Kharn
MANTISMAN
Photography & Filming are both done on a Nikon P500
Photography wise the camera is awesome, filming wise it's pritty low end being a photo camera primarily.
I'm getting a dedicated Video Camera soon to boost video quality.
My Ultimate Multi Mantis System(s)
- Thread starter Kharn
- Start date
Photography & Filming are both done on a Nikon P500
Photography wise the camera is awesome, filming wise it's pritty low end being a photo camera primarily.
I'm getting a dedicated Video Camera soon to boost video quality.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
I decided to create a 2nd Trailer for my soon to be finished and released film utilizing more pictures along with some quick singles of each 'main character' stomatopod.
1080p HD
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/B4dvZ8LCo6w?list=UUZFrsv1WrnAHYkd6T02tYgQ&hl=en_US" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Hope you enjoy :wavehand:
1080p HD
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/B4dvZ8LCo6w?list=UUZFrsv1WrnAHYkd6T02tYgQ&hl=en_US" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Hope you enjoy :wavehand:
Islandoftiki
New member
Oh my god. Tears in my eyes laughing!
I am now sharing this with every person on the planet that I know!
That really made my day.
I am now sharing this with every person on the planet that I know!
That really made my day.
Islandoftiki
New member
I can't wait until you do a version of Snakes on a Plane!
Kharn
MANTISMAN
I have been working on this remake for a while now and have over 60mins of footage so far...rite now I am at a bit of a stalemate...I completed 95% of the film its just that the last part is so damn long/boring...Essentially I recreated the entire beginning of the film and the entire ending problem is...
In the middle of the film the stomatopods/apes are within cages and to replace the apes with the stomatopods in these cages is extremely time consuming...I'm not brilliant with photoshop so I guess I'm doing it the hard way (physically and individually highlighting the horizontal & vertical bars / cage wire), this is extremely time consuming and a real motivation killer even though I am so close to completion...
The next film remake is already 'under construction' as TundraGuy had put in his wishes a while back...Mortal Kombat.
In the middle of the film the stomatopods/apes are within cages and to replace the apes with the stomatopods in these cages is extremely time consuming...I'm not brilliant with photoshop so I guess I'm doing it the hard way (physically and individually highlighting the horizontal & vertical bars / cage wire), this is extremely time consuming and a real motivation killer even though I am so close to completion...
The next film remake is already 'under construction' as TundraGuy had put in his wishes a while back...Mortal Kombat.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
I really hope my film gets the response I was seeking :S...
That 2nd trailer isn't totally 'legit' the voice over (ironically done by some Sith Lord out of Star Wars...) the pictures at the beginning of high ranking standing human officials today, (even the music used) is NOT in the film, the few pictures shown with stomatopods in them however are taken directly from the film, some are stand alone shots, some are tiny scene clippings (Leviathan & Juggernaut flipping the bus).
The film is meant to depict the same message that the original film is trying to get across...
- The cruelty of humanity towards all other living species.
- How our intelligence is the only reason we survive each day.
- How something 'Non Human' can be more Human then an actual Human.
- What could challenge us for dominance if given the 'tools' to do so.
If 'you' feel that my film/remake with Stomatopods will ruin the original Ape film then DO NOT watch my film...If I had to choose between the 2 I would always say the original, however my imagination is very broad so I am easily able to appreciate both films, in effect ANY animal could be placed in the 'Apes' role and the film would still make sense, it's not about WHAT the 'animals can do but more a matter of WHY the 'animals' are doing it.
EDIT: I suppose the 'main' thing I hope for above anything is that, the people that do watch it, understand it and more importantly ENJOY IT! =D
Originally the plan was to just recreate the action scenes but then as I started to do it I realized things wouldn't make sense so i had to add more what went from an original estimate of a few hundred individual pictures has turned into a few thousand (4,446 so far) I'd do 10,000 or 20,000 or as many as I can just because the more there are, the more smooth it all looks together without there being 'framey' parts majority of the pics are between 0.30-0.50sec long but where I have been 'lazy' had hard time I would increase the time to around 1-3secs so it soaked up some, THESE parts are what need editing, too long on screen for my liking.
