School ufo short film

alright guys im starting a independent study on advanced computer applications and i would like to do a short film (kinda like pixar shorts) so ill have a lota questions and you guys have always been great at helping me =) ill just throw one at a time at you. Iv been working on the ufo model. i made the basic ufo shape, outlined it in a neon type curve and animated it along a curve. iv also put a spot light coming off the bottom that i would like to be the beam. so heres the first question.

is there a way to take that spot light, give it a color and be able to see it shining down, (not just on the ground but all the way from the start of the ship to the ground)

second is i have created a plane with a particle hair system to make a type of grass. i then put a “wind” block inside the ufo with a cone shape wind. this has made the grass push down quite well but all the grass around it was just solid still so it looked very fake. i added another block of wind to the side off the scene, but even at the lowest power it blows the grass more then i would like it too. so here is the second and last questions ill throw at you to start =)

how can i make the wind make the grass just kind sway in the breeze, but have the Ufo create a large amount of wind to blow the grass flat. and also how can i make the grass thicker? it looks ok but its just too thin and i cant seem to figure it out =(

anyways thx for all the help guys! you always come through for me so i hope you can help =)

For the light, use a spot light. click on the white bar to change color , click halo. I think that is what you want.
For the grass, it is not so easy to answer, maybe you can parent the cone father away above the ship.
hope this helps you

Hello,
You may use severall wind modifiers. Adding a general autonomous side (or front, or back) wind and another much larger (but weaker) associated with your UFO, would probably do it fine.
Also give enough elasticity to your grass (more segments).