t r anscendent s - cuppa coffee studios...transgender tipping point “it is an awful thing to be...

A t e e n d r a m a a b o u t t r a n s i t i o n , t r a n s g e n d e r , a n d t o l e r a n c e .

CUPPA COFFEE STUDIOSC R E AT I V E T R E AT M E N T

M a y 2 0 1 5

T A N S C E N D E N T SR

t r a n s a c t t r a n s a x l e t r a n s c e i v e r t r a n s c e n d t r a n s c r i b e t r a n s c r i p t i o n t r a n s c u l t u r a l t r a n s c u t a n e o u s t r a n s d e r m a l t r a n s d i s c i p l i n a r y t r a n s d u c e t r a n s d u c t a n t t r a n s e c t t r a n s e p t t r a n s f e c t t r a n s f e r t r a n s � g u r e t r a n s � n i t e t r a n s � x t r a n s f o r m

t r a n s f o r m a t i v e t r a n s f u s e t r a n s f u s i o n t r a n s g e n d e r t r a n s g e n e r a t i o n a l t r a n s g e n i c t r a n s g r e s s t t r a n s h i p t r a n s h u m a n c e t r a n s i e n c e t r a n s i e n t t r a n s i l l u m i n a t e t r a n s i s t o r t r a n s i t t r a n s i t i o n t r a n s i t i v e t r a n s i t s t r a n s l a t e t r a n s l a t o r y t r a n s l i t e r a t e

t r a n s l o c a t e t r a n s l u c e n t t r a n s m e m b r a n e t r a n s m i g r a t i o n t r a n s m i s s i o n t r a n s m i s s i v e t r a n s m i t t r a n s m i t t a n c e t r a n s m o g r i f y t r a n s m o n t a n e t r a n s m o u n t a i n t r a n s m u t a t i o n t r a n s n a t i o n a l t r a n s n a t u r a l t r a n s o m t r a n s o n i c t r a n s p a c i � c t r a n s p a r e n t

t r a n s p e r s o n a l t r a n s p i c u o u s t r a n s p i e r c e t r a n s p i r a t i o n t r a n s p i r e t r a n s p l a c e n t a l t r a n s p l a n t t r a n s p o l a r t r a n s p o n d e r t r a n s p o r t t r a n s p o s e t r a n s p o s o n t r a n s s e x u a l t r a n s s h a p e t r a n s s h i p t r a n s s o n i c t r a n s t h o r a c i c t r a n s u d a t e t r a n s u d e t r a n s v a l u e t r a n s v e r s e

t r a n s v e s t i t e t r a n s a c t t r a n s a x l e t r a n s c e i v e r t r a n s c e n d t r a n s c r i b e t r a n s c r i p t i o n t r a n s c u l t u r a l t r a n s c u t a n e o u s t r a n s d e r m a l t r a n s d i s c i p l i n a r y t r a n s d u c e t r a n s d u c t a n t t r a n s e c t t r a n s e p t t r a n s f e c t t r a n s f e r t r a n s � g u r e t r a n s � n i t e t r a n s � x t r a n s f o r m

t r a n s f o r m a t i v e t r a n s f u s e t r a n s f u s i o n t r a n s g e n d e r t r a n s g e n e r a t i o n a l t r a n s g e n i c t r a n s g r e s s t t r a n s h i p t r a n s h u m a n c e t r a n s i e n c e t r a n s i e n t t r a n s i l l u m i n a t e t r a n s i s t o r t r a n s i t t r a n s i t i o n t r a n s i t i v e t r a n s i t s t r a n s l a t e t r a n s l a t o r y t r a n s l i t e r a t e

t r a n s l o c a t e t r a n s l u c e n t t r a n s m e m b r a n e t r a n s m i g r a t i o n t r a n s m i s s i o n t r a n s m i s s i v e t r a n s m i t t r a n s m i t t a n c e t r a n s m o g r i f y t r a n s m o n t a n e t r a n s m o u n t a i n t r a n s m u t a t i o n t r a n s n a t i o n a l t r a n s n a t u r a l t r a n s o m t r a n s o n i c t r a n s p a c i � c t r a n s p a r e n t

