# how do you make a gif from a video file?



## Guitar King (Sep 24, 2007)

This is I have been wanting to do for a while, but I can't find a program to do it.

Lifehacker put out this link on how to do it, but I cannot seem to get it to work on mac.

Does anyone know how to convert video into gifs? 
thanks


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## Adrian. (Nov 28, 2007)

You would need to take a still shot the video no?


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

Have you checked version tracker for an animated gif utility?


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## Guitar King (Sep 24, 2007)

no, whats version tacker?


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## Quicksilver G4 (Jan 29, 2008)

Mac OS X Software Updates and Mac OS X Downloads - VersionTracker


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## Guitar King (Sep 24, 2007)

thanks. 

I find a program that will do it from still frames, however I am looking for a way to turn video into a gif...


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## Quicksilver G4 (Jan 29, 2008)

Zamzar - Free online file conversion Try it, you might be able to select GIF, but I'm not sure.


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## CanadaRAM (Jul 24, 2005)

Guitar King said:


> thanks.
> 
> I find a program that will do it from still frames, however I am looking for a way to turn video into a gif...


Still unclear... 

GIF is primarily a single frame graphic format, and there is a variant called an Animated GIF, which is essentially a GIF with many layers, which display one after another like a slideshow. Run them fast enough, and it looks like a choppy video

You want a video to be rendered as an animated GIF? Other than very very short snippets, this isn't a practical thing.

2 sites to check out
Squared 5 - MPEG Streamclip video converter for Mac and Windows
MyTheme Online Photo Editor


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## Guitar King (Sep 24, 2007)

yes I know a gif is made up of frames, but the problem was finding a program to take a video and make the frames (unless you do a screen grab for every frame).

man, MPEGstreamclip! I never thought I that! I already have it installed and it worked!

thanks man


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## asukulu (Feb 18, 2009)

Guitar King said:


> yes I know a gif is made up of frames, but the problem was finding a program to take a video and make the frames (unless you do a screen grab for every frame).
> 
> man, MPEGstreamclip! I never thought I that! I already have it installed and it worked!
> 
> thanks man


Hi Guitar king, Ive been wanting to do the same thing as you so I downloaded the mpeg streamclip but Im unsure what to do. I trimmed and video clip but what do I do next with it? Im not sure how to convert it to a gif? I see this htread is quite old maybe someone might know. Cheers.


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## Guitar King (Sep 24, 2007)

hey man, welcome to the forum! 

I have reformatted my computer many times since that last post. I no longer have MPEG streamclip installed.

I think its pretty straight forward. I'll have to reinstall it to tell you exactly how though


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Maybe this would help:

Download GIFBuilder for OSX for Mac - Create animated gifs to add to a Web site. MacUpdate Mac Animation Software Downloads


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## morespace54 (Mar 4, 2005)

Or if you're using QuickTime Pro, you can export video (that QT can open!) into frames. Then you can use any Animated GIF app (such as the defunct Adobe ImageReady or maybe GraphicConverter) to get all the frames and turn them into an animated GIF...

I did that a while ago...

The key point is "how long is your movie" (that is, how many frames will be created)...


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## tylookwell (Feb 18, 2009)

right on quicksilver. thanks.


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## aviatrix (Dec 25, 2007)

When I used ImageReady, I believe there was a function to import .mov clips as frames for an animated gif. You could crop the .mov file to any length and even specify how many frames to grab (every other, every third, every fourth). The more frames, the smoother the gif. That's how I made all my animated avatars.


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