graphics wizards - help please!

[lazarus]

I have a fairly long .mpg file. I want to extract about 5 or 6 seconds of it, shrink it down, and turn it into an animated gif.

What program(s) could I use to do this, and how would I go about doing it? It's just a very funny clip that I want to save.

Thanks!

[boobooday]

1. You need a video editor, I think

Or if you have Flash MX, you could bring it in, cut it, and export it . . .

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[Kellanved]

2. here

For the animated .gif I'd use JASC Animation shop. It can import mpg.

You can get a free 30-day version here:
http://www.jasc.com/products/animationshop/

The gif aspect aside, IMHO virtualDub is a very useful freeware utility (Edit: for movie files, not .gifs):
http://virtualdubmod.sourceforge.net/

[lazarus]

3. Hey, I've got that!

Animation Shop 3. Neato.

Now I just have to figure out how to use it.

I feel dumb sometimes. Can I use it to edit down the mpg, then convert?

[Kellanved]

6. You can just open the mpg

It will take some time and then ask you, what frames you want to import.
Use VirtualDub (unless your player gives you that information) to find out the answer to the question: it displays the number of the actual frame.

[lazarus]

7. Cool

I'm off to explore, thanks!

[tridim]

4. Here's one tool that'll do it

http://www.perfectdownloads.com/multimedia-design/animation-tools/avd-video-processor-1.htm

There are many manual methods available that will do what you want, but they require software that you probably don't have. For instance you could export uncompressed frames from a video editor and assemble them in Adobe ImageReady.

[lazarus]

5. will it work with mpg?

or just with avi?