t r a n s p e r s o n a l t r a n s p i c u o u s t r a n s p i e r c e t r a n s p i r a t i o n t r a n s p i r e t r a n s p l a c e n t a l t r a n s p l a n t t r a n s p o l a r t r a n s p o n d e r t r a n s p o r t t r a n s p o s e t r a n s p o s o n t r a n s s e x u a l t r a n s s h a p e t r a n s s h i p t r a n s s o n i c t r a n s t h o r a c i c t r a n s u d a t e t r a n s u d e t r a n s v a l u e t r a n s v e r s e

t r a n s v e s t i t e t r a n s a c t t r a n s a x l e t r a n s c e i v e r t r a n s c e n d t r a n s c r i b e t r a n s c r i p t i o n t r a n s c u l t u r a l t r a n s c u t a n e o u s t r a n s d e r m a l t r a n s d i s c i p l i n a r y t r a n s d u c e t r a n s d u c t a n t t r a n s e c t t r a n s e p t t r a n s f e c t t r a n s f e r t r a n s � g u r e t r a n s � n i t e t r a n s � x t r a n s f o r m

t r a n s f o r m a t i v e t r a n s f u s e t r a n s f u s i o n t r a n s g e n d e r t r a n s g e n e r a t i o n a l t r a n s g e n i c t r a n s g r e s s t r a n s h i p t r a n s h u m a n c e t r a n s i e n c e t r a n s i e n t t r a n s i l l u m i n a t e t r a n s i s t o r t r a n s i t t r a n s i t i o n t r a n s i t i v e t r a n s i t s t r a n s l a t e t r a n s l a t o r y t r a n s l i t e r a t e

t r a n s l o c a t e t r a n s l u c e n t t r a n s m e m b r a n e t r a n s m i g r a t i o n t r a n s m i s s i o n t r a n s m i s s i v e t r a n s m i t t r a n s m i t t a n c e t r a n s m o g r i f y t r a n s m o n t a n e t r a n s m o u n t a i n t r a n s m u t a t i o n t r a n s n a t i o n a l t r a n s n a t u r a l t r a n s o m t r a n s o n i c t r a n s p a c i � c t r a n s p a r e n t

t r a n s p e r s o n a l t r a n s p i c u o u s t r a n s p i e r c e t r a n s p i r a t i o n t r a n s p i r e t r a n s p l a c e n t a l t r a n s p l a n t t r a n s p o l a r t r a n s p o n d e r t r a n s p o r t t r a n s p o s e t r a n s p o s o n t r a n s s e x u a l t r a n s s h a p e t r a n s s h i p t r a n s s o n i c t r a n s t h o r a c i c t r a n s u d a t e t r a n s u d e t r a n s v a l u e t r a n s v e r s e

t r a n s v e s t i t e t r a n s a c t t r a n s a x l e t r a n s c e i v e r t r a n s c e n d t r a n s c r i b e t r a n s c r i p t i o n t r a n s c u l t u r a l t r a n s c u t a n e o u s t r a n s d e r m a l t r a n s d i s c i p l i n a r y t r a n s d u c e t r a n s d u c t a n t t r a n s e c t t r a n s e p t t r a n s f e c t t r a n s f e r t r a n s � g u r e t r a n s � n i t e t r a n s � x t r a n s f o r m

t r a n s f o r m a t i v e t r a n s f u s e t r a n s f u s i o n t r a n s g e n d e r t r a n s g e n e r a t i o n a l t r a n s g e n i c t r a n s g r e s s t t r a n s h i p t r a n s h u m a n c e t r a n s i e n c e t r a n s i e n t t r a n s i l l u m i n a t e t r a n s i s t o r t r a n s i t t r a n s i t i o n t r a n s i t i v e t r a n s i t s t r a n s l a t e t r a n s l a t o r y t r a n s l i t e r a t e

t r a n s l o c a t e t r a n s l u c e n t t r a n s m e m b r a n e t r a n s m i g r a t i o n t r a n s m i s s i o n t r a n s m i s s i v e t r a n s m i t t r a n s m i t t a n c e t r a n s m o g r i f y t r a n s m o n t a n e t r a n s m o u n t a i n t r a n s m u t a t i o n t r a n s n a t i o n a l t r a n s n a t u r a l t r a n s o m t r a n s o n i c t r a n s p a c i � c t r a n s p a r e n t

