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Video to GIF Converter

FFmpeg Python 3.13 MoviePy Batch Automation

Project Category: Individual Project (Personal Productivity Tool)

Convert MP4 videos to optimized GIFs with exact size and speed constraints. Automatically scales resolution and adjusts frame rates to meet target file sizes (1-50MB). Perfect for social media, presentations, and web content.

Key Features

Exact Size Control

Specify target size (1-50MB) - tool automatically optimizes to meet constraint

Speed Adjustment

0.1x to 2.0x playback speed control for dramatic or time-lapse effects

Smart Resolution Scaling

Automatically reduces resolution to fit size while maintaining quality

Frame Rate Optimization

Adjusts FPS dynamically based on target size and video length

Constraint Validation

Warns if target size is unrealistic for video duration

Batch Processing

Process multiple videos with same settings

Parameters

Parameter	Range	Default	Description
Target Size	1 - 50 MB	10 MB	Maximum GIF file size
Speed	0.1x - 2.0x	1.0x	Playback speed multiplier
Resolution	Auto-scaled	Original	Reduced automatically if needed
FPS	5 - 30 fps	15 fps	Frames per second (auto-adjusted)

Usage

Batch File (Recommended)

mp4togif.bat "path\to\video.mp4"

Python Script (Advanced)

# Basic conversion (10MB, 1.0x speed)
py converter.py "video.mp4"

# Custom size and speed
py converter.py "video.mp4" --size 5 --speed 1.5

# Slow motion
py converter.py "video.mp4" --size 20 --speed 0.5

Optimization Examples

Social Media (Twitter/Discord)

py converter.py "clip.mp4" --size 10 --speed 1.0
# Result: 480p @ 15fps, perfect for social platforms

High Quality Presentation

py converter.py "demo.mp4" --size 50 --speed 1.0
# Result: 720p @ 24fps, excellent quality for slides

Thumbnail/Preview

py converter.py "preview.mp4" --size 2 --speed 1.5
# Result: 360p @ 10fps, fast-loading preview

Slow Motion Effect

py converter.py "action.mp4" --size 30 --speed 0.5
# Result: Half-speed playback, maintains quality

Output Structure

Video_to_GIF_Converter/
 extracted_gifs/
    video_name_10MB_1.0x.gif
    video_name_5MB_1.5x.gif
    ...

How It Works

Load Video: Read video using MoviePy, extract duration and dimensions
Validate Constraints: Check if target size is realistic (warns if < 0.5MB/sec)
Calculate Parameters:
- Estimate required resolution based on size/duration ratio
- Adjust FPS dynamically (lower for long videos, higher for short clips)
- Apply speed multiplier to duration
Generate GIF: Use FFmpeg with optimized palette for compression
Verify Output: Check final size, warn if significantly over/under target

Troubleshooting

GIF is too large

Reduce target size parameter
Increase speed (shorter duration = smaller file)
Trim video before conversion

GIF looks pixelated

Increase target size (allows higher resolution)
Use shorter video clips
Start with higher-resolution source video

Conversion fails

Ensure FFmpeg is installed (C:\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe)
Check video file is not corrupted
Verify Python 3.13.x with MoviePy installed

Use Cases

Social Media: Twitter/Discord embeds (10MB limit)
Presentations: High-quality animated slides (50MB)
Documentation: Tutorial demonstrations (20MB)
Gaming: Highlight reels and replays (30MB)
Memes: Quick reaction clips (5MB)

Requirements

FFmpeg: C:\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe
Python: 3.13.x
Libraries: moviepy, ffmpeg-python
OS: Windows 10/11

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