THE GIF ELEMENT:

THE GIF ELEMENT:Making, Finding, & Using GIFsto Great EffectDPLAfest 2016 April 14 1:45-3:15 pmSpace images from NASA / Hubble Space Telescope: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/multimedia/index.html

WHO ARE WE?Darren Cole @DCole7 / @TodaysDocumentDigital Engagement SpecialistNational ArchivesDerek Tulowitzky @DTuloWeb, Social Media, & Outreach Manager Muncie Public LibraryRichard Naples @DigitalRN_SILData ManagerSmithsonian LibrariesShaelyn Amaio @heyshaelynConsultantLord Cultural Resources

WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?We are talking about GIFs!GOALS:To understand how GIFs came to be and how theyre used todayTo learn about some of the technology used to create GIFsTo feel empowered to experiment with GIFs on our own

WHAT ARE GIFs?

GIFs, A DEFINITIONGIF = Graphic Interchange FormatSupports 8-bit color, allows lossless compression of imagesSupports transparencyAllows for both static AND animated images!Animated images are technically just multiple images stored in one file, each image being displayed for a set amount of time before moving to the next

GIFs, A HISTORYCompuServe, 1987 One of the first image formats for the webLooping animated GIFs: Netscape Navigator Version 2The Golden Age of Geocities

GIFs, A PRE-HISTORYIn the 19th Century, artists were figuring out how to animate images using gadgets like phenakistoscopes & zoetropes.

Images by Richard Balzer / Brian Duffyvia Wired Magazine

HOW DO YOU SAY IT?Steve Wilhite, 2013 Webby Awards:

HOW DO YOU SAY IT?However

HOW DO GIFs WORK ON SOCIAL MEDIA?Tumblr: Yep. GIFs love it here.Twitter: GIFs are great here in fact, Twitter just created a fun new GIF keyboard! but it should be noted that GIFs are converted to videos.Facebook: Linking to a GIF in a comment will make it display as a looping animation sometimes.Instagram: Nope. But apps exist to convert GIFs to videos.Pinterest: You can upload GIFs, but people following you will have to hit play to see them move.

OKAY, BUT HOW?Best practices: Punctuate a message, make a pop culture connection, inject humor or convey feelings without words, and

ADVANTAGES TO GIFs FOR CULTURAL INSTITUTIONSMake art/history/government records engaging and relevantEasy to access: No plugins, fast downloads, autoplayCreate highlights for longer footage and storytelling

ADVANTAGES TO GIFs FOR CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS

COPYRIGHT CONCERNSPublic Domain: exclusive intellectual property rights have expired, have been forfeited, or are inapplicableThe magic year for published works: 1923Unpublished works: Life of the author + 70 years

WHERE TO FIND CONTENT FOR GIFsGIPHYThe internet at largeThe collections of your favorite cultural heritage organizations!

ABOUT THOSE COLLECTIONSNARA HoldingsFreeFederal Government RecordsPublic Domain*Available at catalog.archives.govand searchable via dp.la (refine search by partner: National Archives and Records Administration)

Variety of Agency Sources, including:Dept. of DefenseNASAPatent & Trademark OfficeDonated Materials*Types of Records:PhotographsPatent DrawingsNewsreels & World War II footagePSAs & Training Films

GIFs IN THE WILD

GIFs IN THE WILD: Todays Documenttodaysdocument.tumblr.com

Highlighting National Archives Holdings through:

Historical EventsAnniversariesHolidaysCelebrations

GIFs IN THE WILD: Turning the Book Wheelsmithsonianlibraries.tumblr.com

Bringing attention to our digital library:Biodiversity Literature (Biodiversity Heritage Library, biodiversitylibrary.org)Cultural Heritage LibraryTrade catalogs & industry publicationsWorlds Fair & Expositions21 Branches throughout the Smithsonian

GIFs IN THE WILD: Types of GIFsMotion PicturePhoto SeriesIllustration & Still Images

GIFs IN THE WILD: Easy GIFsCartoons:Minimal movementSimple linesStatic background

Private SNAFU V. Malaria Mike, 1944Records of the Office of the Chief Signal OfficerLoops:Repeating FootageMinimal/no camera movement

Right on the Button(IRS)

GIFs IN THE WILD: Photo Series to GIFSeries of still photos into a GIFEasier than a motion picture GIF, with the right series

Richard Nixon meeting with Elvis Presley. 12/21/1970.CourtesyOurPresidents.tumblr.com

Easy GIF from only 2 photos

YOUNGSTER UNKNOWINGLY SHARES AN ICE CREAM STICK WITH A DOG(EPAs Documerica series)