t r a n s p e r s o n a l t r a n s p i c u o u s t r a n s p i e r c e t r a n s p i r a t i o n t r a n s p i r e t r a n s p l a c e n t a l t r a n s p l a n t t r a n s p o l a r t r a n s p o n d e r t r a n s p o r t t r a n s p o s e t r a n s p o s o n t r a n s s e x u a l t r a n s s h a p e t r a n s s h i p t r a n s s o n i c t r a n s t h o r a c i c t r a n s u d a t e t r a n s u d e t r a n s v a l u e t r a n s v e r s e

tran·scend·ent/tran(t)´ésend(é)nt/adjectivebeyond or above the range of normal or merely physical human experience."the search for a transcendent level of knowledge"surpassing the ordinary; exceptional.

T A N S C E N D E N T SS y n o p s i s

A 3 0 m i n u t e T w e e n / Te e n D r a m a s e r i e s s h o t i n h y p e r r e a l s t o p m o t i o n a n i m a t i o n a b o u t t h e t e e n t r a n s i t i o n f r o m a d o l e s c e n c e i n t o a d u l t h o o d . T h e s t o r y f o l l o w s t h e l i f e o f a N Y C t r a n s g e n d e r t e e n , h i s f a m i l y a n d h i s f r i e n d s . T R A N S C E N D E N T S w i l l s h o w t h e j o u r n e y o f t h e m a i n c h a r a c t e r ’s t r a n s i t i o n f r o m b o y t o g i r l , h i s t w i n s i s t e r ’s t r a n s i t i o n f r o m g i r l t o w o m a n , a s w e l l a s h i s p a r e n t s ’ a n d t h e c u l t u r e ’s t r a n s i t i o n f r o m p r e j u d i c e t o a c c e p t a n c e .

R

p . 3

Tr a n s g e n d e r T i p p i n g P o i n t

“It is an awful thing to be betrayed by your body. And it's lonely, because you feel you can't talk about it. You feel it's something between you and the body. You feel it's a battle you will never win . . . and yet you �ght it day after day, and it wears you down. Even if you try to ignore it, the energy it takes to ignore it will exhaust you.” David Levithan, Every Day

“I think what you're seeing is a profound recognition on the part of the American people that gays and lesbians and transgender persons are our brothers, our sisters, our children, our cousins, our friends, our co-workers, and that they've got to be treated like every other American. And I think that principle will win out.”Barack Obama

“There's a gender in your brain and a gender in your body. For 99 percent of people, those things are in alignment. For transgender people, they're mismatched. That's all it is. It's not complicated, it's not a neurosis. It's a mix-up. It's a birth defect, like a cleft palate.”Chaz Bono

"My death needs to mean something. My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide this year. I want someone to look at that number and say 'that’s fucked up' and �x it. Fix society. Please.”Leelah Alcorn

p . 4

T A N S C E N D E N T SH y p e r R e a l S t o p M o t i o n

A n i m a t i o n o � e r s a p l a t f o r m t o p r e s e n t m a t u r e c o n t e n t s o f t e n e d b y c h a r a c t e r s t h a t a r e n o t a c t u a l t e e n a g e r s o r e v e n a c t u a l p e o p l e

W h i l e t h e c u l t u r e m a y b e r e a d y t o a c c e p t a n d e m b r a c e t h e t r a n s g e n d e r m o v e m e n t , w e a r e a l l c o l l e c t i v e l y s l o w e r w h e n i t c o m e s t o p r e s e n t i n g d i v e r g e n t i d e a l s o f g e n d e r a n d s e x u a l i t y a b o u t a d o l e s c e n t s . . . e s p e c i a l l y w h e n t a r g e t e d t o a t w e e n / t e e n a g e d a u d i e n c e .

H y p e r R e a l A n i m a t i o n a l l o w s f o r a l l t h e e m o t i o n , t e x t u r e , r i c h n e s s a n d r e l a t a b l i t y o f l i v e a c t i o n

T h o u g h t h e c h a r a c t e r s w i l l n o t b e p l a y e d b y h u m a n s , t h e y a r e s t i l l h y p e r r e a l a s a r e t h e s e t s a n d b a c k g r o u n d s . N o l i k e n e s s o r f e e l i n g i s l o s t .

