Timecode

The Timecode effect displays timecode or frame number information within a layer. You can render movies containing visible timecode. It can also encode the timecode information into the layer for later display within After Effects. This effect cannot modify timecode embedded from external sources, such as QuickTime.


Original (left), with SMPTE HH:MM:SS:FF timecode applied (center), and with Feet + Frames (35mm) timecode applied (right)

You can adjust the following controls for the Timecode effect:

Display Format

Specifies whether timecode is displayed in the SMPTE format of HH:MM:SS:FF, in frame numbers, in Feet + Frames (35mm), or Feet + Frames (16mm).

Time Units

Use Time Units to mark each frame of a layer for variable composition frame rates. The Time Units control determines the frame rate in frames per second (fps) for a specific layer in the composition. For example, a value of 60 changes the timecode for a specific layer to match the composition's 60-fps rate. This control affects how After Effects counts the layer's frames, not how the footage plays.

Drop Frame

Select Drop Frame to calculate drop frame timecode or deselect it to calculate nondrop frame timecode.

Starting Frame

Specifies the timecode count at the beginning of the layer. You can set the Starting Frame slider to correspond to the layer's In point or, if you combine a layer with another composition and need to match the timecode at a frame other than the In point, you can set the Starting Frame accordingly.

Text Position

Specifies the position of the timecode.

Text Size

Specifies the size of text.

Text Color

Specifies the text color.