Latest News
Norrington News
3/31/2005
Davenport was recently seen by US audiences as Edward in the romantic comedy "The Wedding Date."
When asked about his return as Norrington, Davenport said "I'm not a ghost or anything, I'm the same person. Maybe a bit of cross-dressing--no, I'm kidding....I'm filming on Pirates until January of next year. There's a little break between shooting on the two films, so that the poor bastards who have to work every day, i.e. the crew, can catch their breath slightly, because it's a pretty massive operation. The first one made so much money that the number crunchers obviously decided to turn it into a franchise. We're kind of lucky to be along for the ride really."
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Weinstein, Wilder and Wonka
3/30/2005
Under the agreement, Disney will retain the rights to the existing Miramax/Dimension Films film library as well as the Miramax name. The Weinsteins will retain the right to use the Dimension Films banner for their future projects.
The rift between the studio and the Weinsteins was punctuated by Disney's refusal to distribute the Weinsteins' controversial "Fahrenheit 9-11," filmmaker Michael Moore's critical documentary film essay on the Bush administration.
Harvey Weinstein said "I think we will be able to build a giant media company of our own." His goals reportedly include a cable network and an expanded presence on the internet. Disney Pictures chairman Dick Cook said the Weinsteins will remain with Miramax/Dimension Films through September 30 of this year to complete marketing and distribution of projects currently under way.
Cook expects to name new management for the Miramax banner sometime in July of this year.
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Gene Wilder, loved by millions for his portrayal of eccentric candy factory owner Willy Wonka in the 1971 film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," has published an autobiography--of sorts. The book, titled "Kiss Me Like A Stranger: My Search for Love and Art," tells Wilder's own story as filtered through the lens of psychotherapy.
Although billed by Wilder's friend Mel Brooks as "hilarious," "Kiss Me Like A Stranger" is reported to show a much more serious--and uncertain--side of the comedic actor. The book is available in print and audio, as read by the author.
Speaking of Wilder and Wonka, Tim Burton's update of Roald Dahl's tale "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" opens in July 2005. Burton said "I know a lot of people love it (the 1971 Willy Wonka), but I found the movie to be quite disturbing. Also I don't feel the same way about that movie as I did about "Planet of the Apes" and so I don't feel the personal pressure that I did on "Apes." We tried to keep in the spirit of the book."
Johnny Depp, who plays Wonka in the upcoming feature, said "Tim's sticking much closer to the book, in Tim's own particular way."
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Tuesday Newsday
3/29/2005
ABC's 'The Muppets' Wizard of Oz' Makes Its World Premiere Wednesday, April 27th at the 2005 Tribeca Family Festival
Ashanti, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and the Rest of the Muppet Gang to Attend the Star-Studded Red Carpet Festivities
NEW YORK, March 29
PRNewswire
The fun and fanciful new ABC telefilm "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz," starring Ashanti and the Muppets and directed by Kirk Thatcher, will have its world premiere on Wednesday, April 27th as part of the Tribeca Family Festival. The Tribeca line-up addition was announced today by Festival co-founders Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff. The film's executive producers are Lisa Henson and Brian Henson; Martin G. Baker and Warren Carr are producers, and Bill Barretta, Kristine Belson and Eric Poticha are co-producers. The Tribeca Family Festival runs concurrently with the Tribeca Film Festival. The Tribeca Film Festival is presented by American Express.
The premiere will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center in lower Manhattan with Ashanti, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, The Great Gonzo and Pepe the King Prawn in attendance, along with other special guests. "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz" will air in May 2005 as part of the hit family franchise, "The Wonderful World of Disney." This is the Muppets' first major television event since the franchise was purchased by the Walt Disney Company in 2004.
Muppet fans are also invited to visit Muppets.com to enter to win a chance to attend the premiere; and to visit DisneyAuctions.com to bid on a "Muppets' Wizard of Oz" Tribeca world premiere vacation package (bidding closes March 31).
Read the full release here.
