iMovie - Countdown Clock

You can do this with iMovie 06.

You will also need a "plug-in" (iMovie 08/09 can not use plug-ins).

What is a plug-in? http://www.geethree.com/slick/index.html

Here is the Timer. http://www.geethree.com/slickfx/SlickFXGalleries/sfx1screencasts/timersc.html

More info. http://www.geethree.com/slick/imovie8.html

http://www.imovieplugins.com/plugs/timer.html

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/16075/timer

do you like to have a 'full screen' clock as a pre-roll before the movie starts..?

or, a clock within the video itself?

for a), at archive.org you get some 'free' prerolls, low quality, allthough 'funny' befor a video..

for b), you can abuse the greenbox effect of iM09 to add a 'counter' you have to pre-produce, e.g. by 'animating' stills you create with any paint app..

If you have iLife 09, you can make a movie of a countdown clock (for example, make a movie of an iPhone counting down in the Clock app.

The movie should be the same dimensions and aspect ratio as your project.

Then use the picture in picture feature to superimpose the countdown.

Note: could also do picture-in-picture with Karsten's stack footage suggestion.

Download one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82mWhYp5a-Q
http://www.archive.org/details/IMBSF_R30C4
http://www.archive.org/details/Countdow1960

David Babsky wrote:
Download one:
http://www.youtube.com/ ...

thou shalt not +You shall not copy or download any User Submission ..+
http://www.youtube.com/t/terms?hl=us , $5.B ...

😉

From those Terms and Conditions:

"Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only and may not be downloaded, copied, reproduced, distributed, transmitted, broadcast, displayed, sold, licensed, or otherwise exploited for any OTHER purposes whatsoever without the prior written consent of the respective owners. YouTube reserves all rights not expressly granted in and to the Website and the Content." (..with my emboldened or underlined italics for clarification).

So it's provided for anyone's PERSONAL use, and may not be copied for any OTHER purposes ..such as using in a video which one is going to sell, or provide, to other people.

But I don't read it as there being any restriction on downloading anything for PERSONAL use.

CommMajor didn't say that s/he was going to create a movie to be sold or re-uploaded or displayed to other people.

But your own interpretation may vary, of course!..

EDIT: Hmm, you may be right, Karsten; I also see, in 5.B, as you pointed out "..You may access User Submissions for your information and personal use solely as intended through the provided functionality of the YouTube Website. You shall not copy or download any User Submission unless you see a “download” or similar link displayed by YouTube on the YouTube Website for that User Submission."

I stand corrected! ..In that case, disregard my links above!

David Babsky wrote:
.. I stand corrected! ..

I were corrected ... by Apple's Men in Black..
a while ago I got a 'black letter' from AD Hosts (=post pulled) ..
I explained a method how to download&convert YT videos..
and, due to YTs new ToU, this is verboten.. so, explainins this methods and tools is verboten here too..

so, since then, I still do know how to donwload, but I don't explain it anymore... 😀

You can't do this (the picture in picture) in iMovie 08.

You could get creative and make powerpoint or keynote slides counting down 10,9,8 etc. Then export from Powerpoint or Keynote to a jpeg file for each slide. Then import the JPEGs to either iPhoto (and bring into iMovie via the photo browser) or just drag to your iMovie Project.

Message was edited by: AppleMan1958

.. I'm counting down starting from 10 minutes. So I need something I little more automatic.

so, all you want is some 'clock' counting from 00:10:00 to 00:00:00?

ok, some work, but..:
create 600 'stills' (=if you want your clock to show secs...), charts, jpegs, containing your clock.
safe each still as '001clock.jpg', '002clock.jpg' etc..
use QTpro or Mpeg Streamclip, choose 'open picture sequence', select first still.. SC will open the 600 stills, choose 'Export as dv', proceed in iMovie..

other option:
there are 'egg cooking clocks' at versiontracker.com etc.
use screengrabber tools as SnapZ, Screenflow, Jing (=free)

other option:
iMHD6 plus some geethree.com plug-ins offered 'clocks' ..

it is no problem to create a movie, your problem is to create the clock 😉