[Tutorial] Making Video GIFs!!

Muddie Murda

Muddie Murda

smile...
Making Video GIFs
By: Muddie Murda
Please do not take out without permission or crediting.
First of all, before we begin, I do NOT cover any sort of how to make banners with brushes, effects, textures, blah blah.

I start right from cutting clips and end saving it as GIF banner.

I tried to make this not so confusing and tried to cover every single step I took. There's so many steps that I might have forgotten one or two. Please ask if you are confused. You will now learn the secrets of Muddie's. Haha jk

Remember to save every few minutes or you will cry!!!!!!!!

You will need the following programs:
-Windows Movie Maker
-TMPGEnc - [Download Here]
-Adobe Photoshop
-Adobe Image Ready

1) Open Windows Movie Maker and Import your video. Make sure the "Create clips for video files" is unchecked.



2) Now Drag and drop clip into timeline.



If you can't seem to see the time line, click "Show Storyboard"



Here are some useful tools you'll be using.



3) Move your mouse to the beginning of the timeline on the left. A red arrow should appear. Click on that and then drag to the part of the clip you want to turn into GIF. Use "zoom in" if you need to. It's very helpful!



Do this for the end also. Move your mouse to the end of the timeline and then click and drag to the end of the clip you want. Use the "zoom in" if you need to.

NOTE: Do NOT make your clip more than 10 seconds. Or atleast, I don't recommend it. 1) The GIF will be huge. 2) Your computer will lag badly. Very Very badly. Just don't do it.

4) Now to save the file. Just follow the following:








If your video resolution is more than 320x240 (happens when you are cutting a HQ/HD AVI file), please shriek it to 320x240. You can do so by selecting the 2nd option. Go down KB sizes while looking at the "Display size" in the "setting details." Once it reaches 320x240, stop.



Done! Exit out Movie Maker. We are done with that!
 
Muddie Murda

Muddie Murda

smile...

5) Open up TMPGEnc. Browse for the video file you've just created in Movie Maker.



We will now convert to AVI.



Done! Exit out of TMPGEnc. We are done with that!

6) Now in Adobe Image Ready, open the AVI video file you've just converted.

A Box will appear, just do the following:



*If a box pops up and says "This will produce a large amount of data and will possibly take a long time..." DO NOT continue. You will surely kill your PC. Go back into Windows Movie Maker and cut again, making it shorter.

If this is all your want without doing any fancy stuff, you can skip all the way down to step 18

Here are some basic tools we'll be using.



7) OPTIONAL: Using the cropper, as shown above, crop the video to your liking. You don't have to crop, but if you want to. =p Your choice.

8) Now we will resize the GIF. Go to Image > Image Size. It's up to you on what size you'd want to make it. For Banners, I would recommend not more than 100 for the height. Your choice though.



9) OPTIONAL: If you have the time and patience and want to do this, do so. =D It sharpens the image after resizing and all. Starting from the bottom, click on a layer then go to Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen. Do this for EACH layer.



10) Click on the Marquee Tool and the go to Select > All. Then go to Edit > Copy Merged. Now Minimize Adobe Image Ready. We will leave here for a while.



11) Open up Photoshop and go to File > New. Pick a the size you want your banner to be. Mines will be 300x120. Select the option for "Transparent" background. Click Okay. You'd then go to Edit > Paste to paste in the image you copied from Image Ready.


*I made a black background fill. =D*

You will only use this image as a reference. You will not be editing this image at all. Don't bother, because it won't cross over to imageready. Make sure this image is the bottom layer at all times. It is very important or else all your hard work on designing will not be visible.

You are on your own for now. Design your banner the way you want. Make sure you do make space for the GIF image. After you are happy with your design of your banner, you may continue to step 12.




12) Your banner should have a main layer that is the background of your whole banner. You make have several layers for this depending on how you designed it. If you haven't done so, please merge these layers together. (If one of these layers overlaps the GIF image [such as a pattern, text, gradient, brush, etc.], do NOT merge this layer with the others.) Once you've merged the background of your banner, make sure it's selected, then hold down CRTL and click on the GIF image. This should put a marquee around the GIF image. Hit delete.



After you do this, click on the eye of the GIF image (the very bottom layer) to hide this layer.. Go to Layers > Merge Visible. Make the GIF image visible again and see if everything looks okay. If something is missing, you've probably merged it along with the background. Go back in your history and then do this over, making sure you don't merge that layer with the background. Follow through the steps again.
 