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Yahoo Movies has posted the trailer for Keira's upcoming film "Domino." Here's Yahoo's summary: From director Tony Scott and inspired by a real-life story, Keira Knightley stars as Domino Harvey, who rejected her privileged Beverly Hills lifestyle as the daughter of a famous actor (Lawrence Harvey) and a Ford agency model to become a bounty hunter in pursuit of society's nastiest criminals.(Yahoo)
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Proving that no film or filmmaker is immune to charges of plagiarism, Orlando's upcoming "Kingdom of Heaven" finds itself under legal scrutiny. James Reston Jr., the author of the book "Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade," says 20th Century Fox and director Ridley Scott are violating copyright law by using "events, characters, scenes, descriptions and character tensions" in the movie that were "strikingly similar" to events in his book. (NYTimes.com) (registration required)
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Featured link of the week: Fans of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean attractions worldwide will want to check out TellNoTales.com, Chef Mayhem's tribute to the classic adventure ride that inspired the films. From the creator of DoomBuggies.com, it's full of insider info, photos, multimedia and more--a treasure chest of facts and information!
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More fun than a long walk off a short plank--KeepToTheCode.com offers live chat and message forums! Click here to join KTTC's thriving community.
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PRESS RELEASE
Source: PointRoll, Inc.
Infiniti, Disney, and ALLTEL are First Recipients of the PointRoll Beanie Awards
FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., March 29, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- PointRoll Inc., a leader in rich media technology and service, announced today the launch of a new client recognition program, the PointRoll Beanie Award. The winners of the first Beanie Awards went to Infiniti in Black by Infiniti (True Agency -- creative and media agency); Disney's Affordability (Arc Worldwide -Chicago -- creative agency; Avenue A -- media agency); and ALLTEL's Add a Line (Think Interactive -- creative agency; The Martin Agency -- media agency). To view the winning creatives, go here.
The Beanie Award is aptly named for PointRoll's signature product, FatBoy, who wears a propeller beanie cap. The award recognizes the top three performing campaigns that achieve the highest interaction rates on a monthly basis. An interaction rate is defined as when an Internet user is shown a PointRoll ad and then mouses over and interacts with the brand.
(to read the entire release, click here). (primezone.com)
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In finance and investment, Investors.com reports today that Walt Disney Studios, Sony and Warner Brothers studios are working on a plan to raise up to $3 billion for theater owners to use to upgrade their facilities to allow them to show digital films. None of the studios would comment. It is believed that they will be joined later by the other major studios. (Investors.com)
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The Celebrity Cafe has an overview of Disney's upcoming "Chronicles of Narnia" film. "Narnia" opens nationwide in December 2005. (thecelebritycafe.com)
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KTTC team member Lady Killigrew's fabulous pirate artwork is available to wear! Visit the KTTC CafePress store at www.cafepress.com/keeptothecode to pick up some of the coolest summerwear to ever sail the seven seas!
Deja Vu
3/28/2005
According to Daily Variety and the Hollywood Reporter, Tony Scott is in talks to direct the romantic thriller "Deja Vu." "Pirates of the Caribbean" producer Jerry Bruckheimer will produce the film for Disney Pictures.
Terry Rossio and Bill Marsilii's screenplay, reportedly purchased by Disney for a seven-figure sum, involves an FBI agent who travels back in time to keep a woman from being murdered. In the course of the story, the agent falls in love with the woman he's charged with saving.
"Pirates of the Caribbean" script writer Rossio and his Pirates writing partner Ted Elliott are slated to be the executive producers with Jerry Bruckheimer Films' Mike Stenson and Chad Oman.
Variety reports that Bruckheimer hopes to start shooting in late summer or early fall of this year. (variety.com and hollywoodreporter.com)
You, The Open Sea, and The Interceptor
3/25/2005
"If you love the hammer of cannon fire and smell of gunpowder in the wind, this is an experience you won't want to miss!" says Les Bolton. "This is not a hot buttered popcorn and soda pop experience. This is two 200-ton Tall Ships engaged in an 18th-century "dogfight"."
So if you love tall ships and you love the Pirates movie this is something you wont want to miss. See the attached below for more details.
Lady%20%26%20Lynx%20Battle%20Poster.pdf
Update 28 March: Here's a news item on the Lady Washington and the Privateer Lynx. (times-standard.com)
Fun--er, Fog and Games
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Disney is apparently getting much more serious about playing games. From the Hollywood Reporter: "According to analysts with Merrill Lynch and the Prudential Equity Group who participated in the Q&A, Disney will spend an extra $40 million-$50 million this year publishing video games based on such films as "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" and the upcoming "Chicken Little" and "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe.""
(hollywoodreporter.com)
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Bloom. Orlando Bloom.
