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Parallax is an Australian children's television series that screened on the Nine Network. It is a 26-episode series funded by the Film Finance Corporation Australia and supported by Lotterywest. The series was filmed in various locations around Perth. These include Kings Park, East Perth, and many beach and South West forest locations.[1]
| Parallax | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Paul Barron |
| Starring |
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| Composers |
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| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Paul Barron |
| Cinematography | Peter Falk |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Nine Network |
| Release | 5 August – 10 September 2004 |
The series is about a boy named Ben Johnson, who discovers a portal to multiple parallel universes, and explores them with his friends: Francis Short, Melinda Bruce, Una, Due, Tiffany and Mundi as well as newfound sister, Katherine Raddic.
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Main cast
- Joshua Marshall-Clarke as Ben Johnson
- Gillian Alexy as Katherine Raddic
- Caroline Brazier as Veronica Johnson / Betti
- David Richardson as Francis Short / Francis Zapmeister
- Francoise Sas as Melinda Bruce
- Kazimir Sas as Martin Dunkly
- Rebecca McCarthy as Fortuna / Una
- Genevieve McCarthy as Due
- Lauren Williams as Mundi
- Luke Hewitt as Jeremy Johnson
- Paris Abbott as Tiffany
- Igor Sas as Stefan Raddic
- David Ngoombujarra as Otto
Guest cast
- Caroline Brazier as Veronica Johnson / Betti
- Faith Clayton as Mrs Irma Dawes
- Kristian Barron as Spy Kid
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- Stave
- A kind of baton that most Guardians possess. It has various functions including communication over different worlds to other stave holders, a radio, manipulation of electronic devices and most importantly, the ability to shoot lasers which kill Welkin and Krellicks
- Orb
- A smooth, white sphere. There is one orb for every world whether it be hidden or in possession of the resident Guardian. When not in its original world, if a person with full Guardian blood touches the orb, whatever happened in the world before the removal of the orb will play like a movie on its surface. When the orb is in its original world the person will be transported to the Reading Room thus the orb being its 'keys'. The orbs also act as a defence to the Welkin and Krellicks hiding the blood of a Guardian.
- Reading Room
- The central repository of all knowledge of the Parallax. It keeps records of all the bad and good times of the stories and creatures in the Parallax. Although it is not a control room. The weather can't be changed and an election can't be fixed. Also the central hub of all world transportation.
- Golden Stave
- Only comes into being when a normal stave is taken to the Reading Room. Able to control the "Wheel of Knowledge". Can also manipulate certain times and events to an extent.
- Purple Water
- The key to Betti's blandishment. Betti pours it into the water supply of a world. It reacts with a person who does not fit into the 17.65% personality average of that world and turns them into water vapour. For example if in Hippie World there is a businessman and he drank the purple water he would be blandished.
- Francis Cam
- The form of communication through the Parallax. This is started by Techno World Una and Hippie World Francis. It is a link between four worlds, Techno, Forest, Ben's and Hippie World. The Francises in each world each have a camera with the exception of Techno World which is patrolled by Una. The Francis Cam is used to report Betti sightings, Spy Boy etc.
- Purple eyes
- Betti and Spy Boy's alternate eye colour. Their eyes turn purple when they're not telling the truth or if they're getting angry. Its true purpose is not yet known.
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Main worlds
- Ben's World
- The red world, in which the series starts. Could be considered as the "normal" world. Links to Katherine's World through an old drain and Techno World through a chicken shed. When pushing different points on the parallax at the old drain characters can also travel to Forest and Desert Worlds. There is also a portal in Mr Dawes's shed that links to Garden World when the right combination is used (1-1-11).
- Katherine's World
- The blue world, where Ben finds a sister he never knew existed, as well as his biological father. A very formal and organised world with many strict laws. Links to Ben's World via two large rocks and Hippie World by going in between two bookcases at a library. When pushing points on the parallax at the two rocks you can travel to Forest World. There is also a portal on the nearby beach. It leads to the tent owned by Betti in Desert World.
- Francis' Hippie World
- The yellow world. This is a very 'mellow' world filled with Hippies, literally. The only known portal here is through an old Volkswagen Type 2 Kombi van located in front of the house of this world's Francis (A.K.A. The Werrinup Thief), which links to Katherine's World, and Forest World via the right combination.
- Una's Techno World
- The silver world, first thought to be a hi-tech rubbish tip. Everyone lives well and the world is very advanced in technology. The town's motto is "Tomorrow's technology, at yesterday's prices." The portal to get to Ben's World is located at the hi-tech rubbish tip. The other portal is located at an abandoned office building and becomes accessible when a password is typed onto a computer, links to Garden World.
- Mundi's Forest World
- The green world, Ben accidentally stumbles upon this world when he trips onto the Parallax symbol. A world that takes care of its environment, its Werrinup is built on towers above the forest floor to minimise human impact on the eco system. This world is infested by Krellicks and its people are protected through the height of their structures. The tree portal links to Ben's World, Katherine's World, or Techno World, though only when the right combination is hit on the symbol. The rock portal that links to Forest World is located outside of Mrs Dawes house on the forest floor. It is currently though guarded by the Krellicks and used as a nest.
Other worlds
- Desert World
- The orange world, a lifeless place of sand and stone. Ben's mother sends him to this world as a test. One portal is located over a rock mound and goes to Ben's World via the right combination on the Parallax (7-1). The other portal is at the corner of a tent owned by Betti. It links to Katherine's World. It's later discovered that Desert World is also Otto's original homeworld, before it was destroyed by Betti.
- Garden World
- The pink world, Betti shows Katherine this world as an example of her goal in the Parallax. This world is in its own way perfect, the people who did not fit in have been effectively blandished. One portal is located through a do not enter door, and links to Techno World. The other is at a forked tree and leads to Ben's World.
- Bush World
- The brown world, this is the world in which Otto, the lost guardian has escaped to. Only one portal is known. It is in the middle of a river and links to Forest World. The other portal was meant to be down the river.
- Swamp World
- Only seen briefly when Ben accidentally stumbles into this place via the Reading Room. No portals through this world are known.
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There are portals known as Side Doors which are like normal portals but are for singular trips and once you go through it you cannot go through it the way you came out. Ben and Katherine noticed other portal lights when Ben pressed a button on the stave in the Reading Room. They then asked Mrs Dawes if she knew about Side Doors but she sent them to her brother, Mr Dawes. He told them about Side Doors and the condition if you use one. There is only one known Side Door which is Mr Dawes' shed and it links to a seat in Garden World.
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- One Big Happy Family
- A Rare Find
- The Artful Dodger
- Achey, Breaky Heart
- Lost in Paradise
- One Man's Rubbish
- Artes Veritas
- The Battle of Mundi's World
- The Big Sleep-Over
- The Martin Crimes
- The World According to Betti (writers: Paul D. Barron (creator), Lynn Bayonas[2])
- The Curse of the Incredibly Bad News
- Decoy
- Too Many Chiefs
- Ex-Ben
- Dad Meets Dad
- The Krellick War
- The Reluctant Guardian
- Seek and You Shall Find
- Sand Witch
- My Favourite Martin
- Cheats Never Prosper
- Martinmania
- The Reading Room
- Clownin' Around
- It Ain't Over
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Parallax: The Portal Opens, was released on 4 August 2005. It contains a condensed movie version, taking clips from the first 8 episodes.[3]
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