Brochure - NDi Media

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NDI Media Inc. 2002-2010
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© NDI Media Inc. 2002-2010

Table of Contents
Overview.....................................4
Meet the Characters.....................5
The Lands........................................15
The Treatment...............................19
Episodes......................................22
Hans Hans Online.........................27
Contact Info...................................29
© NDI Media Inc. 2002-2010
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Ov e rv i e w
Demographic: 8 and up.
Prepare to be smitten by the great legends of Norse mythology, retold with an occasional twist, a smidgen of absurdity
and great dollops of Nordic nonsense! This is the epic tale of how one small Viking is tasked with a very big job
- bicycle courier to the gods! Our hero Hans Hans is a young, yet ageless Viking who is destined to save the
world, or so he thinks. Each episode presents Hans Hans racing to Asgard to report to Odin, chief god
of the Æsir. In his infinite wisdom, Odin hands Hans Hans an assignment, often with the risk of disaster.
Hans must prove to gods and mortals alike that size doesn’t matter—an interesting attitude for someone
whose archenemies are giants.
As if vast fjords, jealous gods, bloodthirsty giants and a shape-shifting nemesis named Loki weren’t
enough, Hans Hans has to contend with his own youth-spirited angst. His single biggest obstacle
is his impatience; great for someone who races a bike, but hazardous for following detailed
instructions. The little Viking only manages to make matters worse for himself when he flies
off the handle. Ultimately, he must solve his problems by using his head. It’s a good thing he
studies his runes, although he’d never admit it!
What makes Hans special is his honesty, his earnest dedication and his loyalty to Odin. He
might complain, or have self doubts, but he won’t give in to nasty trolls or that pesky trickster
Loki.
The Hero Quest is the cornerstone of Norse mythology. Vikings
believed that the only way for them to enter Valhala was to live
heroically. So strap on your Viking helmet and hold on tight,
here comes Hans Hans The Biking Viking!
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Th e Ch a r a c t e r s
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Ha n s Ha n s
Meet Hans Hans the Biking Viking! Messenger to the Norse gods and smallest of the Vikings. In
a world of refrigerator-sized warriors who ruled the lands and seas with bone-crushing force,
why did the gods pick this little mortal who can’t swim or even carry a cadet-sized sword?
Odin, ruler of the Æsir (those are the good gods) has a unique challenge. To demonstrate his
compassion for humans, he’s determined to prove that even a little guy like Hans Hans can
be a hero. He doesn’t tell Hans about this of course, but gives him mighty tasks that pit him
against his own fears. So as a mere mortal messenger of the gods, Hans Hans has one of the
most vital – and dangerous – jobs in the world.
How does he handle it? With mix of naive enthusiasm and mortal terror. Toss in an unwavering
loyalty to Odin, ridiculously fast pedalling and amazingly, he gets the job done. Well, he has to
or he’ll get crushed by an Ice Giant, eaten by Fenris the wolf or tenderized by Thor’s mighty
hammer. That’s a lot worse than getting fired.
A part of what maintains his confidence is his trusty bicycle, Sykkel, which never breaks down.
Like a silent companion, Sykkel is a sounding board for all of Hans’ confessions of hope and
fear. Hans Hans expects only one reward for prompt delivery. Respect from the gods – a guarantee
of protection in the big, scary world of berserkers and behemoths.
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Ha n s Ha n s
Our hero is very much like you and me, except for that Viking, biking and mythology thing. Each episode will reveal the quirks and traits
of Hans, but certain aspects remain constant. Here’s a brief C.V. of the guy.
Born in: Grogrogviddyvid.
Age: A young teen, but looks younger.
Height: Shorter than everyone else, except the dwarves.
Ambition: To be the best courier in the universe.
Favorite Expression: “Yaks of Jotunheim!”
Prototype: A cross between Spongebob Squarepants
and Calvin, but a little older.
Greatest Fear: Getting lost at sea and devoured by Aegir.
Greatest Hope: Being accepted by the gods as a Viking warrior.
Loves Most: His bike, of course, and his wooden spoon.
Despises Most: Being tricked by Loki or Hela and her minions.
Looks Up to: Odin. A father figure of sorts.
Little Pleasures: Cheese and pumpernickel bread.
Mischievous Trait: Takes advantage of his fellow mortals’ superstitions to avoid conflict.
Despite his impatience, Hans Hans never gives up a mission, no matter how impossible it seems. He may get discouraged or even lose a
bit of hope, but a little optimism always creeps in and propels him forward. He never fails to deliver. Since each task he accepts is also a
personal challenge for him, the stakes are higher than if it were just a job. This aspect maintains the link to mythology and personal quest
– an important subtext to the series. Of course, his missions are as outrageously difficult as a cartoon can get.
Now, let’s take a peek at the people and places he encounters on his mythical adventures.
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Od i n
The big cheese, the top banana, the boss. He’s not your typical ruler-of-all-eternity kind of guy
though. He’ll sometimes walk among mortals, usually disguised as an old man with a patch over one
eye. Not great, because Odin is an old man with a patch over one eye. Considering he gave up that
eye to Mimir in exchange for wisdom… well, who ever said a god was flawless?
Odin is the god of poetry (uh… bad poetry unfortunately) but he’s also the god of war and death.