3/24/2005
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Following up on an earlier story, the newspaper Asahi reports that the operator of a tugboat boarded by pirates paid approximately $200,000 US dollars to secure the release of the three hostages the pirates had taken in the Malacca Strait. The three captives were the captain, the chief engineer and a crew member. (Asahi.com)
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More fun than a long walk off a short plank--KeepToTheCode.com offers live chat and message forums! Click here to find out more about KTTC's thriving community.
Midweek Update
3/23/2005
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Send Pirates-related news items to us at KeepToTheCodeNews@gmail.com. Please include sources and contacts if possible.
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The International Chamber of Commerce Commercial Crime Services posts a weekly update of piracy reports, piracy prone areas and warnings and piracy maps from 2001 to the present. Click on "Weekly Piracy Report" on the left side of the screen. (ICC-CCS.org)
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Zoe Saldana, better known to "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" fans as the pirate wench Anamaria, will star in the feature film "Guess Who," with Ashton Kutcher as her fiance and Bernie Mac as her father. She is also slated to appear with Orlando Bloom in the feature film "Haven." (CBSNews.com)
A Pirate's Life
3/22/2005
Press Release
The Volvo Ocean Race is braced for the glare of Hollywood with the ground-breaking announcement today, March 21, that there will be a Pirates of the Caribbean II entry in the 2005-2006 round the world race.
The Walt Disney Company and Volvo (Volvo Car Corporation and AB Volvo) have entered into a unique film marketing deal for Pirates of the Caribbean II and the agreement will include the creation of a competitive entry in the 31,250 nm adventure - the world's premier ocean race.
The announcement of the 'Pirates' boat ensures a high-profile US presence among the fleet for the eight-month epic.
Glenn Bourke, the Volvo Ocean Race CEO, said: 'The excitement and intrigue which this entry brings to the race takes us to a whole new level in terms of global profile and exposure. To link up with a Hollywood icon such as the Walt Disney Company is a fillip for the event and for sailing in general.
'The deal also underscores the value of the Volvo Ocean Race as a compelling marketing communications tool in the eyes of the commercial world. In terms of competition, I fully expect this team, proudly flying the flag of the United States, will be at the sharp end of the race for honours.'
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Gore Verbinski, once again stars Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Orlando Bloom as Will Turner and Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, the spectacular follow-up to the international blockbuster released in 2003, is currently being filmed in Los Angeles and the Caribbean and is due for release in July 2006.
Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, said: 'We're excited to be participating in the prestigious Volvo Ocean Race, which is very much like the 'formula one' of yacht racing. This is a fun and unique way to remind viewers all over the world that Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest will be sailing into theatres next summer. Given the film's high seas adventures and nautical themes, this marathon sporting event is a great way to make some waves and generate awareness among the millions of viewers.'
The 'Pirates' campaign will be headed by Atlant Ocean Racing, the syndicate company of Richard Brisius and Johan Salen. (volvooceanrace.org)
In a related story, The Scotsman is reporting that some of the stars of the films will be joining the crew at various locations during the journey. (Scotsman)
Miscellaneous News
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News from the Shameless Self Promotion Department: KTTC team member Lady Killigrew's fabulous pirate artwork is available to wear! Visit the KTTC CafePress store at www.cafepress.com/keeptothecode to pick up some of the coolest summerwear to ever sail the seven seas!
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Quick link of the week: If you love Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Christopher Lee or The Nightmare Before Christmas, stop by the Tim Burton Collective for news on Burton's next animated feature film, due in theaters in September 2005.
Pirates Film News
Two Days as an Extra
A Pirates of the Caribbean Casting Call
Costuming the Cast
Watch for more scoops from Diane on this site in the months ahead!
Pirates IN the Caribbean party takes over Disney Magic cruise ship
3/18/2005
PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The new Pirates IN the Caribbean party is taking over the Disney Magic cruise ship, transforming guests aboard into pirates for the evening and treating them to a scrumptious dinner feast and adventurously themed deck party that would make Captain Jack Sparrow proud. This newly themed evening aboard Disney's seven-night cruise vacations to the eastern and western Caribbean brings together the traditional cruise dinner and deck party with a rowdy buccaneer bash combining invigorating entertainment, themed dining experiences and brand new special effects for an evening that's perfect for every member of the family.