That 2nd trailer isn't totally 'legit' the voice over (ironically done by some Sith Lord out of Star Wars...) the pictures at the beginning of high ranking standing human officials today, (even the music used) is NOT in the film, the few pictures shown with stomatopods in them however are taken directly from the film, some are stand alone shots, some are tiny scene clippings (Leviathan & Juggernaut flipping the bus).
The film is meant to depict the same message that the original film is trying to get across...
- The cruelty of humanity towards all other living species.
- How our intelligence is the only reason we survive each day.
- How something 'Non Human' can be more Human then an actual Human.
- What could challenge us for dominance if given the 'tools' to do so.
If 'you' feel that my film/remake with Stomatopods will ruin the original Ape film then DO NOT watch my film...If I had to choose between the 2 I would always say the original, however my imagination is very broad so I am easily able to appreciate both films, in effect ANY animal could be placed in the 'Apes' role and the film would still make sense, it's not about WHAT the 'animals can do but more a matter of WHY the 'animals' are doing it.
EDIT: I suppose the 'main' thing I hope for above anything is that, the people that do watch it, understand it and more importantly ENJOY IT! =D
Originally the plan was to just recreate the action scenes but then as I started to do it I realized things wouldn't make sense so i had to add more what went from an original estimate of a few hundred individual pictures has turned into a few thousand (4,446 so far) I'd do 10,000 or 20,000 or as many as I can just because the more there are, the more smooth it all looks together without there being 'framey' parts majority of the pics are between 0.30-0.50sec long but where I have been 'lazy' had hard time I would increase the time to around 1-3secs so it soaked up some, THESE parts are what need editing, too long on screen for my liking.
Last edited:
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Last Night I knuckled down and got a good more 5mins a.k.a a few hundred pics completed the best part about this particular scene is that it is FULL of the Stomatopods / Apes in cages which meant the individual extraction of bars/wires/cable to remove the Ape and replace it with the Stomatopod, each of these pics took a LONG time to cut -_-...it's not hard it's just very time consuming and demotivating...
This is the scene where the the cruel animal handler and his best friend (doesn't work their) are showing off the 'inmates' as they put it to their 'dates/girlfriends', during the coarse of which a couple of Stomatopods are shown in close up within their cages (the ones the girls are asking about etc.) as the cruel animal handler takes his electric rod to the side of a cage the whole place lights up in sparks scaring everyone there.... animals and people (except the cruel handler who laughs at their reactions).
Bored they leave all leave save for the cruel handlers mate who is staring at Cesar, he pops a beer in front of the Stomatopod and pockets the knife he used to do so, he then beckons Cesar over and Cesar acknowledges by coming closer, as the man turns to his mate the handler who is now up a flight of stairs nearly out of the room with the girls following close, he comments about how this "freak animal is thinking something" at that point Cesar slips a claw through the wider bars in the middle of the door and grabs the man by the throat slamming him into the door and bring him close, the man is frozen with fear in the Stomatopods very strong grasp, as the girls scream for the cruel handler to help his best mate, the handler responds and sprints down the stairs as he arrives... Cesar releases the man and is confronted by the cruel handler...
After a short stare down between Handler & Cesar, the handler backs down and walks away... Cesar then turns around and reveals to the camera that he pick pocketed the Knife from the mans jeans, at night fall he uses the knife to escape constructing a crude tool to tie the Knife on in order to reach the lock.
Once he escapes he goes into the 'playing yard' and releases Buck the largest Stomatopod from his permanent confinement inside his steel cell. Initially Buck is to scared to come out having been confined for so long in his cell but after a few seconds he charges out roaring and nearly trampling Cesar in his path. Buck is scene running about the entire Playing Yard using everything he can play with as fast as he can, the he pauses and looks to Cesar acknowledging what he did and thanking him for it.
This forms a strong bond of friendship between the 2 Stomatopods and Cesars uses this new friendship to subdue the current "Cruel Bully" Stomatopod that 'rules' the 'playing yard', tricking Rocket into coming out of his confinement by opening his top gate, the 'fearless' bully Rocket wonders curiously into the dark 'playing yard'.
