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How to import a gif to after effects?

Community Beginner ,
Dec 31, 2013 Dec 31, 2013

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I want to edit a gif in after effects, but when I try to import it I get an error that says this gif is damaged or unsupported. I googled my error, but didn't get anything.

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How to , Import and export

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

LEGEND , Mar 13, 2015 Mar 13, 2015

First of all, sharing a link to a file on your desktop isn't going to help since we don't have access to your desktop.

Secondly, the usual workflow is to go from a video file in AE and then take the resulting file into Photoshop to turn it into a GIF.

GIF is a terrible format to export anything in unless it's at the final step. It is not a good intermediate file type. TIFF would be better. Heck, even a high quality JPEG would be better.

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LEGEND ,
Jan 01, 2014 Jan 01, 2014

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And what GIF? AE doesn't support animated GIFs in any way and for static GIFs has relied on Quicktime which at best is/ was a fragile thing.... That being so, you better convert it in Photoshop or anotehr app first to something AE actually can use.

Mylenium

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Jan 01, 2014 Jan 01, 2014

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After Effects can import animated GIF files. It is exporting animated GIF files that relies on Photoshop.

As Mylenium says, it would help to know more about what you're trying to import. If you point us to the file that you're trying to import, we can give it a try.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 01, 2014 Jan 01, 2014

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the gif I'm trying to import is: https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/testery.gif?w=AAD56XWD32PcPyRKt0gZKHjMmkrFDdKP5A0VGCLhYdzAIw

I tried converting to .mov, but I got the same error with that one.

EDIT: Nevermind the original question, I figured out how to crop a video and download it directly so I can screw around in after effects. Can't figure out how to move lightning start/end points in one frame without moving them in other though.

Also how to export it to photoshop to export as a gif would be nice as well.

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LEGEND ,
Jan 02, 2014 Jan 02, 2014

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If you don't understand how to animate the end points of the Advanced Lightning effect, you should definitely start here to learn After Effects.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 02, 2014 Jan 02, 2014

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Thanks, found the section and bookmarked that page for future reference.

Is thier a way to hide the start/direction points from previous keyframes?

Didn't see it in the section in the video on animations, and wasn't sure where else to look, google didn't help. It seems like something that should be a simple toggle on/off thing though.

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LEGEND ,
Jan 03, 2014 Jan 03, 2014

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sthreet wrote:

Is thier a way to hide the start/direction points from previous keyframes?

I don't understand the question. Could you try explaining a bit more thoroughly what you are trying to do? Pictures might help.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 03, 2014 Jan 03, 2014

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Actually they aren't past keyframes, they are a pathing for the lightning, but If possible I'd rather edit one frame at a time and they get in the way.

Mostly because the lightning isn't going to follow one path.

1.png

2.png

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LEGEND ,
Jan 03, 2014 Jan 03, 2014

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You can change how much of the motion path you see in the AE preferences.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 03, 2014 Jan 03, 2014

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Thanks, found it.

Sorry for the slow reply, don't have anything else to ask right now, but I felt like posting the end result, just because. This lightning is a lot of fun, even if it takes editing each frame, I think i'm going to screw around with affect effects effects more often. (Looks like you have to open gifs in new tab to view though.)

kong.gif

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Community Beginner ,
Mar 12, 2015 Mar 12, 2015

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Todd_Kopriva wrote:

After Effects can import animated GIF files. It is exporting animated GIF files that relies on Photoshop.

As Mylenium says, it would help to know more about what you're trying to import. If you point us to the file that you're trying to import, we can give it a try.

Hi. I have the same question as the original author I believe. Here is my file: Desktop\sanders-spiff-gif2.gif. It's a GIF that I exported from Photoshop and I want to use it in After Effects. I get the same error as the OP. Do I need to export the file as something else? If so, what? Thx!

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LEGEND ,
Mar 13, 2015 Mar 13, 2015

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First of all, sharing a link to a file on your desktop isn't going to help since we don't have access to your desktop.

Secondly, the usual workflow is to go from a video file in AE and then take the resulting file into Photoshop to turn it into a GIF.

GIF is a terrible format to export anything in unless it's at the final step. It is not a good intermediate file type. TIFF would be better. Heck, even a high quality JPEG would be better.

