Add a flashing "Rec" and red dot on footage creating "viewfinder"-look in CS4
 

Perhaps there is an easy way to do the following (I hope):

I want to add the red "Rec" sign and flashing red dot and some lines to footage in Premiere CS4 to look like it is seen via viewfinder of camcorder. Is there an easy way?

Thanks in advance!

try this: redefinery.com: Profound Effects CameraPOV / I am not certain they are still in business, but their web site still comes up..... Battle Vaughan

That must be the most cryptic website ever. No apparent way to find or download the actual product, and if you follow enough links you get to a page that says they've ceased operations.

Unless I'm an idiot. Which is likely.

There are probably 100 ways to do this, but my first thought was to use the title tool. I tried it out and it only took about 5 min to create what I think you are looking for.

First I made a 'title' which was just a rectangle. I used a thin white line and lowered the opacity to about 50%. Then I typed the word 'Rec', added a shadow and placed it in one corner.

Next I made another 'title' which was only a small red circle, which I placed next to where the Rec type is.

I put them both on the timeline, one above the other. I extended the rectangle/Rec title to the lenght of time I wanted it to last. I then put the red circle above the rectangle title and put the duration at about 1 second. I then copied the circle title many times and spaced them out above the rectangle title, which makes the red circle flash on and off.

See if that method will work for you.

Lloyd

Hi, Adam, yes, sorry about that, I did some more digging and finally found a site which tells people looking for their authorization codes that they are out of business....there must be other people who do this, I know I've seen one of these plugins for Pinnacle Studio or one of those consumer NLEs, so there must be a demand. But I didn't turn any up googling.

I looked in After Effects CS4 and didn't find anything there, or in PPro....the suggestion to make your own is a good one, a red dot, some type and a stroked rectangle or something like that would be pretty easy to put together in title maker... /bv

Lloyd, Thanks a lot for this brilliant practical suggestion which I will try. I am sure it will work!

Thanks to everybody else for your time, effort and comments! It's amazing how much help is available on these forums!

Apologies for only responding now - I was away from my PC for most of the day (even attended a Windows 7 presentation in Johannesburg...interesting!)