solution needed

[afarrukh]

Hi guys, I am new to after effects and need a solution to my problem. i am creating an annimated video and the client wants me to drop 28,000 bottles from a truck into a landfill. the bottles then need to stay in the landfill after they drop. 

I dropped a bunch of bottles manually (positioning, rotating etc) but need to find an easier and less time consuming way to do it. can someone help me with this please?

[Rick Gerard]

I would explore using Trapcode Particular and set the Particle to a Bottle Graphic. You might also want to look at Newton. A couple of years ago, I used Particular to run thousands of boxes of cookies down a highway as they fell from a delivery truck. 

To suggest an effective and efficient workflow, we need a detailed shot description or, better yet, the actual shot of the landfill. Trying manually animate twenty-eight thousand individual layers is not even something Pixar, Sony Visual Effects, or Disney would do. You need to use a particle generator. 

[afarrukh · Accepted solution]

Thanks, Rick! Since my landfill is kinda small it is hard to see the bottles as whole. 

So i just manually positioned and rotated about 10 bottles and then just precomposed those 10 layers and kept making copies of it. I will share what I did for feedback. Thanks again!