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teedewan
New Participant
January 3, 2020
Question

How can I add in a 60 seconds countdown timer?

  • January 3, 2020
  • 4 replies
  • 7612 views

Hi, 

 

What would be the best way of adding a 60 seconds countdown timer on a video? I want it to start from 60 and go down to 0.

 

Thanks

This topic has been closed for replies.

4 replies

Jose Panadero
Community Expert
January 4, 2020

You can use this expression over the Source Text parameter of your text layer:

 

linear (time, 0, 60, 60,0).toFixed(X)

 

Your composition must be at least 60 seconds in duration. You can change the "X" in the expression for the number of decimals you want to use.

 

 

This way you can easily change the style and format of your text using the Character panel.

 

Community Expert
January 11, 2020

It looks like this changes at every half second.  Is there a way to modify this expression such that it changes at every second?

Mathias Moehl
Community Expert
January 12, 2020

linear (time-0.5, 0, 60, 60,0).toFixed(0)

Mathias Möhl - Developer of tools like BeatEdit and Automation Blocks for Premiere Pro and After Effects
Community Expert
January 3, 2020

The challenge with uisng an Effect like Numbers and Timecode is that you don't have any control over the options that appear in the Character panel and the Paragraph panel.  

 

I've done some countdowns by keyframing the Text Source parameter.  It's not nearly as fast as using one of the Text Effects, but gives you full control of the appearance.  Another slow down is that changing just one option in the Chracter panal later needs to be done at each keyframe.  On the upside, it opens up all of the options available in the Animatte pop-up menu.

 

Mathias Moehl
Community Expert
January 4, 2020

If you look for a generic solution with very flexible formatting, you can use iExpressions for that

https://mamoworld.com/after-effects-expression/counter-time
https://mamoworld.com/after-effects-expression/counter-numbers

Mathias Möhl - Developer of tools like BeatEdit and Automation Blocks for Premiere Pro and After Effects
Community Expert
January 3, 2020

"Timecode" effect can be useful animating the "Starting Frame" option. But with "Numbers" you have best results.

 

 

Byron.
Jose Panadero
Community Expert
January 3, 2020

Create a Solid and then apply the effect Numbers located in the Effects > Text category. You can animate the numbers to create the countdown.