thats a pretty cool trick. static camera is pretty odd loking. maybe make its swivel toward where the planes are going to stick to.

ok. i think sticking the planes to the sphere could have ben done a lot easier using goal weights instead of animating by hands.
as a matter fact, thats a perfect solution for this type of thing, thats exactly what maya goal do.

if you select the polySphere with the tiles on it, and in the shape node tab, go under render stats and turn off double sided, it will not render the other side not facing the camera. this way u dont need the nurbs sphere inside it to bloack out