Originally posted by murambi
good work so far but i think this can be done in after effects with the trapcode particular effect with less rendering time and more control or im i assuming too much 
I really really doubt that you can get more control in after effects with a 3D effect than you can in Maya with its partricles and expressions, which is what I'm using. Could you do little things like make the particles at the center spinn faster thant the outside?
Also I might link the particles to fluids for the final look and I doubt that the level of control in trapcode would let you do something like that.
As its full3D I can then also use it for whatever I need. I might get some footate, track it, load it in with some demolition objets then comp it using Toxic to give it that a go, all of which I probably would strugle with in AE.
Granted rendering time would be less but I know that I can get it looking good in Maya.
Originally posted by Chirone
is that particles emitting from the surface?
Hi Chirone,
Yes they are emmitted onto the funnels surface before any movement and then set as an intital state.
"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle