Adobe Premiere Pro: How to make a simple countdown effect (easy)

This is when you have a countdown to, say, a space rocket launch and want the number text overlaid on the video for effect.

First draw a large text box over the video and type “5”

In the Essential Graphics tab, increase the font to maximum using the slider. You may need to increase it further by dragging the number field.

Pick a font, probably a sans serif font, that has the look you want. For example I used Montserrat Alternates. Make it bold and centre aligned. Note that if you’re counting down from 10 you will need to allow more space.

In the timeline, move the playhead (blue marker and line) about halfway along the text (“5”) clip.

Turn on the Scale transform under the Transform section of the Essential Graphics tab.

Hold shift on your keyboard while dragging the playhead left to snap to the start of the text clip.

Reduce the Scale a bit in Essential Graphics. Say, to 45% or so

Right now the animation is way too slow. Go to Effect Controls and expand the Scale property under Vector Motion.

Drag the second keyframe (right) left to shorten the animation time.

Then click the leftmost keyframe, Ctrl+C, move the playhead in the Effect Controls panel right to make the second one about equidistant and Ctrl+V. You can move them around as needed.

While holding Shift, drag the playhead in Effect Controls to the rightmost on this Scale row.

Back in the Timeline. Cut or crop back the length of the video to end at that last keyframe. The “5” will only appear briefly.zz

Clone the “5” clip (hold Alt and drag right) and allow a few seconds between the two. It’s more of a matter of the timing that feels right in this case than an exact number.

In the Project panel, right-click > New > Transparent video. This can be used as a handy spacer between clips

Crop and scale the clip length as needed to fit between the two “5”‘s. It’s just to keep the timing even. I changed the clip label to mango to make it more obvious.

In the second 5 clip, move the playhead along to view it and press T to access the text tool. Click the number and change it to “4”.

Select the “4” clip and its neighbouring Transparent video and group them.

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Then move them along and snap into place.

Change the “4” to “3”.

Repeat the above (after the line) for 2, then 1.

Nest the clips and call them “countdown” or anything that suits your project.

Open the nested countdown sequence. You might want to add a tone or verbal countdown to line up with the number clips.

Place the countdown nested clip to end at start of the the rocket launch or other event you want to count to.