Starting in the dining room, servers dressed as pirates play the part by welcoming guests with customary greetings of 'ahoy matey' and 'argh' while serving 'grog' rather than drinks. Guests delight in learning the pirate lifestyle by donning specially made pirate bandanas and choosing pirate themed dinner selections from a parchment rolled menu. Dishes from the ship's galley include:
- Appetizer: Black beard's jumbo crab cake, with fruit salsa and
honey-lime tropical coleslaw - Soup/Salad: Caribbean-style spicy vegetable gumbo soup and a jerk
chicken salad - Entree: The Black Pearl's oven-roasted beef tenderloin, with sour
cream chive smashed potatoes, sugar-baked carrots and a deep red wine
glaze - Dessert: Floating island of tropical fruit treasures -- a meringue
chest filled with tropical fruit and berries surrounded by a vanilla
sauce
As the evening transitions from the dining room to high atop decks 9 and 10, a treasure trove of entertainment opens with classic Disney characters dressed in pirate garb, high-energy special effects and interactive audience participation set to music favorites for a new kind of celebration.
The party gets underway with a pirate-style line dance as guests join cruise staff, Goofy and his seafaring friends in learning special dance steps set to a wacky chorus of "Yo, Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life for Me."
Impetuously the mood of the party changes as Captain Hook, Mr. Smee and their gang of 'bad' pirates take over the party with special effects including black lighting, skull and cross bone projections and even an invasion of pirates repelling from the funnel. The music additionally changes from the contemporary/pop arrangements to a more sinister tone of a rock and roll party with hard rock classics and heavy metal tunes -- reminiscent of earlier days for the adults.
Just in time, and before Captain Hook's able to enlist audience Dads to join his gang of pirates, Captain Mickey appears and saves the day, ridding the ship of the evil buccaneers for a swash-buckling finish.
"This new themed evening takes entertainment to a whole new level," said Jim Urry, Disney Cruise Line director of entertainment. "Guests love our deck parties and this one allows them to step into the action, experience buccaneer traditions and actually be a pirate."
Currently only aboard the Disney Magic seven-night itineraries, the experience is scheduled to board sister ship Disney Wonder and three- and four-night itineraries in early 2005.
Disney Cruise Line specifically designed its ships with areas and activities that appeal to the unique vacation needs of every member of the family. As a result, its vacations offer guests an unbelievable cruise experience not found anywhere else.
Stretching nearly an entire deck of the ship, children's programming spaces feature supervised activities for five age-specific groups of children and teens. Additionally, infants and toddlers are cared for at Flounder's Reef Nursery, allowing parents the opportunity to explore adult areas on their own.
The Walt Disney Theatre provides a magnificent 977-seat showplace of state-of-the-art sound, lighting, staging and set design. The curtain is lifted after the sun drops and original Disney musicals, family-friendly variety acts and first-run films entertain all ages. Adults have more late-night entertainment to choose from than ever before along Beat Street (Disney Magic) and Route 66 (Disney Wonder, the nighttime entertainment districts -- featuring a high-energy dance club, stylish jazz piano bar and traditional sports pub -- reserved exclusively for them.
Novel in its approach and inventive in its execution, the dining experience rotates guests through three different themed restaurants throughout the cruise. Accompanied by their familiar wait staff and tablemates, guests travel from the casual elegance of Lumiere's (Disney Magic) or Triton's (Disney Wonder) to the colorful, island-inspired Parrot Cay and Animator's Palate, where Disney animation springs to life throughout their meal. Adults may also opt to dine at Palo, an exquisite restaurant featuring sweeping views and northern Italian cuisine.
The 877 family-friendly staterooms aboard each Disney ship were designed to offer maximum comfort. Most feature an industry first -- a bath-and-a-half with two separate areas; one offering a shower and sink, the other a sink and toilet.
In addition to offering seven-night cruise vacations to the Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line offers three- and four-night itineraries to the Bahamas and land/sea vacation packages, which include a stay at the Walt Disney World Resort. During the summer of 2005, Disney Cruise Line will offer its first-ever seven-night cruises to the Mexican Riviera departing from the Port of Los Angeles. With a pre- or post- stay at the Disneyland Resort, guests can combine the fun and excitement of the Disneyland Resort with the enchantment of a Disney cruise. The repositioning of the Disney Magic to southern California also includes two 14-night Panama Canal cruises, nicely blending exotic ports of call with leisurely days at sea.
