Why do I need to convert a GIF before using it as a motion reference?

Some video models, for example Seedance 2, accept only MP4 or MOV files as a reference video and reject a GIF. Gif to Video turns the GIF into an MP4 that you can wire into the video node like any other clip.

Does Gif to Video cost credits?

No. The conversion runs inside Nodaro without an AI model, so it costs 0 credits. Running the same GIF again with the same settings returns the saved result at once.

What happens to a GIF that is shorter than 2 seconds?

The node loops it up to the Target Duration, because a motion reference needs about 2 seconds. A GIF below that length is looped even when Extend short GIFs to a target length is off.

How do I keep the choppy look of a pixel-art GIF?

Set Motion smoothing to Preserve original timing. The default, Smooth, adds in-between frames at 24 fps, which suits real footage but can smear hard-edged graphics.

What happens to transparent pixels in the GIF?

MP4 cannot store transparency, so transparent areas are filled with the Transparent background color, white or black.

Gif to Video node — convert an animated GIF to MP4 for use as a motion reference

Convert an animated GIF into an MP4 for free, loop short GIFs to a usable length, and use the clip as a motion reference for video models that refuse GIF files.

The Gif to Video node converts an animated GIF into an MP4 video. Its main job is to let you use a GIF as a motion reference for video models that reject GIF files, such as Seedance 2. The conversion runs without an AI model and costs no credits.

When to use it

You want a reaction GIF to drive the motion of a new clip in Generate Video.
You want a looping animation as an MP4 for editing, for an overlay or for an upload.
You want a GIF with uneven frame timing as a clip with a constant frame rate.

Quick start

Add the node

Press Tab on the canvas and choose Video › Format & Export › Gif to Video.

Add the GIF

Drop a GIF on the node's own upload area, or connect an image node that holds a .gif file, such as Upload Image, to the GIF input.

Check the settings

The defaults suit most motion references: the GIF is looped to 3 seconds and smoothed to 24 fps. Change them in the settings panel if needed.

Run it and use the MP4

Click Run. Connect the Video output to the Video Refs input of Generate Video.

A GIF becomes an MP4 motion reference for a Seedance 2 generation.

Inputs

Input	Accepts	What it does
GIF	Image nodes that hold a GIF, such as Upload Image	The animated GIF to convert. You can upload the GIF on the node instead.

The output, Video, is an H.264 MP4.

Settings

Setting	What it does
Extend short GIFs to a target length	On by default. Loops the GIF up to Target Duration, so the clip is long enough to work as a motion reference.
Target Duration	A slider from 2 to 8 seconds. The default is 3 seconds. Shown while the option above is on.
Motion smoothing	Smooth (interpolate to 24fps), the default, adds in-between frames for smooth motion. Preserve original timing keeps the GIF's stepped, choppy character.
Transparent background	White (the default) or Black. MP4 cannot store transparency, so transparent pixels are filled with this color.

How the node loops and trims a GIF

Most GIFs are shorter than the roughly 2 seconds a motion reference needs. The node loops them in a way that does not add a false motion:

A GIF that loops cleanly, whose last frame matches its first, repeats end to end.
A GIF that does not loop cleanly plays forward, then backward. A hard jump back to the start would look like a sudden movement, and the video model would copy it.

Two rules apply whatever the settings are:

A GIF shorter than about 2 seconds is always looped.
A GIF longer than 8 seconds is trimmed to between 3 and 8 seconds. A long reference makes a model choose the motion inconsistently from run to run.

Credits

Gif to Video costs 0 credits. Results are saved, so running the same GIF again with the same settings returns the result at once.

Tips

Match smoothing to the source. Keep Smooth for real footage. Choose Preserve original timing for pixel art and hard-edged graphic loops.
Keep references short. A clip of 3 to 8 seconds gives the model one clear motion to follow.
Describe heavy effects in the prompt. Double exposure, ghosting and trails in a GIF are often read as camera motion. Say in the video prompt that the effect is a style.

Troubleshooting

The result is a still clip and the run shows a warning. The GIF has only one frame, so there is no motion to transfer. Use an animated GIF.

Gif to Video