GIFs IN THE WILD: StereogramsSource photos from:various geological surveysMathew Brady PhotosSee also NYPLs Stereogranimatorstereo.nypl.org

Walt Whitman, ca. 1860 - ca. 1865

GIFs IN THE WILD: Illustration to GIFPatent DrawingsClean linesPlain backgrounds

Patent Drawing for J. O. Loses One Wheeled Vehicle, 09/01/1885

GIFs IN THE WILD: Illustration to GIFEasy Illustration to GIF techniques:Remove elementsAdd/remove color

Elevation and Plan of Execution Rocks Lighthouse, New York, 1849Thomas A. Edisons Patent for An Improvement in Electric Lamps, 1/27/1880

GIFs IN THE WILD: Illustration to GIFVintage PostersSimple shapesBold colors

Can All You Can Its a Real War Job! from the World War II Posters series

LETS MAKE A GIF!

Vol de Wilbur Wright accompli Pau, en janvier 1909, avec son lve Paul Tissandier by Henry de La Vaulx. From the New York Public Library

[Photoshop Interlude]

and were back!

LETS BRAINSTORM

Drawing of Creeping Baby Doll, R. J. Clay, Creeping Baby Doll, Patented March 14, 1871. Department of the Interior. Patent Office. 1849-1925

LETS BRAINSTORM

Hit'em Where it Hurts! Join the Submarine Service; Office for Emergency Management. Office of War Information. Domestic Operations Branch. Bureau of Special Services. 3/9/1943-9/15/1945

OTHER TOOLSMakeagif.com (get a free account for no watermarks!) GIFMaker.meezGIF.comImgflip.comGIFilike.comGIPHY find, make, and store GIFs here, with ability to link to sources!

GIMP open source image software (gimp.org)Adobe After Effects

WHAT CAN YOU DO?Calling all GIF-makers, creatives, history nuts, & animators!GIF IT UP: a challenge from the Digital Public Library of America & DigitalNZ with support from Europeana, Trove and the U.S. National Archives to find the best GIFs created from copyright-free heritage material.

GIF IT UP: 2015 EntriesOver 140 GIFs were submitted by contestants around the world. Entries were judged by a panel including Sarah Schaaf from Imgur, Rebecca Onion from Slate Vault, Alessandro Scali and Marco Calabrese from Okkult Motion Pictures, and Toby Morris from the Wireless.

GIF IT UP: 2015 WinnersSupreme Winner & Peoples Choice AwardDissension, from Tobias Rothe in Amstelveen, the Netherlands. Source material courtesy Fondazione Federico ZeriUniversit di Bologna via Europeana.Runners UpRunner up #1: Juan Ibanez in Sevilla, Spain. Source material courtesy the National Library of France via Europeana.Runner up #2: Michael Smith from Brooklyn, New York. Source material courtesy photography collection, The New York Public Library via DPLA.Runner up #3: Robin Sloan from Berkeley, California. Source material courtesy the National Archives and Records Administration via DPLA.

National Archives GIF Challenge!

17 National Archives-sourced GIFs submittedVoted on by Archives StaffSponsored by the National Archives FoundationGIFt Certificate awarded to the best GIF using NARA holdings

2015 National Archives GIF Challenge Winner:Robin Sloane from Berkley, California, for the Bumpy Jeep. Source material courtesy the National Archives and Records Administration via DPLA.

GIF IT UP: 2016!Stay tuned for 2016! http://dp.la/info/gif-it-up/

GIF IT UP 2015:http://gifitup2015.tumblr.com/GIF IT UP 2014: http://dp.la/info/gif-it-up/gif-it-up-2014/

Butterflies by Richard Naples. Courtesy Smithsonian Libraries via the Biodiversity Heritage Library (Nature and the Environment)Typing dog by Lillie Le Dorre. Courtesy Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kwanatanga. (Animals)Snowflakes by Jessica Pyburn. Courtesy Smithsonian Institution. (Peoples Choice)

WHAT CAN YOU DO?DPLA GIF IT UP!Stay tuned later today for our slides and a recap of this session to be posted online.Post a GIF right now on your favorite social media platform. Use the hashtag #GIFElement so we can find you!

QUESTIONS? ANSWERS?

THANK YOU!Darren Cole @DCole7 / @todaysdocumentDigital Engagement SpecialistNational ArchivesDerek Tulowitzky @DTuloWeb, Social Media, & Outreach ManagerMuncie Public LibraryRichard Naples @DigitalRN_SILData ManagerSmithsonian LibrariesShaelyn Amaio @heyshaelynConsultantLord Cultural ResourcesTHANK YOU!