Creating dust with objects (words) hitting a ground

[Mike Clasby]

I like this.

Overview: CC Ball Action and Scatter on a Duplicate layer of your text, with an Scale expression for Impact shake if desired.

Details:

Make your text and animate it’s fall.
Duplicate it (Ctrl D). Name it Dust.
To Dust add CC Ball Action and Scatter

CC Ball Action
Scatter: Keyframe 0 at Impact… and 3 to 5 frames later make it 40.
Grid Spacing: Zero

Scatter
Scatter Amount: 0 at Impact… 50 a few frames later
Uncheck “Randomize Every Frame

Tweak all these to taste.

Now to Dust’s Position, add a keyframe 4 to 5 frames after Impact by checking the add keyframe box, then about a second or two later (however long you want the dust to settle, set a keyframe to drop the Dust layer completely below the original text layer.

I then added a New Black Solid with a rectangular mask to make a floor for the dust, so that when it dropped below the text it disappears… settles out.

If you want to add a little Jell-O to the original text upon Impact, add this expression to the original text layers Scale (Copy the expression, Alt Click the Scale Stopwatch, Paste):

n = 0;
if (marker.numKeys > 0){
n = marker.nearestKey(time).index;
if (marker.key(n).time > time){
n–;
}
}

if (n == 0){
value;
}else{
maxDev = 10; // max deviation in pixels
spd = 40; //speed of oscillation
decay = 4.0; //how fast it slows down

t = time – marker.key(n).time ;
y = scale[0] + maxDev*Math.sin(spd*t)/Math.exp(decay*t);
x = scale[0];
[x,y]

}
Now add a marker to the original text layer at the point of Impact, by pressing the * (asterisk) key on the Numeric keypad. The Marker triggers the Jell-O effect. Move the Text layers anchorPoint to the bottom center with the Pan Behind Tool, so the scaling looks right. The expression above is all on the text layers Y, so if you want a true Squish and Squash, change the lines 17,18 from:

y = scale[0] + maxDev*Math.sin(spd*t)/Math.exp(decay*t);
x = scale[0];

to

x = scale[0] + maxDev*Math.sin(spd*t)/Math.exp(decay*t);
y = scale[0]*scale[1]/x;

These are Dan Ebbert’s expressions. Thanks Dan.

[David Bogie]

Interesting and I bow to anyone who can write Expressions in their sleep like this, Yikes.

There are also some PUFF presets in several particle plugins and in Apple Motion. Might even be one in in AE visible via Bridge.

But I’m still an old fashioned guy; I say, got out out shoot some heavily sidelit talcum or gypsum dust against a black curtain.

bogiesan

This is my standard sigfile so do not take it personally: “For crying out loud, read the freakin’ manual.”

[Mike Clasby]

I just hack Dan and others expressions. Sort of the Dr Frankenstein of expressions world.