FCP or Motion task?

Concept:
I need to animate a "map".
Sounds simple enough. Imagine a picture of a city map. There are a couple thousand "dots" that represent population count. I want to have these dots (not all but maybe 25%) slowly shift to illustrate the population migration over a 10 year period. I anticipate that the map base will remain fixed and the dots can be moved with keyframing ... a lot of keyframing ... unless someone knows a handier way.
The base map is an Adobe Illustrator vector file that can be exported to a variety of formats. The "dots" are on a layer, but will become a raster image when exported so they will cease to be individual dots.

Problem:
How do I import these dots into FCP or Motion so they are still editable? Or is there a way to create these dots easily in FCP/Motion, we're talking thousands?

Plan "B" would be to have the dots simply fade in or out without moving around, but that still needs some sort of keyframing action that could be applied to separate groupings of dots.

Any third party programs designed to do this type of thing ... under $200?

All suggestions appreciated.
Rick
(let me know if I need to post this elsewhere)

Wow... big task. I'd definitely say it's a Motion task over Final Cut.
A couple things that may help (I'm throwing a couple suggestions out there, as I don't know exactly what you need)

An Illustrator Path to Motion Shape Converter from MotionSmarts.com [www.motionsmarts.com]
( I haven't tried it, but they do good work).

That may help a bit, but if you have 1000's of dots, maybe not. The Replicator might help, but it's kinda doubtful, really, if you're trying to duplicate a real city and real data.

I'd say your best bet is to export a couple different files from AI. This site [www.apple.com] says AI files will come in as a flattened file, but mentions a plugin that would help, but the maker seems to be out of business. Here's a review of Ampede LayerLink: [www.lafcpug.org]

So here's what I'd say... make a couple layers in AI. A layer with the base map and any dots that won't need to move. Then separate layers with each grouping of dots that move together. Then export them all solo, by turning off the other tracks. Make sure to check "Create PDF Compatible File."

I hope that helps!

At worse, prepare two separate dot layers, one at baseline and one with 25% changes. Dissolve them. You get a cheap quasi-animated effect. Dots will appear to migrate.

- Loren
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