diff --git a/pfb/parser/smoovie.yaml b/pfb/parser/smoovie.yaml
index 5f23df46a..c5e00fa4d 100644
--- a/pfb/parser/smoovie.yaml
+++ b/pfb/parser/smoovie.yaml
@@ -152,6 +152,12 @@ inputs:
       The format to write movie out in.
       gifs are usually better quality but can get quite large.
       mp4 quality not currently great with streamjoy.
+  optimize:
+    dtype: bool
+    default: false
+    info:
+      To try and optimize the resulting gif.
+      Only possible if gifsicle is installed.
 
 outputs:
     {}
diff --git a/pfb/workers/smoovie.py b/pfb/workers/smoovie.py
index 0a2e688be..fd2cb42e8 100644
--- a/pfb/workers/smoovie.py
+++ b/pfb/workers/smoovie.py
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ def plot_frame(frame):
                     if not res[1]:
                         results.pop(i)
                 nframeso = len(results)
-                print(f"Dropped {nframes - nframeso} epmpty frames")
+                print(f"Dropped {nframes - nframeso} empty frames in band {b}", file=log)
                 # get median rms
                 medrms = np.median([res[1] for res in results])
 
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ def plot_frame(frame):
                             results,
                             renderer=plot_frame,
                             intro_title=f"{opts.outname}-Band{b:04d}",
-                            optimize=True,
+                            optimize=opts.optimize,
                             threads_per_worker=1,
                             fps=opts.fps,
                             uri=f'{opts.outname}_band{b}_{idfy}.gif'