Continuity mistake: Just before the Battle of Naboo begins, Jar Jar and Tarpals are at the front of the Great Gungan Army. In one shot, Jar Jar turns and says, "Steady, steady," to the Gungans. During this shot, Captain Tarpals disappears.
Suggested correction: He doesn't disappear; he is just offscreen. The close-up shot of Jar-Jar is taken at a more head-on angle.
Judging by the almost zero distance between the two characters, I'd say it's practically impossible that no part of Tarpals' body could have been seen. Jar Jar's hand would have even touched Tarpals if he were still there.
Nonsense. We can't see the feet of their mounts, and apparent distance depends on the focal length of the lens, so there is no way of telling how far apart they are. Definitely more than "zero distance." In the second shot, there doesn't appear to be much more than 4 feet visible to his immediate left (our right). Certainly, a reasonable distance based on the first shot.