H y p e r R e a l A n i m a t i o n h a s a h i g h e r a p p e a l f o r t h e t e e n a u d i e n c e

T h e t w e e n / t e e n a u d i e n c e i s n a t u r a l l y d r a w n t o t h e a n i m a t i o n a r t f o r m . B o y s e s p e c i a l l y w i l l b e m o r e i n c l i n e d t o w a t c h a d r a m a i f i t i s p r e s e n t e d w i t h a h i p a n d s t u n n i n g l y o r i g i n a l s t o p m o t i o n t e c h n i q u e .

V i s u a l I d e a l i s m

B e c a u s e t h e s t o p m o t i o n d o l l s h a v e s u c h c l o s e n e s s a n d r e s e m b l a n c e t o r e a l p e o p l e , a n d y e t c a n b e c r e a t e d a n d p e r f e c t e d t o s h o w a n i d e a l i z e d v e r s i o n o f o u r w o r l d , t h e a n i m a t i o n b e g i n s t o s e r v e t o w h a t I t h i n k i s t h e m o s t p o w e r f u l m e t a p h o r o f t h e s h o w ’s t h e m e o f t r a n s i t i o n s . A s t o d a y ’s w o r l d t r a n s i t i o n s f r o m p r e j u d i c e t o a c c e p t a n c e , f r o m h a t e t o l o v e a n d a s p i r e s t o w a r d s a c u l t u r a l p e r f e c t i o n , t h e s h o w ’s h y p e r r e a l a n i m a t i o n c a n o � e r a s e t t i n g t h a t c a n v i s u a l l y a t t a i n t h a t p e r f e c t i o n .

R

p . 5

CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW SHORT FILM

W e h a v e c r e a t e d a v e r y s p e c i a l a n i m a t e d p i e c e t o i l l u s t r a t e o u r u n i q u e v i s i o n f o r T R A N S C E N D E N T S . W e t e l l a s t o r y o f t w o p e o p l e m e e t i n g f o r t h e � r s t t i m e u s i n g s u b t l e b o d y l a n g u a g e a n d d e l i c a t e e y e m o v e m e n t s - a m i n i - s t o r y t h a td e m o n s t r a t e s t h e e m o t i o n a l p o t e n t i a l f o r t h i s s e r i e s .

Te c h n i c a l l y , l o o k f o r d o c u m e n t a r y s t y l e c a m e r a , n a t u r a l l i g h t i n g , a n d r e a l p h o t o b a c k g r o u n d s . F o r a n i m a t i o n , l o o k f o r s m o o t h , r e a l i s t i c h u m a n m o t i o n w i t h n u a n c e d d e t a i l s l i k e t h e t u r n o f a h a n d o r h e a d , s u b t l e e y e m o v e m e n t s a n d d e t a i l e d h u m a n g e s t u r e s t h a t s e l l t h e e m o t i o n s o f d o l l s i n N e w Yo r k .

p . 6

H Y P E R R E A L S T O P M O T I O N( THE LOOK AND FEEL OF TRANSCENDENTS)

I m a g i n e l o o k i n g i n t h e m i r r o r a n d s e e i n g a n o t h e r y o u .T h e l i g h t s , t h e n o i s e , t h e m a d n e s s . C a n y o u h e l p b u t w o n d e r , i s i t r e a l ?

I n T R A N S C E N D E N T S w e e x p e r i e n c e t h e � o o d o f m i x e d e m o t i o n s f e l t w h e n c o m i n g t og r i p s w i t h p u b e r t y , s e x u a l i d e n t i t y a n d t h e m o u n t i n g r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s o f t e e n - h o o d .

A p h o t o - r e a l N e w Yo r k s e t i n t h e p r e s e n t , p o p u l a t e d b y l i v i n g , b r e a t h i n g d o l l s i s t h e p e r f e c tm e t a p h o r f o r t h e p a r a d o x t h a t i s a d o l e s c e n c e . I t ' s a b o u t l i v i n g t h e r e a l i t y b u t d a r i n g t o b e y o u r s e l fi n a w o r l d t h a t i s b o t h r e a l a n d s u r r e a l , s h a b b y a n d c h i c , m u n d a n e a n d b r e a t h t a k i n g .

