Re-watching some of the videos of the River Journey, I'm confused and intrigued by how the screens in the ride are used. You can reference the DIS video for this:
In both the Viperwolf and Hexapede (deer like creature with a frill) scenes there is some noticeable multi-plane effects- as we move, layers of background shift independently depending on their distance as opposed to a single flat image.
In the Viperwolf scene (2:00) this seems to be achieved through a layering of physical sets and screens. There is a foreground set, then a partial screen that the wolves appear on (which actually triggers plant effects in the foreground,) then either another set or at least a flat cut-out, through which is seen another screen in the background. As the boat passes by at 2:10 I count five separate layers and four in the area I had previously assumed to be a single screen.
The Hexapede scene (2:50) has me stumped. The boat approaches head on. I think there is some layering going on, but the screen seems to adjust with the viewers position. Is this paralaxing or something else? Paralaxing only works if it is tracking the boat (a flat image but with a depth of field effect timed to the POV of the viewer.) Other scenes with the Navi passing alongside (3:20) do not seem to achieve this and its background looks much flatter in appearance despite the distance they are also depicting.
Any thoughts?
Also at 3:20- giant insects running along the overhead vine.