The Multiplane Downshooter - Frame-by-Frame Stop Motion: The Guide to Non-Traditional Animation Techniques - page 94

Fig 7.3 Key light position relative to the shooting table and the shadows caused by objects on
the top plane.

• Howwidecanthebottomplanebe,basedontheshootingrangeofa

35 mm or longer lens?

• Howhighabovetheshootingplanedoesthekeylighthavetobefora

good effect?

• Doyouwanttoshoothorizontallyorata15-45°anglebytiltingthe

table?

• Whatkindofdepthoffielddoyouneedtoachieve?

• Whatisthesizeoftheobjectyouareanimatingandthedistanceitneeds

to move?

The 2” × 4” stand I built has about 16 inches between planes, and the
camera is mounted about 2 feet directly above the first shooting plane.
As a result, my key light, no matter which side it is on, could rise from 1
to about 20 inches above that plane before objects on the top plane cast
visible shadows onto objects on the lower plane. You should think of lighting
three-dimensional objects on a stand in a similar fashion to lighting those
objects in three-dimensional space. The key or primary light needs to
define the object clearly, set a mood, and bring out the three-dimensional
formofthatobject.Yourkeylightcanbeplacedanywhere360°aroundthe
shooting table. It can be placed below the glass shooting up through the
glass or anywhere from the glass shooting surface up to the point where
the object shadow falls on the lower plane and can be visible to the camera.
Ultimately, you must be aware of reflection from the light on the glass and
the possibility of lens flare.