Stopwatch text effect

[Uberprutser]

To illustrate a certain process I would like to add a stopwatch text overlay effect. So far so goo and it works fine.

But to shorten the video I would like to cut out certain parts. But then I end up with 2 stopwatch animation and the are both starting at 0 again.

And I would like to keep the stopwatch (time) animation from before I split the clip. Ideas?

I suspect what I want is not possible so I recoded the clip plus the timer effect and cut up that video. But It might be a good idea for a future feature https://content.invisioncic.com/r33241/emoticons/default_smile.png

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

Not difficult..

• Place video clip(s) on Track 1
• Place Stopwatch on Track2
• Adjust starting position for the stopwatch clip.
• Set Animation and Clip duration so timer starts and finishes at required times.
• Move red cursor line to split position
• Click the scissor icon down arrow under the Sequence Preview window (NOT the icon by the cursor line.)
• Select Video tracks
• Select Split Video Track 1. (See below) Video track 1 and associated audio will split.
• 
• Do the same for the second split position on Video Track 1. You will have now isolated the clip section you want to remove remove to shorten Track 1
• Delete section between the splits (Video and audio) This leaves a gap in Track 1
• 
• Close the gaps
• Stopwatch will still play from start to finish points selected without a break. It wont restart where you split sections out Of course it will continue to time beyond the end of video track1.
• 

All tracks can be individually split.

Nat

[Uberprutser]

Thanks but that's not what I want. I want to show the correct timing despite hacking out a piece in the middle or using a speed-up effect.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

Not sure what you mean by "correct timing."  The stopwatch starts at 0 and ends at your selected duration value. As it's on an upper track it in effect times the action on the  lower track (Starting from where you place it).

If you want the timer to move on from where you remove a piece of the lower track.. i.e. if the action gets to 5 seconds and then resumes at 10 seconds and you want the timer to show that.. i.e. 0 - 5 and then 10  onwards then that is a bit more complicated.  You could create a new timer clip that starts at your new position time but that is VERY fiddly.

! think that if this is the scenario you have in mind then you may have to simply export the timer as a stand alone clip...use a monochrome background to the numbers and then once imported back to your project use a green screen to render the background transparent. In this way the timer clip can be cut without resetting the timer which seems to happen if you set up the stopwatch from within VP.

Even dragging the timer from the track to the clip bin to create a new clip won't work or creating a sequence of just the timer.

Nat

[Uberprutser]

I have a machine operation and I want to visualise the amount of time it takes, but without showing the whole process.

But as soon as I cut out parts I end up having two timers and they both start at zero. I would like it to continue timing after the cut.

Recoding the full length of the clip with the correct timing and then cutting it up is the only solution I have sound so far.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

Well, as I mentioned above 

• Create a stopwatch clip that starts at 0 and ends at the end of the process...30 mins...1 hour...2 hours..whatever.
• Export this as a stand alone clip (e.g. STOPWATCH.mp4 for example)
• Re-import this into VP and place it on the overlay track. (Track 2)
• Use a Green Screen to render any background transparent. (Initially this will be black.)
• Move (Position) the stopwatch to a suitable place on the screen.  That's the stopwatch complete.
• Now set up your clips with the process on Track 1.  The stopwatch will appear where you placed it and should time the process accurately from start to finish.
• Group all the clips if required
• Initially the stopwatch will start 0 and remain running throughout the whole process you have filmed.
• Do any cuts/deletes to both tracks
• Close any gaps
• The stopwatch timings will still show the process time.
• The stopwatch will jump on where cuts have been made and sections deleted. It will remain in time with the process.

I think this solves your problem.

An alternative is to create a new stopwatch for every section of the process and reset the start time...which is rather (quite...VERY) fiddly. The suggestion above is the simplest.

Nat