TC generator that counts down?

[andershaavie]

I have a friend that works with music-shows. Before doing a job he sits down with the music and makes a dummy edit with the musicscore so he can get a feel for the editing.

So what he does is that he puts down the song on the timeline, and starts multicam edititing between video dummyfiles that says CAM1.. CAM2 etc with a countdown on each clip.

How would I introduce a countdown on all the clips ? I can count up easily with the TC Generator, but not down.

Is this possible? I know this is a strange workflow but any tips of how to solve this problem would be highly appreciated.

(a long and slow process would be to edit first and then introduce an countdown on a adjustment layer and then adjust it for each clip, but it would take quite a long time.)

Anders

[Mike Dziennik]

I'm not quite sure what your friend is trying to achieve and why on earth they would work this way but you could put a TC Generator on a clip, nest it and then reverse the nest using the Clip Speed/Duration options.

[Averdahl]

Create a new sequence, add black video to it and make it let´s say 5 minutes long, add the Timecode effect to it. Adjust the parameters if neccessary.

Nest the newly created sequence to any sequence, select the nest and click Ctrl+R and tick the Reverse Speed and click ok. Then, with the nested sequence still selected go to the Effect Controls panel and change the Blend Mode from Normal to Screen.

This gives me timecode that counts down.

[andershaavie]

Thanks for you ideas guys.. ... however, I would like to have a countdown on all edits, and doing it with the nest solution will take alot of time, when I have to to this manually on all clips.

[rodneyb56060189]

I have a friend that works with music-shows. Before doing a job he sits down with the music and makes a dummy edit with the musicscore so he can get a feel for the editing.

So what he does is that he puts down the song on the timeline, and starts multicam edititing between video dummyfiles that says CAM1.. CAM2 etc with a countdown on each clip.

Have you asked your friend how he put a countdown on all clips ??? Might be a solution he can give you ?

[andershaavie]

He hasn't done it yet.. he wants to do it. (this is appearantly possible in Avid)

[James_eater]

Another inelegant solution is to put a transparent video above your footage (File>New>Transparent Video)

Stretch that over the entire sequence till the end of your last clip.

Add the "Timecode" effect from the Effects window.

Go to the end of the sequence, and in the Timecode effect on the Transparent Vide, go to the Offset adjustment.

Move the Offset left into negative numbers until you see the timecode zero out to 00:00:00.

This should make your offset count down, however it will start with the hours at some value like "23"

This is the "easiest" solution to your issue. But I do not know of a simple drag, drop, click to achieve what you want. If it's available in Avid, and it's a feature you really like, it may be time for you to switch over to Avid or add it to your arsenal.

[andershaavie]

Thanks.. I will NEVER go to Avid.. and I don't think my friend will stomach it either. We simply refuse to go back 20 years in time just to get a TC generator in reverse

[rodneyb56060189]

This is a crazy idea, but let's say I am shooting off a rocket.

I say, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 BLASTOFF !

Now, instead of THAT, I SAY 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 BLASTOFF !

It basically does the same thing....

So, If you put TC into clip(s) and note the times at the END of the clips, wouldn't that be basically the same thing ??

[Trevor_Asq]

andershaavie  wrote

Thanks.. I will NEVER go to Avid.. and I don't think my friend will stomach it either. We simply refuse to go back 20 years in time just to get a TC generator in reverse

Sensible approach.

There's a solution, you don't want to try it.

[Trevor_Asq]

That said, I've had a quick look at Avid and I don't think it does what you want anyway. You'd probably need to get into some extendscript / interaction with AfterFX

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi andershaavie,

What did you end up doing? Let us know.

Thanks,

Kevin