Upon reaching the exit of the tunnel bypass and entrance of the 'playing yard' he is struck over the head with a Jerry Can that Cesar is holding, sending him tumbling down the rock slope to the bottom of the 'Playing Yard', turning to confront Cesar, he hears deep breathing behind him only to be confronted himself by Buck.
The size of Buck is intimidating as Rocket never had to worry about the always confined larger stomatopod but, now that Buck is out and seems to be friends with Cesar, Rocket sensing this fears for his life (after personally beating Cesar in a previous scene) and submits to Cesar, the 2 Stomatopods touch hammers in a sign of peace with Buck watching over to make sure no funny business.
....
And that is basically what I did last night
...
Still need to do...
Cesar escapes again, goes home, gets virus cans, brings back and infects the other stomatopods in their cages/cells.
Cesars stand against the cruel trainer killing him, the actual escape where ALL stomatopods escape the facility.
Then that is it, all the other scenes are done they just need editting / touch ups.
This is the scene where the the cruel animal handler and his best friend (doesn't work their) are showing off the 'inmates' as they put it to their 'dates/girlfriends', during the coarse of which a couple of Stomatopods are shown in close up within their cages (the ones the girls are asking about etc.) as the cruel animal handler takes his electric rod to the side of a cage the whole place lights up in sparks scaring everyone there.... animals and people (except the cruel handler who laughs at their reactions).
Bored they leave all leave save for the cruel handlers mate who is staring at Cesar, he pops a beer in front of the Stomatopod and pockets the knife he used to do so, he then beckons Cesar over and Cesar acknowledges by coming closer, as the man turns to his mate the handler who is now up a flight of stairs nearly out of the room with the girls following close, he comments about how this "freak animal is thinking something" at that point Cesar slips a claw through the wider bars in the middle of the door and grabs the man by the throat slamming him into the door and bring him close, the man is frozen with fear in the Stomatopods very strong grasp, as the girls scream for the cruel handler to help his best mate, the handler responds and sprints down the stairs as he arrives... Cesar releases the man and is confronted by the cruel handler...
After a short stare down between Handler & Cesar, the handler backs down and walks away... Cesar then turns around and reveals to the camera that he pick pocketed the Knife from the mans jeans, at night fall he uses the knife to escape constructing a crude tool to tie the Knife on in order to reach the lock.
Once he escapes he goes into the 'playing yard' and releases Buck the largest Stomatopod from his permanent confinement inside his steel cell. Initially Buck is to scared to come out having been confined for so long in his cell but after a few seconds he charges out roaring and nearly trampling Cesar in his path. Buck is scene running about the entire Playing Yard using everything he can play with as fast as he can, the he pauses and looks to Cesar acknowledging what he did and thanking him for it.
This forms a strong bond of friendship between the 2 Stomatopods and Cesars uses this new friendship to subdue the current "Cruel Bully" Stomatopod that 'rules' the 'playing yard', tricking Rocket into coming out of his confinement by opening his top gate, the 'fearless' bully Rocket wonders curiously into the dark 'playing yard'.
Upon reaching the exit of the tunnel bypass and entrance of the 'playing yard' he is struck over the head with a Jerry Can that Cesar is holding, sending him tumbling down the rock slope to the bottom of the 'Playing Yard', turning to confront Cesar, he hears deep breathing behind him only to be confronted himself by Buck.
The size of Buck is intimidating as Rocket never had to worry about the always confined larger stomatopod but, now that Buck is out and seems to be friends with Cesar, Rocket sensing this fears for his life (after personally beating Cesar in a previous scene) and submits to Cesar, the 2 Stomatopods touch hammers in a sign of peace with Buck watching over to make sure no funny business.
....
And that is basically what I did last night
...Still need to do...
Cesar escapes again, goes home, gets virus cans, brings back and infects the other stomatopods in their cages/cells.
Cesars stand against the cruel trainer killing him, the actual escape where ALL stomatopods escape the facility.
Then that is it, all the other scenes are done they just need editting / touch ups.
Last edited:
Kharn
MANTISMAN
When I add a Protein Skimmer, Reactor(s) & Refugiums to specifically STAND B (the one housing the O.scyllarus) after adding all the equipment + the added benefits of large Refugiums (as large as the Display tanks themselves) I believe that the water quality will be good enough to allow my O.scyllarus to hopefully thrive in a Reef Setup with corals etc.
