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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

Project Category: Individual Project (Personal Productivity Tool)

Speed Adjustment

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

Project Category: Individual Project (Personal Productivity Tool)

Smart Resolution Scaling

Automatically reduces resolution to fit size while maintaining quality

Project Category: Individual Project (Personal Productivity Tool)

Frame Rate Optimization

Adjusts FPS dynamically based on target size and video length

Project Category: Individual Project (Personal Productivity Tool)

Constraint Validation

Warns if target size is unrealistic for video duration

Project Category: Individual Project (Personal Productivity Tool)

Batch Processing

Process multiple videos with same settings

Project Category: Individual Project (Personal Productivity Tool)

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

Project Category: Individual Project (Personal Productivity Tool)

High Quality Presentation

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

Project Category: Individual Project (Personal Productivity Tool)

Thumbnail/Preview

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

Project Category: Individual Project (Personal Productivity Tool)

Slow Motion Effect

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

Project Category: Individual Project (Personal Productivity Tool)

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

View on GitHub

Project Category: Individual Project (Personal Productivity Tool)