Counter overlapping an animated background

Hi,
forgive me if this is a very basic question... I need to have an animated image, and then a visible counter that is on top of it. The only thing I know of that I can animate is an active object. But the counter is always behind the active object, even if the object's order is set to the back, and the counter's order is set to the front.
Might anyone have a solution for me?
Thanks very much

EDIT: also, when I change its properties by unchecking "display as background" it then causes a new problem: it doesn't work. The counter is a lifebar displayed horizontally. It was working fine until I changed its display like that.

Counters and strings have a property called "Display as background", which is on by default so that the display is slightly faster. If you uncheck it, you'll be able to put the counter in front of the active (and it'll update more 'cleanly' if things pass over it, too).

I appreciate the help. I did do that and I must have thought that it was not working, but now it seems ok.


I'd like to bring up another problem I am having with the counter. First off, the counter is green, and has a minimum value of 0 and max value of 200. It has an initial value of 200.
I create an event that says when the counter is lower or equal to 150, it should change it color to red.

I have it set up as a lifebar, and certain things in game subtract from the counter and thus making it look like you lose health. But the color does not change after you get obviously below 150.
Any ideas?
Thanks again

A simple solution would be using two counters, one red and one green. Put the green one on top of the red one and set its value to the green counter. When the value goes below 150, make the green counter invisible, when it goes above, make it reappear.