... have them move to get their attention.

An example would be a "still shot" of a pretty girl that winks after a few seconds.

Seems so simple that it's impossible that it's never been done before, but as far as I know it hasn't. A moving gif is a moving gif and a picture is a picture despite the fact that the only way to tell them apart is, well, one moves. Gifs and pics are often put on the same page but the gifs are always loaded to show movement right away, that's the point right? Having the only movement be at the end so it appears to be a pic would really get your attention. The first 70 or 80% of the frames are the same pic, all movement frames being at the end 20%.

Of course the downside is this would be a great way to resurrect the thankfully out of fashion "screamers" of old, where a video would lull you into a state of boredom and they flash a scary picture on the screen, attended by a scream usually, to make you jump out of your skin.

I don't think this has ever been done, but if it has please post links, I'd like to see it.

Ok, been baked, but not much, so I'll leave this up and say the original idea is to call them "Picgifs"
-- doctorremulac3, Dec 16 2014

Search words; "freaked me out" http://imgur.com/gallery/O8XcSWR
There are more. I like them. [2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 17 2014]

...and another http://imgur.com/gallery/C8I08IX
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 17 2014]

Mother! http://imgur.com/gallery/YbQzd7O
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 18 2014]

Ok, last one. http://imgur.com/gallery/4yKeBRn
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 18 2014]

There are a few of these now since imgur added a gif feature. Strictly entertainment and not promo uses so far, but I imagine that will change soon.
I will post them here as I stumble across them. They aren't easily searchable unless you've 'favorited' them or something. (+)
They're kind of freaky. Your looking at a photo and then the reflection in the window turns and looks at you... this kind of thing.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 17 2014


Ha! Found that exact one.
In your face Flanders! [link]
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 17 2014


Whe-he-hel, okalie dokalie.
-- doctorremulac3, Dec 17 2014


This one's even creepier. [link] 2
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 17 2014


Not really.
-- pocmloc, Dec 17 2014


first linkie is better...I had made some back in year 200x, ish, about...
-- not_morrison_rm, Dec 17 2014


widely known to be baked in the last millenium. Typically in the use described in the idea - there would be some sort of challenge associated with the image. Then something shocking would show while the victim was looking for the difference or whatever.

You don't even need lots of frames - gifs can have long frame durations.
-- Loris, Dec 18 2014



random, halfbakery