P l a y i n g o n t h i s t e n s i o n b e t w e e n f e e l i n g r e a l a n d b e i n g p r e t e n d s e t s t h e t o n e f o r t h i sf u n a n d d a r i n g d r a m e d y a b o u t y o u r s e l f l i f e i n t h e B i g A p p l e . L i g h t i n g , c a m e r a ,a n d a c t i n g , a l l c o m e t o g e t h e r t o m a k e t h i s i m p o s s i b l e N e w Yo r k , p o p u l a t e d b yh y p e r - r e a l i s t i c d o l l s s e e m s e d u c t i v e l y r e a l .

p . 7

# 4 :35amWorst N ight of M y L i fe.

p . 8

S h e l e a n s a g a i n s t t h e b a r, p o s e s w i t h a h u m a n s e n s e o f w e i g h t a n d g r a v i t y , h e r s o u l f u l e y e s c o m m u n i c a t e r e a l e m o t i o n .

T R A N S C E N D E N T S i s p o p u l a t e d b y a c a s t o f l i f e l i k e d o l l s t h a t a p p e a r h u m a n i n e v e r y w a y. T h e y a r e a n a t o m i c a l l y c o r r e c t , h a v e s o f ty o u t h f u l s k i n , a n d l i f e l i k e e y e s . U r e t h a n e e y e s r e f r a c t l i g h t t o m a k e l u m i n o u s e x p r e s s i o n s a n d s m a l l e r i r i s e s a p p e a r m o r e h u m a n .

S t o p - m o t i o n i s e s p e c i a l l y p o i g n a n t f o r t h i s s t o r y b e c a u s e i t i s s o e � e c t i v e a t p o r t r a y i n g t h e t e x t u r e o f r e a l l i f e w h i l e a l s oo � e r i n g a n a p p e a l i n g , s u r r e a l t w i s t . T h e m a t e r i a l s , l i g h t s a n d o b j e c t s a r e r e a l , m a k i n g t h e a n i m a t i o n i m m e d i a t e l y a c c e s s i b l ea n d b e l i e v a b l e i n a w a y t h a t i s i m p o s s i b l e t o r e p l i c a t e i n o t h e r m e d i u m s .

HYPER REAL DOLLST H I S I S N O T A P U P P E T S H O W. . . I T ’ S A L I V E A C T I O N S H O W W I T H D O L L S !

p . 9

# I check out your buttever y t ime youleave the room.

p . 1 0

# Sometimes you gottapick up your own fa l len f rui t .

p . 1 1

K e y e m o t i o n a l b e a t s p l a y i n C U a n d E C U

T h i s l e n d s i t s e l f t o s u b t l e � l m i c a c t i n g c u e s l i k e a r a i s e d e y e b r o w , a t i g h t e n i n g o f t h e h a n d s ,o r s m a l l e y e g e s t u r e s f o r n u a n c e d h u m a n e m o t i o n s .

A n i m a t o r s u s e h u m a n c h o r e o g r a p h y f o r r e a l i s t i c m o v e m e n t s a n d h u m a n p o s e s .R e c o r d v i d e o d u r i n g v o i c e s e s s i o n s f o r p e r f o r m a n c e r e f e r e n c e f o r t h e a n i m a t o r s .P e r f o r m a n c e b e n e � t s f r o m t h e m o r e t a n g i b l e s e n s e o f l i f e .

A u n c o m f o r t a b l e s h i f t i n g o f w e i g h t , r u m m a g i n g t h r o u g h a p u r s e , c o m b i n g b a c k l o o s e h a i r .T h e s e a r e t h e s u b t l e , n a t u r a l d e t a i l s w h i c h a l l o w u s t o c o n n e c t w i t h t h e d o l l s a s r e a l p e o p l eb y c o n v e y i n g t h e n u a n c e s o f h u m a n p e r f o r m a n c e .

T A N S C E N D E N T S C L O S E U PA Q U I C K G L A N C E A N D S H E K N E W H E WA S T R O U B L E !

