Assuming you have particular, google "pyro pack". It's a free download of a collection of particular projects that make fireworks and smoke. There are smoke examples in there which will get you started. Actually I'll do it for you:
It is almost 10 years old yet is still very useful - I am just starting a new video tutorial based on one of the projects in it… examining all of the projects in the pyro pack is how I learned particular.
And to your original question, there are tons of tutorials on youtube. If you choose particular, you will find many. If you don't have particular, the built in plugin (CC Particle World) works just fine too, especially for what you are doing.
I was looking for one of my favorite ones I used on that before but can't find it at the moment.
Eric
On Mon, Jun 10, 2013 at 3:22 PM, Jim Curtis <jpcurtis@me.com> wrote:
If you don't have particular, Brian Maffitt did a tutorial a while back that used Radio Waves, which is a native Ae particle plugin.
On Jun 10, 2013, at 2:18 PM, Stephen van Vuuren wrote:
I will third Particular. Make sure to make use of physics for creating complicated wind patterns to avoid fake look smoke. Also, I think multiple layers with varying parameters is the best way for realistic complexity rather than a single emitter to do all things i.e. main fire smoke, slower burning logs smoke, ember/ashes smoke etc.
A film is – or should be – more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what’s behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later.