MAKE A GIF
GIF is an acronym for Graphics Interchange Format, a file format that supports both static and animated images. GIFs rose to popularity as a way to react on social media without words. Facebook and Twitter both support animated GIFs.
Hootsuite (2023) 'GIF' URL
Why make GIFs?
Creating a GIF is an excellent strategy to captivate an online audience, especially when aiming to generate interest in an upcoming film release on social media. GIFs are short, animated loops that convey messages or emotions quickly and effectively. They are used on social media platforms as their motion makes them attention grabbing and their humour or use as short commentaries on social events engage audiences as well as being appealing and entertaining. As the file type is shareable across platforms (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, Discord, Reddit), users are likely to share them with their friends. When this is used in relation to upcoming films from screen-grabs, they generate organic buzz.
What is 'organic buzz?'
TW: Depictions of throw-up / horror simulation.
Film GIFs
In the following GIFs for Barbie and Oppenheimer, consider what the key feeling is that they are aiming to convey. The idea is that this feeling or moment would be something someone might send to their friend, even outside of the context of the film.
Barbie 1
Barbie 2
Barbie 3
Oppenheimer 1
Oppenheimer 2
Oppenheimer 3
Class Project
Our Project
You will be creating a GIF.
You may create the GIF in a pair or group of three but must upload in to each of your portfolio.
You can choose to recreate one of the GIFS above or choose your own (but it must be from a film or tv show, school appropriate, and take less than 5 minutes to find).
Instructions
Create a folder within your Subject, Year folder called 'GIF Activity.'
Save copy of the GIF that you are recreating. Insert this in to your process journal. It will only work if it is actually saved as a GIF file.
Quickly map out on paper the required photos to recreate the GIF. This should be a minimum of three and maximum of seven. The more photos you take, the more fluid the movement of your GIF will be.
Take a photo of your plan to upload to your portfolio.
Take the photos required.
Using the SD card reader, save the photos you have taken in to the GIF folder you have created.
Using Photoshop, turn the photos in to a GIF (the instructions for that are below.
Export Your GIF in to your GIF folder. Create a page on your process journal under the class project tab called GIF.
Click and drag your GIF on to the page you have created to insert it.
Answer the reflection questions about your GIF listed in the 'For your Portfolio' section at the bottom of this page.
How to turn your images in to a GIF on Photoshop
Adobe (2022) Create an animated GIF from a series of photos. URL
1 Import a series of photos
Open Photoshop and go to File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack.
Click Browse and locate the photos you want to use. While holding down the Shift key, select all the files and click Open.
Click OK to import the photos into a single layered file.
Note that a number of new layers have been created in the Layers panel on the right side of your workspace.
These individual layers will become the frames of the animated GIF.
2 Open the Timeline
Go to Window > Timeline to open the Timeline panel.
Click the arrow on the button in the middle of the panel and select Create Frame Animation. Then click on the 'Create Frame Animation' button that you just selected to create a new frame animation.
3 Convert layers into animation frames
Click the menu icon from the upper right corner of the Timeline panel. Click Make Frames From Layers.
This will convert all the layers in the Layers panel into individual frames in your animation.
Click the Play button from the bottom of the Timeline panel (or press the Spacebar on your keyboard) to preview the animation.
3B Reverse Frames (if required)
If your animation is playing in reverse, click the Timeline menu icon again and select Reverse Frames.
4 Set the animation to loop
Click the repeat menu from the bottom of the Timeline panel and select Forever. This will create a looping animation.
Click the Play button from the bottom of the Timeline panel (or press the Spacebar on your keyboard) to preview the animation.
5 Export the animation as a GIF
Go to File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy)...
Select GIF 128 Dithered from the Preset menu.
Select 256 from the Colors menu.
If you are using the GIF online or want to limit the file size of the animation, change Width and Height fields in the Image Size options (set the width to 1000pixels and have the height adjust accordingly).
Select Forever from the Looping Options menu.
Click the Preview... button in the lower left corner of the Export window to preview your GIF in a web browser.
Click Save... and select a destination for your animated GIF file.
Congratulations! You have just created your animated GIF. Post it online to show it to the world.
Note that you can also use this technique for any layered Photoshop file.
Video Instructions
Photoshop a GIF.webmGIF & Recreation
For Your Portfolio
Under your 'Class Projects' page on your portfolio, create a subpage called 'GIFs.'
C level (ish)
Insert the following:
-The GIF you chose to recreate
-Your sketched plan for your GIF
-Your final GIFAnswer the following questions:
-What was the key action occurring in the GIF you recreated? (Min 1 sentence)
-What was the mood / emotion / vibe this conveyed? (Min 1 sentence)
B level (ish)
Complete previous steps.
Answer the following:
-What is 'organic buzz?' (2-3 sentences)
-In what types of situations might this GIF be shared among friends online? (2-3 sentences)
-Would this GIF generate 'organic buzz' Why / why not / how? (2-3 sentences)
A level (ish)
Complete previous steps.
Create an additional GIF
Answer the following:
-In what situations might each of your GIFs be shared amonst friends online? How might these situations differ? (2-3 sentences)
-Is there a situation where one of your GIFs could be used in very different situations? How would conversation or context help viewer's interpret the GIF the intended way? (2-3 sentences)