countdown plug in for FCP 5.1.2

Hey all-

Does anyone know of a plug in for FCP 5.1.2 that can allow me to have a rolling countdown, let's say from 5 min down to zero over video (on screen for the final product)---nothing jazzy--just a simple plain coutndown)---If so, where can I get it, and anything free or cheap?

Thanks!

[www.lafcpug.org]

[www.digital-heaven.co.uk]


www.derekmok.com

Thanks!

Just to pile on...

Does anyone know how one could utilize the countdown available for printing to tape? I'd love to be able to use that as a source I could edit into timelines.

> Does anyone know how one could utilize the countdown available for printing to tape?

Spit it to tape and then recapture from the tape. Or use Snapz Pro and screen-capture it into a movie file as it's running.

But the universal consensus among me, my directors, my producers and clients is that the FCP built-in countdown is butt-ugly. I make my own using colour mattes, Title 3D and the Clock Wipe transition. As long as you have a good 2-pop with one frame of "2" and one frame of audio beep, and your durations are accurate, the countdown is fine.


www.derekmok.com

I was hoping to NOT have to do that. I work in many different formats and it would save me a lot of trouble. I also like the option of putting in some text before the countdown which is easy to do otherwise but it would be a time saver (for me) if that whole window was available at any time.

Speaking of SNAPZ PRO -- has anyone gotten good results with it - we bought the license but no matter what we save it as (resolution -- frame rate) the results are usually dreadful for video Andy

You can buy this kind of thing for the countdown and just remove the green with a colour key.

[www.animationsforvideo.com]

you do get a countdown generating project with FCP Studio.

i cant remember exactly where it's located.
look in the extras folder on the FCP install disk


nick

Andy Field: To get movies from Snapz pro to work well in FCP:

Export from Snapz Pro to an all-I-fram codec like PhotoJPEG - anything over 75% quality will be fine at a frame rate you want to use (ie 29.97 or 30 or whatever)

Open the file in Cinema Tools, after dismissing the "open database" dialog when it runs.

Conform the file to the frame rate you exported to.

Now it will import to FCP with the right frame rate and you can either render it to to the sequence settings, or if you're heading for computer output not video, create a sequence setting that matches what you exported from Snapz with.

That works. Remember if you're going to video though, screen captures will always look soft and blury or will have video interlace flicker!

Philip

Phil - thanks for the tip - I'll try it. Andy