If you run one of the 519 million blogs on Tumblr, you likely are always looking to create unique content that stands out. Creating GIFs of your favorite TV shows and movies is a great way to get people excited about your page so that they hit the follow button. After all, GIFs are gorgeous, versatile, and easy to save and appreciate.
Here, we’re going to talk about how to make GIFs so that your mutuals can appreciate media as you do. Read on to learn about the tools and tips that you should keep in mind while creating.
Decide What to GIF
There are tons of GIF possibilities out there, so it’s important that you determine what you want to animate before you start. If you don’t, you’re going to get overwhelmed and confused.
Choose a favorite scene and screen-record it with Scre.io. This tool lets you capture the screen on YouTube videos as well as other streaming sites. You can convert these videos to GIFs later.
To remain within legal boundaries, check to see if the video you’ve selected is fair use. These are 100% available for public use.
Create Your Animated GIF From a Video
Once you have a video from the internet, it’s easy to turn video into GIF files. All you need to do is sign up for Adobe’s express video-to-gif tool that lets you convert anything up to an hour long.
You then can choose the file size and aspect ratio based on where you plan to share your GIF. Tumblr will let you upload GIFs in most formats, but it’s best to get something either square or horizontally rectangular. Vertical rectangles look strange in Tumblr’s interface and create really long Dash posts (think: do you love the color of the sky?)
At this point, you can then download your new gif and upload it to Tumblr.
Converts Still Images to GIF Files
If you have tons of still images of Blorbo (see: screenshots), you can still make a GIF. It’s going to be stylized in a somewhat choppier way, which is perfect if you’re making an edit that has text on it. Converting still images to GIF files can make it look like you’re typing the text.
Upload all of the images and select each frame. Insert the text or filters that you want to include on the images that make up the gif. Make sure that everything is evenly spaced and that you retain old layers even as new ones are added on top of them.
Beyond How to Make GIFs
Now that you know how to make GIFs and upload them to Tumblr, it’s time to learn more about creative pursuits that you can apply to fandom. Check out the “technology” tab on our home page to get some ideas of how you can make your posts stand out. You might also enjoy the “lifestyle” section if you want to find new shows and movies to GIF.