Muddie Murda

Muddie Murda

smile...

13) This step, we are doing for future reference.

Make the design layer invisible by clicking the eye. This should leave only the GIF image. Zoom in!!!! Click on the Rectangle Marquee tool, then starting from the bottom right of the GIF image, click and drag to the top left corner of the banner.

Then you'd go to Edit > Copy Merged. After that, go to File > New. Right there! The width & height. Write it down so you won't forget. Now!



14) We will now prepare to head back to Image Ready. In Photoshop, go to File > Edit in ImageReady.



This will bring the banner you just made into ImageReady. Minimize that, we'll get back to that in a bit.

15) We'll now focus on the GIF we left behind in ImageReady before getting into Photoshop. Using the width and height we recorded in step 13, go to Image > Canvas Size and put in those measurements. Then you see little squares at the bottom. Click on the bottom right square.



Go back to Image > Canvas Size and put in the measurement of your banner you started out with. If you forgot or if you don't know, bring up that banner you just transfered from Photoshop. Go to Image > Image Size and it'd give you the width and the height. Enter those measurements into the Canvas Size on the GIF.

Okay! Your GIF should now look something like this:



If not...uhh, you did some measurement wrong. Please go back to step 13 & 15 and check over.

If everything looks fine, please continue.

16) Make sure you are on frame 1 by clicking on it. Make sure you are on the very top layer by clicking on it. This layer should NOT be visible. Example:



Now we'll go back to that banner. Bring it up, then click on the Marquee Tool then go to Select > All. Please make sure you have the Marquee Tool Selected before you go to select all. It should be "All" and not "All Layers."



If you have that set, go to Edit > Copy.

17) Go back to your GIF and go to Edit > Paste.



So close! =D

18) Now, we must get the settings right so we can save it. On your GIF window, click on "Optimized". Then on your Optimize tab (if you don't see it, go to Windows > Optimize), click on all those arrows to drop down all the options. (Please scroll down for an screen cap if you are totally confused.)

This is the very tricky and very disappointing stage.

GIF can only hold 256 colors so if your banner and GIF is very colorful (like mines :() then your banner will come out looking a bit strange with colors.

Make sure the Format is in "GIF." The rest, you must play around with to get it right for you. Everyone has their own taste, so choose it to how you like it.

This was my setting for my GIF banner:



19) After pulling your hair out with step 18, we are ready to save!! Go to File > Save Optimize As, pick your location, name it, and save it.

We are done!!



:( I wish it came out smooth, but I had too many colors.

Here's the JPG.



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What I usually do. Animation Shop > Image Ready. :p I usually open up the GIF in Animation shop to fix the timing. Sometimes ImageReady just ticks me off...or...all the time. While previewing an animation in Image Ready, it's slower, but if previewing the animation in Animation Shop, the speed is just right.

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I hope you all got that. Many people asked for a tutorial of this and...this was as best as I could come up with. It took the whole day and night. I was waiting for a friend so I decided to finish this while waiting for him. (WHERE IS HE? THAT *#@*&!! jk -_-)

Questions? Confused? Comments? Concerns? Bashing? Showing of Stupidity? It's all welcomed! :)

Thanks for reading!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck!!!
 
O

oil_yui

sarNie Adult
daniaa said:
p'muddie..im lost...*cries!!*
[post="83450"][/post]​
Click to expand...

i'm lost too. i'm stuck on #14. please help. i keep having errors like "Please convert the image to 8 bit RGB color mode before you edit in Image".
 
Muddie Murda

Muddie Murda

smile...
OMG SARN!!! HAHAHAHAH

I just came for a quick peek cuz i have to go to school but omggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

haha that's sooooooooooooooooooooo cool! i'm sooooo proud! muahahahahhahaah

I'll be back to answer ya'lls ques ok?
 
R

rukD2B

Bai Yang [♥] Fong T. Xiong
OMFG!! MUDDIE!! I FREAKN LOVE YOU!!! I <33 YOU SO FREAKN MUCH!! YES! I'VE LEARNED IT!!! I FINALLY MADE ONE!! OMFG!!! OH. MY. GOD. I never thought this day would come! THANK YOU SO MUCH MUDDIE!!! YOU'RE THE BEST!! YOU'RE GREAT!!

thanks babe_girl!! i got the fonts to work! YES!!! THANKS SO MUCH!
 
