Adding a Timecode to an Animation in After Effect - By Kiel Figgins

By adding a Timecode to your animations, you can get more accurate feedback when you post on online forums or show to other animators. One step above that is making the timecode as visually pleasing, yet functional as possible. Heres how I do my timecodes.

Download Tutorial as MS Word Doc.

1. Open After Effects

2. Create New Composition

• Composition > New Composition - (Adjust settings as desired) :: Ctrl+n ::

3. Import Clip/Animation

• File > Import > File... - (select desired clip/animation)
• **Note** If your importing a sequence of still images, be sure to check the 'BMP Sequence' (or whatever your format is) at the bottom to bring them in as a single clip.

4. Drag you Clip/Animation to the Comp 1 - Timeline

5. Create Timecode Layer

• Layer > New > Solid...
• Click 'Make Comp Size'
• Set 'Color' (swatch) to Solid Black

6. Add Timecode marker

• Effect > Video > Timecode
• Adjust Display Format to Frame Numbers
• Adjust the text size to something reasonable
• **Note** 15 text size on 640x480 works well
• Move around the time code (to say the lower right corner)

7. Invert the Layer

• Effect > Channel > Inver

8. Darken Blend Option that Layer

• Layer > Transfer Mode > Darken
• **Note** In other versions of AE, Transfer Mode has other names, such as Blending Options

9. And your Done...