But no light above their tanks can go on and have more things like coral added until the much required upgrade, as I said upgrading essentially 'ALLOWS' me to do because if I did it rite now...I foresee Shell Rot around the corner.
Here is the plans for the O.scyllarus Burrows once STAND B has been upgraded to allow for the lighting above their tanks to be switched on, you can see that most of the burrow is actually under the substrate not only hiding it but more importantly creating dark light free zones of RnR for the O.scyllarus, to add to this I made the entry/exit parts at 90degrees so the light doesn't directly descend down into the vertical portion of the PVC burrow.
Again as Dr. Caldwell has said before...
Large O.scyllarus often do not get what they require to make the burrows that they require so PVC is not only a great alternative but often chosen by the animal over the tanks substrate/natural 'building blocks' like substrate, it's just a matter of ensuring that the PVC is just a little bit wider then the Stomatopod itself and double ensuring that there are portions within it that are completely dark/light free.
My Plans Overall since it is a rough image, the PVC is going to be between 70-80mm wide and around 700-800mm Long.
More to come!
EDIT: The portions of the PVC or the Verticals will all be smothered with glue, inside and out to get a more natural look and to further hide the plastic of the PVC, the buried stuff 'should' be finely hidden.
But no light above their tanks can go on and have more things like coral added until the much required upgrade, as I said upgrading essentially 'ALLOWS' me to do because if I did it rite now...I foresee Shell Rot around the corner.
Here is the plans for the O.scyllarus Burrows once STAND B has been upgraded to allow for the lighting above their tanks to be switched on, you can see that most of the burrow is actually under the substrate not only hiding it but more importantly creating dark light free zones of RnR for the O.scyllarus, to add to this I made the entry/exit parts at 90degrees so the light doesn't directly descend down into the vertical portion of the PVC burrow.
Again as Dr. Caldwell has said before...
Large O.scyllarus often do not get what they require to make the burrows that they require so PVC is not only a great alternative but often chosen by the animal over the tanks substrate/natural 'building blocks' like substrate, it's just a matter of ensuring that the PVC is just a little bit wider then the Stomatopod itself and double ensuring that there are portions within it that are completely dark/light free.
My Plans
Overall since it is a rough image, the PVC is going to be between 70-80mm wide and around 700-800mm Long.
More to come!
EDIT: The portions of the PVC or the Verticals will all be smothered with glue, inside and out to get a more natural look and to further hide the plastic of the PVC, the buried stuff 'should' be finely hidden.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
I took a photo of the 4 different Raptorial Appendages / Dactyls to 4 of the different species of spearers I have.
The first thing to strike me as odd is the L.sulcata dactyl, from what reading I have to go off it states 7-8 teeth on the dactyl, there is clearly 10 in the pic though...
L.colemani takes the cake for most teeth in the dactyl, speaking of which my L.colemani molted last night with no signs of any problems, this is a really good (I hope) as when I got him he showed signs of shell rot and fatigue, one of his antenna was dead and he ended up chewing it off.
Since the molt I see no shell rot and a new antenna sprouting
.
I have come to name this L.colemani...Minos after the greek king that kept a minotaur in a labyrinth beneath his castle, primary reason is because of the distinct horns between its eyes, reminding me of the horns on a minotaur.
The first thing to strike me as odd is the L.sulcata dactyl, from what reading I have to go off it states 7-8 teeth on the dactyl, there is clearly 10 in the pic though...
L.colemani takes the cake for most teeth in the dactyl, speaking of which my L.colemani molted last night with no signs of any problems, this is a really good (I hope) as when I got him he showed signs of shell rot and fatigue, one of his antenna was dead and he ended up chewing it off.
Since the molt I see no shell rot and a new antenna sprouting
.I have come to name this L.colemani...Minos after the greek king that kept a minotaur in a labyrinth beneath his castle, primary reason is because of the distinct horns between its eyes, reminding me of the horns on a minotaur.
lljdma06
New member
Those are some serious dactyl. Very happy right now that I have small, small smashers.
