Countdown effect? at DVinfo.net

Scott Aston · August 16th, 2006, 06:37 PM

I am needing to put a countdown for a 30 min tv show. The display needs to be minutes/seconds counting down...could also be a clock..anyone know of a plugin that can do this?

Peter Jefferson · August 16th, 2006, 10:54 PM

i do alot of these things with Corporate Vox Pops... being "one minute with the CEO" "One Minute with GM" a lil hard to explain but i have a program which is a Digital Stopwatch.
Its Called XNote Stopwatch and it allows u to manipulate the timing time itself, as well as the colour scheme... this is good for compositing. U can count down or count up...

What i do is set up a chromakey colour layout.. usually green back with Red LED looking Digits.
Then i run the clock for as long as i need, and capture the screen with Camtasia. This means i can set up the resolution at any size i need and literally have a file that i can just throw in anywhere.
THEN in my NLE (Vegas) I run the chroma key filter, so all we see is the Red Digits.

The composite starts with the video footage as the base (this is the interview in my case) then i run an animated lower third to spice up the titles. Above that, usually in the corner somewhere i have my timer running.

Now another option is to run a Timecode filter, however these do not have the graphic impact of LED style text/number and the seconds dont count down/up the way this does..

Nick Weeks · August 17th, 2006, 06:32 AM

I'm not on my mac right now, but isn't there one included with final cut?

Nick Jushchyshyn · August 17th, 2006, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Aston

I am needing to put a countdown for a 30 min tv show. The display needs to be minutes/seconds counting down...could also be a clock..anyone know of a plugin that can do this?

What programs are you working with?

There is a timecode filter in Final Cut (if that's what you're using) that could be configured for minutes:seconds.
Also not at my Mac at the moment, so I'm not sure if it can be configured to run backwards, but that's easily addressed by using time re-mapping.

I'm sure there are folks here that will be happy to share specific instructions, but we really need to know what apps your using to provide detailed help.

Scott Aston · August 17th, 2006, 09:08 AM

I am using Avid (PC) I am currently trying Peter's suggestion and so far so good. I am rendering the "StopWatch Countdown" now to avi. I'll let you guys know what the results are. Thanks for the help..BIGTIME!

Scott Aston · August 17th, 2006, 03:43 PM

Peter...worked perfectly! Thanks again!

Peter Jefferson · August 22nd, 2006, 06:34 AM

good to hear :)

August 16th, 2006, 06:37 PM	#1
Scott Aston Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 75	Countdown effect? I am needing to put a countdown for a 30 min tv show. The display needs to be minutes/seconds counting down...could also be a clock..anyone know of a plugin that can do this? __________________ Scott Aston Eyecon Pictures, Inc.

August 17th, 2006, 09:08 AM	#5
Scott Aston Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 75	I am using Avid (PC) I am currently trying Peter's suggestion and so far so good. I am rendering the "StopWatch Countdown" now to avi. I'll let you guys know what the results are. Thanks for the help..BIGTIME! __________________ Scott Aston Eyecon Pictures, Inc.

August 17th, 2006, 03:43 PM	#6
Scott Aston Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 75	Peter...worked perfectly! Thanks again! __________________ Scott Aston Eyecon Pictures, Inc.

August 16th, 2006, 10:54 PM	#2
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	i do alot of these things with Corporate Vox Pops... being "one minute with the CEO" "One Minute with GM" a lil hard to explain but i have a program which is a Digital Stopwatch. Its Called XNote Stopwatch and it allows u to manipulate the timing time itself, as well as the colour scheme... this is good for compositing. U can count down or count up... What i do is set up a chromakey colour layout.. usually green back with Red LED looking Digits. Then i run the clock for as long as i need, and capture the screen with Camtasia. This means i can set up the resolution at any size i need and literally have a file that i can just throw in anywhere. THEN in my NLE (Vegas) I run the chroma key filter, so all we see is the Red Digits. The composite starts with the video footage as the base (this is the interview in my case) then i run an animated lower third to spice up the titles. Above that, usually in the corner somewhere i have my timer running. Now another option is to run a Timecode filter, however these do not have the graphic impact of LED style text/number and the seconds dont count down/up the way this does..

August 17th, 2006, 06:32 AM	#3
Nick Weeks Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Birmingham, AL USA Posts: 722	I'm not on my mac right now, but isn't there one included with final cut?

August 22nd, 2006, 06:34 AM	#7
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	good to hear :)