Using lights correctly to achieve a specific effect

Question

Hello, all. First time posting over here--I'm usually stomping around in the PPro forums. However, a certain effect/look I'm after is eluding me, so I thought I'd try over here. I should note that I'm not a total AE n00b--I know enough to achieve most basic things--but I'm far from advanced.
Getting on with it--I'm trying to use lights in a current project, and it shouldn't be anything difficult. However, my greatest definciency with AE involves working in 3D space, and using lights and cameras effectively, so I'm currently stumped. What I'm trying to create is the effect of a series of brief titles moving forward on the Z-axis towards the camera, with a light illuminating the text. At a certain point, the text begins to move into an area that is not illuminated by the light, so shadow begins to creep in from the outer edges of the text toward the center until it's completely dark. Then the next title would move forward in the same manner, ad infinitum. The text can fade to 0% opacity in order to reveal the following text item, but only once it's almost completely dark. I've created a simple floor (solid turned to 3D, rotated, ramp effect) just to give a little depth, but the background is black/"infinite". I've tried as many combinations of lights as I can think of, but just when I get part of the effect right, another part starts to go awry--it's sort of like pushing a piece of rope.
So far, I really haven't animated anything, beyond the text elements which are sliding on the Z-axis--the camera and lights are standing still. I was hoping to achieve this effect without animating either the camera or lights, but I'm starting to think that's not possible. I'd appreciate any advice or pointers that can be offered as I venture into this (for me) brave new world.
Many thanks!

Answer 1

Colin: This thread is the definition of frustration for me. Because I really want to help, and yet nothing will be quite as good as sitting next to you
But let's concentrate on this bit:
I've also tried moving the Spot close to the text, opening up the angle
of the light quite wide. This actually seems to work better, but I end
up with a bunch of flood on the floor.
You know, the fun thing about 3D lights in a 3D environment (including AE) is that you can make use of regular notions of photography/film lighting... and then start cheating in a way that's not possible in the real world
If you select your floor layer, and reveal the material options section (hit AA to do that quickly), you'll see there are a number of options. "Diffuse" for example is the senstivity to directional lighting (ie, any kind of source but ambient lights). So, you see, you can lower the Diffuse level and you would be decreasing the flood on the floor (no pun), while keeping the same intensity on the text layer. The same would also be true for the three specular-related parameters (Specular, Shininess and Metal).
You can by now imagine I am going to point you to the Material Option properties page in After Effects Help, can't you?