What It Does
Dust Transition dissolves 2D images into millions of pixel-sized particles. It creates transitions that look like dust, sand, or disintegration effects, using noise algorithms to distort particles during the transition. The plugin runs on the GPU, so it handles complex compositions without slowdowns.
You can control the transition with three different methods: linear wipes, noise-driven patterns, or custom images. Particles respond to gravity and wind forces. You can also colorize them with gradients and add shine effects to simulate sand.
Key Features
Three transition modes give you control over how the effect plays out. Linear lets you set the angle and feathering of a wipe. Noise adjusts the scale and contrast of procedural patterns. Image-based uses the brightness values of a custom image or precomp to control which areas dissolve first.
Gradient Ramp colorization applies custom colors to particles. You can choose blending modes and add noise-based randomness so colors aren’t uniform. Shine simulates light reflections on sand-like particles.
Forces and distortion add realism. Particles respond to wind and gravity. Various noise algorithms distort the movement during the transition.
3D space rendering works with After Effects cameras. You can enable depth of field and direct particles toward the camera. Up to 20 layers of particles can be generated for more detail.
GPU acceleration keeps playback smooth even with millions of particles. Recent updates added MSAA (anti-aliasing), particle visibility probability, dust size control, and a draw mode that separates particles from the original image.
Who It’s For
Motion designers and video editors working on title sequences, transitions between scenes, or abstract visual effects. The image-based control makes it useful for revealing logos or typography with custom shapes. The 3D mode fits projects that need depth and camera integration.
Pricing
Pay what you want. The developer offers it as a name-your-own-price download. If you choose to support the developer, suggested pricing is $49 for a single-user license.