A

amythao

sarNie Adult
Thanks you Muddle for the "Making Video GIFs" Tutorial...I always want to learn how to make something like this..
 
azn_chick83

azn_chick83

sarNie Hatchling
Does anyone got the serial/registration key for the TMPGen program thingie? It tags the video when I convert it.

Thanx Muddie for the tutorial on "Making Video GIF" it's awesome!!
 
KristyS

KristyS

Lakorn Obsesser
My thing didn't come out as a gif when I did it on Movie Maker :( . Please, please help. Don't leave me all confused and alone here...
 
O

OK_na_tur

sarNie Juvenile
im Making Video GIFs. but im stuck. When i try to open the file onto imageready it alwaies say " Movie contains no image data" so i dont know what to do!?!? ...im getting so frustrated!!! plez helpp??
 
Muddie Murda

Muddie Murda

smile...
OK_na_tur said:
im Making Video GIFs. but im stuck. When i try to open the file onto imageready it alwaies say " Movie contains no image data" so i dont know what to do!?!? ...im getting so frustrated!!! plez helpp??
Click to expand...
Do you have ... damn what's that program. my mind just blanked....Quicktime! Yah, do you have that installed? Most people usually have problems opening the files until they finally installed quicktime. Or maybe if it's not quicktime, maybe it's a codec problem??

Why don't you try to convert the WMV to MPG first. MPG works too, I just prefer AVI because I don't know why. ^__^ :D

So sorrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy for neglecting this section! lol I'll check more often naaaa! Naaaaa!!! hehe

So um...yeah some of the questions are REALLYYY old...if you have more problems, just ask. Maybe I shouldn't have ONE thread pinned up for help. I think it's better if every question was it's own thread. What do you guys think? hehehe :D It'd be sooo much easier to find answers to problems other people have had also!
 
O

OK_na_tur

sarNie Juvenile
Yes i do have it in AVI format. and yea i do hav quicktime!! hmmm... okie ill try converting it to MPG. ill come back if it works or not.


edit*


YAY it worked!! thanks muddie murda!!! YOU ROCK!! ^_^


okie okie.... edit again*


im lost now!! heu heu =..(
how come there is onlee one thing??? but in ur ex. pic it has alot of animation slides n mine onlee has one!?!
helpp meez!!! aHHH... i was so happy i got it onto imageready but when i look at urs den mine im liek....
"uhhh...waht do i do"
 
B

babe_girl

sarNie Adult
OK_na_tur said:
Yes i do have it in AVI format. and yea i do hav quicktime!! hmmm... okie ill try converting it to MPG. ill come back if it works or not.
edit*
YAY it worked!! thanks muddie murda!!! YOU ROCK!! ^_^
okie okie.... edit again*
im lost now!! heu heu =..(
how come there is onlee one thing??? but in ur ex. pic it has alot of animation slides n mine onlee has one!?!
helpp meez!!! aHHH... i was so happy i got it onto imageready but when i look at urs den mine im liek....
"uhhh...waht do i do"
Click to expand...
yeah, that's what happen to mine. so i decided to use AVI format instead.
 
KristyS

KristyS

Lakorn Obsesser
Is there a way for me to select all of the layers at once because I don't want to have to click on each layer everytime I do special effects to it. It's gonna take forever!
 
Muddie Murda

Muddie Murda

smile...
OK_na_tur said:
Yes i do have it in AVI format. and yea i do hav quicktime!! hmmm... okie ill try converting it to MPG. ill come back if it works or not.
edit*
YAY it worked!! thanks muddie murda!!! YOU ROCK!! ^_^
okie okie.... edit again*
im lost now!! heu heu =..(
how come there is onlee one thing??? but in ur ex. pic it has alot of animation slides n mine onlee has one!?!
helpp meez!!! aHHH... i was so happy i got it onto imageready but when i look at urs den mine im liek....
"uhhh...waht do i do"
Click to expand...
It could be codec problems. Umm....after you convert it, can you watch it with all the players on your computer? Like winamp/media player.


Is there a way for me to select all of the layers at once because I don't want to have to click on each layer everytime I do special effects to it. It's gonna take forever!
Click to expand...
You can select all the layers, but I don't know if you can do effects on all of them at the same time. I tried it before, but I couldn't get it to do it. :D
Not sure if the new PS has upgraded to where you're able to do that.
 
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