Countdown insert??

[BobFoster]

I am making a 15 minute and a 60 minute countdown scene for an internet site. The scene has an animated graphic background with a spinning logo keyed in and the words "Program Will Resume In:" under the spinning logo. I want to super in a 15 minute or a 60 minute countdown (1 each) with seconds, and minutes displaying the remaining time. I think I can use either a countdown or count up and use "backward" to get a resulting countdown. My question is, is there a way to do the supered count down/up with the Renomee+ using OS 8.3 and internal software? The internal countdown is limited to 60 seconds. The presentation options will super a timer, but not record it as part of the scene. I don't particularly like the presentation counter as it also shows (stop, pause and play emblems) Any suggestions???
Thanks,
Bob Foster, GVP

[LouBruno]

YEP....CB PAINT has a time code special menu which you can actually set the time.

[CasablancaExpert]

Hello Bob,

Yes - I have used the function Lou mentions from CB Paint, and I have created my own countdown that I use in my workshops, but that is minutes only (no seconds). For that I used a different digital hotcakes background animation with the text/title '6:00 until we reconvene' over the animation. But that is constructed manually - then made a scene of that.

I had a thought after I read your post about using Blue Box World Copy Rectangle - my preliminary playing suggests it might work for you. To do this, create a scene the length you wish to use for your countdown (15-minutes for example) Add that to the storyboard with nothing else in front of it). Export that out via tape from the Edit menu with the 'Play-Counter' turned on (from Presentation Options). This will give you the countdown that you need.
Then import that scene back into your project and run that scene in Backwards (reverse) to provide a countdown rather than a count-up. Place that clip in the storyboard in front of your desired background scene for the countdown -- can be a static scene of full-motion with title on it (Program will resume in) and position this title with desired space where your counter will go. Make a scene of the title (if you have not already done so).

Then, in Transitions - select Blue Box World Copy Rectangle.
Click 'Source Area' and use the box to select only the counter - leaving out the transport control buttons. Then click the 'Destination Area' and position the counter where you want it.

Hope that helps!

Regards,
Chet

[BobFoster]

I will see about using CB Paint on the Reno+. I can use the internal 60 second countdown for the last minute if necessary. Thanks for the great suggestions Lou and Chet!
Bob F. GVP

[BobFoster]

Lou, I went thru all the CB Paint instruction manual titles and opened the program looking for some indication for supering the time code without any luck. I ended up going rather low tech.

Using the 60 second seamless animated background with the seamless rotating logo, (6 revolutions per minute) I used BB Rectangle to grab a small font 60 second count down generated by the internal count down generator and positioned it in the lower right corner of the 60 second scene. Next I added a static title graphic under the rotating logo: "Program will resume in:" This became my "layered" basic scene.

A static title graphic lower / center with: "59 Min." was added to the basic scene. Reading " 59 Min 60 sec. The next 60 second scene became "58 Min" etc. After each render and "make scene", I entered a lower minute in the text frame and repeated the process. Since the Reno + render is faster than real time, it took about an hour to finish the 60 scenes. With the 60 scenes available, I can generate a DVD with any desired count down time duration for the client.

Thanks again Lou and Chet for helping me getting the creative juices flowing.
Bob F.
GVP

[MichaelD]

In the Finish menu there is an option for adding a timecode to a finished project when exporting to tape.

You can use different Fonts and place it where you want.

Could you not have used that and then feed that footage back in to create the DVD ?

[BobFoster]

Yes, That would have worked very nicely. It would have taken a little longer to transport out to tape and then back in to the editor and then render a 60 minute "backward" effect for the count down. The method I ended up using took about an hour and a half total, but I think your suggestion would have ended up with a more professional looking result. Thanks for bringing that to us. I will save and file that for future use.
Bob F. GVP