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Advocate ,
Mar 13, 2015 Mar 13, 2015

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Szalam wrote:

GIF is a terrible format to export anything in unless it's at the final step. It is not a good intermediate file type. TIFF would be better. Heck, even a high quality JPEG would be better.

Nothing ever dies on the Net, not even legitimately dead formats. Not even formats that have had a wooden stake driven through them.

GIF is ALIVE!

There's a sudden resurgence in the popularity of GIFs as decorative web doodads. We get the request often these days form our web people to hand them short video clips that they can process out as little GIF movies. They're cute. Like mice. They're vermin. Like rats.

Remember Favicons?

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LEGEND ,
Mar 13, 2015 Mar 13, 2015

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I didn't say GIF was dead. I just said you shouldn't make one UNTIL the last step. I'm on reddit (heck, I'm one of the folks in charge of the /r/AfterEffects subreddit), so I know all about the GIF's second life.

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Community Beginner ,
Jul 21, 2015 Jul 21, 2015

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hi, i was intrigued by this thread because i want to create a couple of animated GIFS. so..

does after effects NOT IMPORT animated GIFs? who can give a definitive answer because i have seen some contradictory answers.

thanx!

also if you had a series of images: lets say 25 that you pulled from an mpeg via opening it in after effects. would the work flow be to then open that series of elements in photoshop? and then make them an animated GIF. if possible and lastly, i'd like to get a quick summary of which programs export animated GIFS. so here goes please correct me if i'm wrong:

exports animated GIF format:

photoshop: YES!

flash: YES!

after effects: YES?

imports animated GIF format:

photoshop: YES!

flash: ???

after effects: ???

thanx in advance,

george

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New Here ,
Mar 20, 2015 Mar 20, 2015

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Why won't this gif import: http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv115/tconn89/dot-command.gif

Does it have anything to do with quick time not being installed?

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New Here ,
Dec 18, 2015 Dec 18, 2015

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Use Adobe encoder to convert gif into video its so so easy

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New Here ,
Jun 30, 2016 Jun 30, 2016

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Unsupported GIF format -Cannot immport gifs in AE CS3 Pro with windows 7  -  any help is useful thx 

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LEGEND ,
Jun 30, 2016 Jun 30, 2016

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Geez. I don't have CS3 on any machine. Although, I might be able to dig up AE version 7 on an old machine that's in storage if I absolutely had to...

Does the other advice in this thread to convert it to a video not work for some reason?

If nothing else, open it in Photoshop and re-save it.

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New Here ,
Oct 18, 2016 Oct 18, 2016

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So I found the easiest solution for this GIF-problem. Simply download and install quicktime, restart after effects and throw your gif in to your composition any way you like.
Apple - Support - Downloads

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New Here ,
Oct 20, 2018 Oct 20, 2018

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Awesome,  It really helped me.

Yessssssssssssssssssssss,  Installing Quick time player is the solution.  This helps us to import GIF without any error.

Thank you so much

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New Here ,
May 08, 2017 May 08, 2017

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Hey.

(Quick disclaimer: I'm using AE CS3, so if that's not supported anymore, just tell me what you would do for the version you use and I'll try it. If it doesn't work, I'll just try to figure it out on my own.)

So I'm having some gif trouble too. It imports fine, but the transparent background is replaced with plain white. I tried using a linear color key to remove the white, but it also removed the other white parts of my gif. What is the issue? Is it something with the formatting of the gif? I've included a zip with the aep file and the gif.

Thanks,

ViralVillager_YT

Files: Dropbox - Archive.zip

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LEGEND ,
May 08, 2017 May 08, 2017

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What is the issue? Is it something with the formatting of the gif?

drag the GIF into photoshop, and use export->render video to render a Quicktime Animation with Alpha.

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New Here ,
May 08, 2017 May 08, 2017

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Hey, thanks for the quick response!

Here's the thing. The only adobe products I own are AE CS3, Photoshop Elements 13, and Premiere Elements 13. I put the gif in Photoshop Elements 13 and found the export thing, but its blocked.

Screen Shot 2017-05-08 at 4.17.45 PM.png

Do you think maybe an online gif to mov converter could work?

-ViralVillager_YT

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LEGEND ,
May 08, 2017 May 08, 2017

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You could try it, but I'm always suspicious of online converter tools.

You could try a lighter touch on the Extract effect or you could use the "obsolete" Luma Key effect.

If it still grabs the white in the middle, you could just roto that back in.

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