To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a Disney Cruise Line vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit disneycruise.com or call Disney Cruise Line at (888) DCL-2500. Travel agents can call Disney Cruise Line at (888) 325-2500 or visit disneytravelagents.com. (source: The Disneyland Report)
PRESS RELEASE
3/17/2005
Wildfire Lighting and Visual Effects Enhances Disney Cruise Lines Pirates in the Caribbean Party
LOS ANGELES, CA and PORT CANAVERAL, FL - March 15, 2005 /Send2Press Newswire/ -- Wildfire Lighting and Visual Effects (www.wildfirefx.com), a world leader in the creation of ultraviolet visual effects for themed architectural and entertainment based venues, today announced that they will provide a UV sensitive scenic mural of a ship for Disney Cruise Lines' Pirates in the Caribbean party. Through the use of Wildfire's high powered UV lighting fixtures and scenic effects, the mural, which begins as a peaceful vessel sailing through friendly seas, is transformed into a tattered pirate ship, adrift in a stormy ocean.
"We're delighted to be working with Disney Cruise Lines through PRG who contracted us, to enhance the Pirates in the Caribbean party experience, and help bring a sense of adventure to life for party guests," said John Berardi, Vice President of Wildfire Lighting andVisual Effects.
"In addition to the transformative effect of the ship itself, we were delighted to have the opportunity to work on an outdoor installation for the first time for a cruise line of this caliber. This project was doubly challenging from a practical standpoint because these effects were installed on a cruise ship moving through the water and had to be able to endure the sometimes extraordinary stressors of the sea.
Specially modified fixtures that could withstand salt water were painted white to match the ship and then had to be weather sealed and permanently mounted on board. We learned a great deal through this process, and are very pleased with the results."
Since 1989, Wildfire Lighting and Visual Effects has been providing the entertainment industry with the highest quality ultraviolet lighting fixtures, special effects paints, creative materials, and scenic art for the creation of stunning ultraviolet visual effects. Wildfire's special magic of light and color can be seen at attractions around the world including Caesar's Palace, the Luxor Hotel and Casino, Sea World, Universal Studios and Walt Disney attractions on three continents.
For more information on Wildfire please visit: http://www.wildfirefx.com
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Peter and the Starcatchers
The book, a prequel to "Peter Pan," tells the story of 8-year-old Peter's adventures aboard the Neverland. According to Disney, "Peter and the Starcatchers" is the first of three planned volumes, and a stage adaptation may be forthcoming as well.
Contacted by KeepToTheCode.com for comment, authors Pearson and Barry had this to say about the announcement: "We're thrilled about this news. It shivers our timbers. It blows us down."
A New York Times children's best seller, "Peter and the Starcatchers" is published by Disney Editions.
Information: http://www.PeterAndTheStarcatchers.com
http://www.RidleyPearson.com
http://www.DaveBarry.com
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Inamorata
"Inamorata," set in Philadelphia in the1920s, is based on Scientific American Magazine's search for an
authentic spirit medium. The main plot centers on a psychic investigator who develops feelings for one of the mediums he is investigating.
According to Gangemi's web site, the script was scheduled to be delivered in June of 2004. Currently the production status of "Inamorata" is unknown.
Information: http://www.JosephGangemi.com
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Johnny has reportedly optioned Mahdi Obeidi and Kurt Pitzer's book The Bomb in My Garden.
Initial Entertainment and Depp's Infinitum Nihil are co-producers of the project. (filmstew.com)
Johnny Depp Interview on About.com
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Quick news: Hans Zimmer
3/16/2005
Stellan Skarsgard and Naomie Harris will appear in Disney's sequels to Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. Skarsgard is rumored to be on board to portray Bloom's father. He starred in the recent Exorcist prequel, Exorcist: The Beginning. Harris is perhaps best known for her role in the film 28 Days Later. The dark-skinned beauty is reported to be playing a gypsy queen. (filmstew.com)
And a quick final word (possible spoiler ahead--properly warned ye be!):
Sources in Los Angeles report that Keira, Orlando and Johnny have been filming a wedding scene for the upcoming Pirates sequel. No detailed reports have come in yet, but keep an eye here.
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Previous Posts
- New PotC: OST Behind The Scenes Photos
- Disney Announces Open Casting Call for "OST"
- Pirate talk via Twitter
- Disney's Piratey Press Release!
- Keeping to the Code Once More!
- Pirates 4 On The Horizon
- Disney Confirms Pirates 4
- Pirates To Invade Discovery Island?
- KeepToTheCode.com: Dead or Alive?
- New Pirate Fans
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