Haha, LeJay won't even hurt a crab. I gave him a teeny live one. He started using it to construct his burrow for the night. Silly goose! What I really think is that he's still recovering from his recent molt and won't strike yet, so when he sees me offering the meaty food, he'll take those instead. He was never a big striker though. He doesn't want to damage his pretty bright blue battle hammers. Such a little dandy. My other two mantis haven't molted yet, they are still striking away.
Looking forward to the movie.
Haha, LeJay won't even hurt a crab. I gave him a teeny live one. He started using it to construct his burrow for the night. Silly goose! What I really think is that he's still recovering from his recent molt and won't strike yet, so when he sees me offering the meaty food, he'll take those instead. He was never a big striker though. He doesn't want to damage his pretty bright blue battle hammers. Such a little dandy. My other two mantis haven't molted yet, they are still striking away.
Looking forward to the movie.
Hey Kharn, obviously you have an awesome system, and the idea of multiple mantis' in one connected system could intrigue anyone, as I certainly have been. If you dont mind me asking a quick question to you and everyone else viewing the thread. Were there any other tank ideas that had went through your head before deciding on multiple tanks sumped together? IE: one really large/long wide tank..sorta like a frag tank with acrylic sheet dividers to seperate 5g, 10g, or larger sized sections? Reason i ask is, i have access and can get many smaller species of mantis around here. Only problem is my parents limit me to two tanks total. allready have my 34g acrylic peacock tank in the works with a divided 40g breeder sump/macro fuge for my gt and one other medium smasher or a p.ciliata, but i really want some sort of show/display/multi container system to have some of the smaller species (wennie, smithii, what i believe to be my current viridis, andthese smaller species lined up, all in one stable system without plumbing? Ill soon make my own thread, just thought it was relevant and curious about what otherplans you might have had that was not posted on this thread.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Firstly I don't know what you have read but all my tanks are NOT sumped together although some have suggested I do it as I am in the process of a MAJOR filtration upgrade, even so I have decided how I will upgrade and it will not be all on a single sump.
Looking back on what I have currently and what I could of had (instantly stating, yes, I did do things wrong / could of done much better). There are many things...initially I didn't want to have any coral in my tanks, that soon changed 6months later, so the filtration setup which the stands are designed around was very basic and in that sense...strict to modifications (upgrades) a GIANT flaw.
Each STAND is a 'Lone' System effectively giving me 3 separate systems, the primary reason I connected the tanks in the stands is to increase overall volume per tank, thus each STANDS total water volume rather then each single compartments is what maintains the great stability (the smallest STAND is just under 200L).
My flaws...how I connected each tank, I think at the time I was just so excited about my idea happening that I just wanted it to HAPPEN, so I neglected fairly simple plumbing mechanics...simply put, the tanks in 1 STAND are connected via a single/1 bulkhead 32mm dia plumbing, water fills the top tank and travels down to the middle then the middle fills and goes down to the bottom, in 1 of the bottom tanks compartments is the INPUT of my Large Canister Filter (FX5) where the water is sucked back into the canister and filtered (at full open suction) then forced out at about 1/3 strength into the Top Tank of the STAND...it's fine to reduce Output from canister but not INPUT to canister from what I read, but the point is, the flow from the filter has been severely limited, if I increase it, the Top Tank will overflow because the single 32mm Bulkhead cannot handle more then what it is doing rite now, same goes for all STANDS.
What I should of done...as I did my research AFTER I made it all and had it running...was do a whole back wall overflow, basically making another very slim compartment rite along the back of the tank, the surface skimming is the best and the flow could be anything I want it, also the tanks would drain directly down from each other, top straight down to middle etc. at the moment the pluming connecting each tank is on the sides of the aquariums and more importantly...not above a tank meaning water goes on floor if plumbing gives...bad idea.
