm">{inputPlaceholder}</div>
+                        <div data-alt="template-description-text" className="italic text-[#606775] text-sm">{inputPlaceholder}</div>
                     </div>
                 )}
                 {/* Text Input Area - Middle */}
                 {shouldShowInput && (
                     <div data-alt="text-input-wrapper" className="flex-1 flex px-4 py-2">
                         {isTemplateSelected?.freeInput[0].input_name && (
-                            <div data-alt="template-description-text" className="text-white/60 text-sm pr-2">{isTemplateSelected?.freeInput[0].input_name}</div>
+                            <div data-alt="template-description-text" className="text-white/60 text-base pr-2 flex-shrink-0 capitalize">{`${isTemplateSelected?.freeInput[0].input_name}:`}</div>
                         )}
                         <textarea
                             data-alt="main-text-input"
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ export default function VideoCreationForm() {
                     applyTemplateSelection(currentTemplate);
                     setCurrentTemplate(null)
                 }}
-                primaryLabel="Try it Free"
+                primaryLabel="Try this"
             />
         </div>
     );
diff --git a/components/pages/create-video/CreateVideo.tsx b/components/pages/create-video/CreateVideo.tsx
index a6b3d05..4346693 100644
--- a/components/pages/create-video/CreateVideo.tsx
+++ b/components/pages/create-video/CreateVideo.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export default function CreateVideo() {
                 <VideoCreationForm />
               </div>
             </div>
-            <FamousTemplate />
+            <FamousTemplate showTabs={false} />
         </div>
     );
 }