R

p . 1 2

# S ometimes you haveto go craz y to �gure outwho you aren’t .

p . 1 3

# Outfit Fail

p . 1 4

I n t e r i o r s a r e p l a c e s w i t h h i s t o r yD e s i g n f o r r e a l i s mK n i c k - k n a c k a n d i m p e r f e c t i o n sR e i n f o r c e s n o t i o n t h a t t h e s e a r e p e o p l e , n o t p u p p e t s

S p a c e s r e a l l y l o o k l i v e d i n !

HYPER REAL INTERIORST H I S I S A N A PA R T M E N T N O T A S E T !

p . 1 5

T i l t S h i f t N e w Yo r kp . 1 6

T h r o u g h a T i l t S h i f t l e n s , t h e b i g c i t y s e e m s i m p o s s i b l y s m a l l . T h e p e o p l e b u s i l y m o v e a b o u t l i k e i n s e c t s . W e a r e r e m i n d e d t h a t o u r c h a r a c t e r s a r e j u s t s m a l l a n t s i n t h i s b i g c i t y . S m a l l a n t s , b u t B I G d r e a m e r s .

A s s o m e o n e n e w t o t h e c i t y , N e w Yo r k i s d a z z l i n g , m y t h i c a n d o v e r w h e l m i n g . W e e m p l o y a n u m b e r o f v i s u a l d e v i c e s t o c o n v e y t h i ss e n s e o f w o n d e r a n d p o r t r a y t h e v i b r a n c y o f N e w Yo r k a s s e e n t h r o u g h o u r c h a r a c t e r s ’ e y e s .

N e w Yo r k e x t e r i o r s w i l l b e c r e a t e d u s i n g a m i x o f T i l t S h i f t a e r i a l s f o r w i d e e s t a b l i s h i n g s h o t s , s e l e c t i v e f o c u s a n d s h a l l o w d e p t ho f � e l d p h o t o g r a p h y f o r s t r e e t l e v e l s h o t s , a n d t h e o c c a s i o n a l h y p e r r e a l s e t .

HYPER REAL NE W YORK (DAY )T H E C I T Y O F D R E A M S I S A G I A N T D O L L H O U S E

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# I want other gi r lsto think you're gay.

p . 1 8

L u x u r i o u s p l a y o f l i g h t a n d c o l o u r c o n v e y s t h e e n e r g y a n d m y s t e r y o f l i f e i n t h e B i g A p p l e .S e n s u a l B o k e h t e c h n i q u e s s e p a r a t e f o r e g r o u n d a n d b a c k g r o u n d a n d r e d u c e d i � e r e n c e s i n s c a l e .

HYPER REAL NE W YORK (NIGHT )T R A N S C E N D E N T S AT N I G H T I S D A Z Z L I N G A N D E L E C T R I C

# Even the nice guysare dicks.

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# Best n ight of my l i fe.

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TONE REFERENCEI N D I E I N S P I R AT I O N

T R A N S C E N D E N T S i s a s a n e d g y s t o p - m o t i o n h y p e r r e a l t e e n d r a m a t h a t f e a t u r e s d o l l s . T h e h a n d - h e l d c a m e r a , q u i c ke d i t s a n d n a t u r a l l i g h t i n g a l l a i d i n o u r a c c e p t a n c e o f t h e p e r f o r m a n c e a n d s e t a s r e a l , h e l p i n g t h e j o k e s h i t t h e i r m a r ka n d h e l p i n g t h e c h a r a c t e r s t o f e e l m o r e r e a l - t r a n s f o r m i n g d o l l s i n t o c h a r a c t e r s w e e m p a t h i z e w i t h a n d c a r e a b o u t .

S k i n s ( M T V )

H o w To M a k e I t I n A m e r i c a ( H B O )

Naturalistic and location based lighting convey immediacy and sense of action being “caught in the moment”. The play of light and shadow on real objects is a charm inherent to stop motion.

Dolls take on additional realism with location lighting and decreased saturation.

Single-camera documentary style shaky-cam conveys sense of “being there” while light leaks and lens �ares make footage feel raw and authentic. Pulls viewer into the scene and aids acceptance of scene as “real”.

Think of the kinetic camera style of MTV Skins. Represents the chaotic, wild side of our teens’ life in New York.

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O u r c h a n g e i s n o w : T A N S C E N D E N T SA N e w Te e n D r a m a f r o m

C u p p a C o � e e S t u d i o s

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