Can I adjust the playback speed of the output GIF?

Yes, you can use the --speed N argument to apply a playback multiplier, which is ideal for condensing long demos into shorter clips.

How does this skill handle macOS HDR screen recordings?

It detects 'smpte2084' color transfer metadata and uses the native macOS 'avconvert' tool to perform high-quality HDR to SDR tone mapping before GIF conversion.

Why does this skill use a two-pass palette method?

The two-pass method first analyzes the video to create a custom color palette, resulting in significantly better visual quality and smaller file sizes than standard conversion.

Does it work with filenames that contain spaces or timestamps?

Yes, the skill uses a robust glob-and-copy pattern to move files to a temporary location, ensuring shell commands don't break on complex macOS filenames.

How do I remove the macOS recording top bar from the GIF?

By using the --crop flag, the skill automatically applies a crop filter to remove the top 60 pixels, effectively hiding the screen recording UI overlay.

Video to High-Quality GIF

Name: Video to High-Quality GIF
Author: ramonclaudio

byramonclaudio

0•

Productivity & Workflow

Converts screen recordings into optimized, high-quality GIFs using ffmpeg with full support for HDR tone mapping and macOS recording formats.

The Video to GIF skill streamlines the process of creating professional-grade GIFs from screen recordings and video files. It implements an advanced ffmpeg two-pass palette generation method to ensure high color fidelity while maintaining small file sizes. Designed with macOS users in mind, it automatically detects and converts HDR (High Dynamic Range) recordings to SDR using native system tools to avoid washed-out colors. Whether you need to speed up a long demo, crop out recording overlays, or handle complex filenames with spaces, this skill provides a reliable, automated workflow for generating documentation-ready visuals.

Key Features

01Configurable speedup, frame rate, scaling, and cropping options

02Smart handling of filenames with spaces and special characters

030 GitHub stars

04Automatic HDR-to-SDR tone mapping for macOS XDR recordings

05Integrated file size reporting and instant preview opening

06Two-pass ffmpeg palette generation for superior color accuracy

Use Cases

01Converting high-resolution macOS screen recordings into web-friendly GIFs

02Creating optimized feature demos for GitHub Pull Requests and README documentation

03Producing compressed, fast-forwarded previews of long software workflows

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add ramonclaudio/skills gif

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill