This error is an issue with FFmpeg 7. This will work:
-i "$INPUT_DIR%07d.$EXT"
-framerate $IN_FPS
-start_number $FRAMES-1
-i "$INPUT_DIR%07d.$EXT"
-filter_complex "
[0]loop=$LAST_FRAME_SEC*$IN_FPS:size=1:start=$FRAMES[main1];
[main1]scale=$WIDTH:$HEIGHT[main2];
[main2]loop=1:size=1:start=0[main3];
[main3]setpts=PTS-STARTPTS[main4];
[main4]framerate=fps=$IN_FPS[main5];
[1]split [first1][transition1];
[transition1]scale=$WIDTH:$HEIGHT [transition2];
[transition2]loop='if(gte($FIRST_FRAME_SEC, 1), 1*$IN_FPS, 0)':size=1:start=1[transition3];
[transition3]setpts=PTS-STARTPTS[transition4];
[transition4]framerate=fps=$IN_FPS[transition5];
[transition5][main5]xfade=transition=smoothright:duration=0.5:offset=0[v1];
[v1]setpts=PTS-STARTPTS[v2];
[v2]trim=start_frame=1[v3];
[first1]loop='if(gte($FIRST_FRAME_SEC, 1), ($FIRST_FRAME_SEC*$IN_FPS) - 0.5*$IN_FPS, $FIRST_FRAME_SEC*$IN_FPS)':size=1:start=1[preview1];
[preview1]scale=$WIDTH:$HEIGHT[preview2];
[preview2]setpts=PTS-STARTPTS[preview3];
[preview3][v3] concat [final1];
[final1] setpts=PTS-STARTPTS[final2];
[final2] trim=start_frame=1
"
-c:v h264
-r $OUT_FPS
-pix_fmt yuv420p
See this thread Timelapse Export Failed - #16 by Reinold