Dividers had to be tough if not 'impervious to stomatopod invasion' as I put it to the tank makers, from what I had already witnessed with only my smallest species (all under 125mm) and what was backed up by reading and questioning researchers like Dr.Caldwell. More importantly from what I had witnessed first hand many times...stomatopods are insatiable artists of escape, they will test EVERY nanomillimeter of their compartment for a "flaw" and to date they have ALWAYS targeted a place that already has a hole...A.K.A a water flow point...even my heavy duty containers needed flow...the holes were small but every one was tested as evident from the chipping/frosting from the tiny cracks...slowly but surely 1 was picked and slowly made wider and wider until escape, even now my female G.graphurus daily bashes on the egg crate dividers separating her from my Male G.graphurus, there are 2 sheets of set to cut the squares in half and reinforce the divider, she managed to get through somehow...as she is now holding eggs, the egg crate is just mangled on her side from hits...on his side their a large pieces missing but he doesn't actively do it (rather rare these days), eggcrate won't stop them, it will slow them down/give them a challenge and leave you paranoid...
It's very hard to lock down the smaller species in compartments with possibilities of escape...
The most important part that I should of done as I stated was filtration (which I am now going to fix, tremendously...) plan is to get Rid of the FX5's and replace them with effectively...a second set of STANDS positioned directly behind the DISPLAY STANDS & at the EXACT same dimensions of THEIR DISPLAY STAND (1x STAND 2ft L | 1x STAND 3ft L | 1x STAND 4ft L) the filtration...(besides live rock).
Current...per STAND
1x FX5.
Upgrade...per STAND
1x Skimmer in sump.
2x Reactors in sump.
2x Refugiums, refugium to be same size as DISPLAY TANK it's behind.
Essentially the DISPLAY STANDS will get the exact same volume added to it (doubling it) but the added volume is all filtration and equipment sump & 2 refuigums, all 3 sumps being the same size as the DISPLAY TANKS they are behind.
People think I am MAD:bigeyes:then I show them a video and they question their own sanity:lol: "WHAT IS THAT!?!?"
Kharn
MANTISMAN
This is the third and final trailer to my film which is soon to be finished unfortunately it will not be ready tomorrow as I had hoped it to be, being "end of the world day" and all...however the film isn't about the date at all anyway so it was just a mere 'perk' if I could get it done in time...
Most movies that come out in cinemas have 3 trailers on TV so I thought I would follow the pattern and make 3 as well everything in this trailer is in the film however the speeds are different since the duration of each individual picture in this particular trailer is timed around this particular trailers sound (rather then the films actual sound), it is fast paced...so don't blink xD.
For those curious the music used is from the movie trailer for Ironman 3 as usual it has 1080p HD capabilities for maximum viewing pleasure
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/62OV4ZJB_Sk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
More to come
Most movies that come out in cinemas have 3 trailers on TV so I thought I would follow the pattern and make 3 as well
everything in this trailer is in the film however the speeds are different since the duration of each individual picture in this particular trailer is timed around this particular trailers sound (rather then the films actual sound), it is fast paced...so don't blink xD.For those curious the music used is from the movie trailer for Ironman 3 as usual it has 1080p HD capabilities for maximum viewing pleasure
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/62OV4ZJB_Sk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
More to come
Kharn
MANTISMAN
In short the eggcrate divider I use doesn't stop her getting through...it just makes it very difficult, there is clear evidence of her getting through/over somehow by the simple fact of her caring for a cluster of eggs.
My dividers are glass dividers with a sheet of acrylic on 1 side as reinforcement but more importantly to make the divider not see through (it's black acrylic sheet), there are no flow holes in the glass/acrylic so water must fill and spill over the divider, it was evident in all other containment methods that wherever a hole was drilled/made for water to flow through it, the stomatopod would target it, slowly and surely making it wider and wider.
Even with my dividers they can still get to another compartment...all it would take is for the stomatopod to swim up to the top of the divider then crawl over the 1inch high acrylic teeth that allow for water to pass through, thankfully none have done so yet...as they prefer to spend most of their time rummaging around the bottom amongst the substrate.
The holes in the eggcrate are large enough for the female to fit through however to prevent this I used 2 sheets of eggcrate and 'offset' them against each other cutting the squares in half, however this also makes it even more like a ladder...as I think she climbs over the whole divider to get to his side.
lljdma06
New member
Um... wait... My mantis was just photographed, the new green one that people haven't id'd yet, carrying a cluster of eggs... That was about a week ago.
She no longer has them, but they were distinctly eggs. Perhaps the store where I got her has another mantis that they're not aware of?
She no longer has them, but they were distinctly eggs. Perhaps the store where I got her has another mantis that they're not aware of?
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