Maybe you could do this for the next tutorial?

[Paul Hennell]

That is a cool effect. No idea how they actually did it, but it clearly involves a good knowledge of particles.

If I was replicating the effect I’d probably use footage then take the end frame into photoshop separate the layers and mask them out as the particles come in. Still needs a good particle knowledge (Or appropriate plug-in) to make them properly explode.

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[Mike Park]

If I were doing this effect, I would shoot a clean bg plate and then cut out each element. Next, I would reassemble them inside a 3d program like 3d max and use 3d particles for accurate shadowing. I think you will not get as realistic a result inside AFX, even with particle plugins like Particular. This effect has been done many times before in 3d max. Finally, I would import the 3d particles into AFX and animate the reflections on the floor to correspond to the disintegration of the elements.

Hope that helps

[Daniel Gauthier]

One way to recreate this effect without getting into a 3D application like Maya, would be to use Trapcode’s FORM plugin for After Effects. search the creativecow tutorials for more information on form. Depending on how much control you want over the look of the final render, you would probably have to separate each of the elements into different layers, and create displacement maps (or use the plugin’s physics parameters) for how you want the particles to dissipate.

https://www.trapcode.com/products_form.html