thanks, actually I went in to the Attribute editor and checked the boxes for 'cast shadows' and 'receive shadows' on everything in the scene.? I think, I'll go back in and have a look, I probably missed something, Yea, I saw something about the attribute editor in one of the free tuts and had a look.., low and behold, mother of mercy, I found the 'shadow boxes' (sounds like kung fu) anyway, I checked 'em thinking great now it's all done, and nothing changed. (actually there were checked by default, there were heaps ina verticle row, I unchecked motion blur, are these the same boxes you mean?)) I don't know much about lighting but it seems the big guns know where and how to place them in the most calculated and effective ways...

I have a tut in a mag that shows how to casts shadows in after effects..? I brought it out of shear surprise, its how to have a dinosaur walk down the main street of a city, with 'realism' (?), I didn't know if that tut was appropriate because the dinosaur never leaves the ground..?

thanks, I will 'check' (pun) again.., interesting how unexpected details pop up in a scene as one learns...