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Chapter 12 AFX PlugIns
Real Shadows
Real Shadows adds realistic perspective shadows to any layer with an alpha channel. Real Shadows is spe-
cifically designed for situations where the target layer is animated, such as keyed footage of people on a
bluescreen or greenscreen.
The image below shows how the use of shadows can mean the difference between a believable shot and a
fake shot. Apart from the shadows, the two images are identical. Notice that the apple on the left seems to
be floating, whereas the apple on the right appears to be on the lunar surface:
Apple On The Moon
 Color -
specifies the color of the shadow. You can use the eyedropper or the color picker to select a color.
 Opacity -
controls the transparency of the shadow. Lower numbers provide more transparency.
 Softness -
determines the blurriness of the shadow as it falls away from the shadow-casting object. Note the
wraparound effect of the softness, which makes the shadows look more organic. Higher numbers
create more blur.
 Fadeout -
specifies how the shadow fades away as it recedes from the shadow-casting object. Higher num-
bers create a faster fadeout.