Weird combination if you ask me. From his throne Hlidskjialf, tidings from the nine worlds are
brought to him by his two ravens Huginn and Muninn. The latest gossip or the goriest war details
from these birds help Odin decide how to start his day. Usually it begins by stopping his hot-headed
son Thor from pounding someone. He is respected by all the gods for his wisdom except Loki, who
feels that with his powers he deserves the throne.
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Lo k i
Th e Pr i n c e o f Pe s t s
Here comes trouble! The prince of pests, the nosiest of the Norse and actually
the son of two giants. He has the power to shapeshift and will stop at nothing
to get what he wants. As a member of the Æsir, he has just enough rights to
prevent a good thrashing from the gods, especially Thor. He often picks on Hans
Hans, hoping to jeopardize his missions. As tricky as Loki is, Hans will often see
through the disguises. This annoys Loki to no end, bringing out the worst in him.
Imagine, a mere mortal outwitting a god! On those rare occasions when he tries
to be nice, somehow Loki always manages to mess up.
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Th o r
Th e Big Gu y
BIG guy. BIG hammer. BIG temper. Small brain. Just keep him away from the
Ice Giants and everyone’s happy. Otherwise, expect a few more fjords carved
into the landscape and lots of thunder and lightning from Mjolnir, Thor’s mighty
hammer. Thor is the closest thing to a common Viking among the gods and is
therefore most liked. He pals around with the toughest of the bunch, but his
strength and size can get the better of him. Odin has to keep him on a short
leash to ensure peace between the Æsir and the Vanir (The bad gods!).
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Fr e ya
Sister of Frey and goddess of fertility. Whenever she speaks, flowers
blossom, trees flourish and everything grows. Everyone keeps their
conversations with her as brief as possible, or they’ll soon find themselves
chopping their way out of a jungle. Oddly enough she’s also the
goddess of war. Despite her sweet demeanor, she’s in a fierce competition
with Odin to bring the mightiest slain warrior to Valhalla, where
they are revived to fight again, not unlike WWE wrestling. Perpetually
happy, some try to make her sad, for she cries golden tears. Freya
is not easily fooled and that passive-aggressive streak in her can be
unpleasant. Despite that, Hans Hans is smitten by her beauty.
Ha n s is s m i t t e n...
Lei f Er i c s o n
Still looking for Vineland! And you won’t find a Norse god who
believes that he will ever find it. Often he’ll be seen leading a band of
ill-fated, dim-witted explorers into certain doom. Leif and his quest
are a running gag throughout the series.
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He la
Daughter of Loki, sister to the snake Jormungand and Fenris the wolf.
The nasty goddess of the underworld Niflheim. A putrid place which
Hans Hans avoids as much as possible. Hela likes Hans Hans and is
convinced she can get him to work as one of her minions. She doesn’t
get out much, and gets her dad and that nasty wolf brother of hers to
do the dirty work. Some are convinced she has a good streak in her,
but frankly, that’s just a rumor. She gleefully causes wars to break out
and catastrophes to occur on a regular basis.
He i m d a l l
Boy, you think your job is tough! This guy watches the rainbow bridge
Bifrost which leads to Asgard. He never sleeps, he sees in the dark and
can hear sheep wool growing! On top of that he has to blow into his
horn the moment he suspects Ragnarök (aka the end of the world) is
happening – which for him is any moment now. He especially thinks
that Hans Hans is proof that the end is near. This makes each visit to
and from Asgard a nerve-wracking experience.
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Fr i g g a
Odin’s lovely wife and the goddess of marriage. She is determined to
find a wife for Hans, but clearly has no taste. What she does have a
taste for is shoes, all seven hundred rooms of them. Sometimes for
fun, she’ll weave the clouds, making interesting but tacky skies. She
ended an entire war once when the warriors refused to fight under
a plaid sky. Her voice is not exactly soothing – her singing can peel
paint, which may be the cause of Odin’s white hair.
Fr e y
Frey is a peaceful god that rules the weather (when it’s nice) and the land of the light elves called Alfheim. He’s
what you might call the beatnik of gods. He likes a good party and invites one and all to sail with him on his ship
Skidbladnir. This amazing ship has room for all the gods, yet Frey can fold it up and put it in his pocket. He’ll do
his best to avoid a fight, but is often provoked, for everyone wants his secret sword Skirnir, which fights wisely
for whomever uses it. Mostly the gods try to stay on his good side, ‘cause nobody wants the god of weather in
a bad mood.
Mi m i r
The smartest of the Æsir had a little mishap with the Vanir. They cut off his head to shut him up. Good thing
Odin decided to keep him alive, and so he remains in the well of wisdom. It’s here that Odin gets advice when
he’s troubled, or if he can’t rhyme a line in one of his poems. The problem is Mimir has a big mouth, and Odin
often wonders why he lost an eye to keep this guy alive. The fact is, the world would be lost without his wisdom
– and he knows it.
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Ae g i r
God of the sea, not unlike Neptune but with a nastier temperament. He’s the main reason Hans Hans is afraid
of water. Despite the fact that most Vikings want to challenge their ships in the hostile oceans, he strikes fear
in the hearts of all sailors. This guy hates ships and will bite them in half with his mighty jaws whenever possible.
He is one of the Vanir - the fiercest of Giants. His redeeming quality is that he brews a special ale for the gods.
Thor would destroy him were it not for this nectar he offers, in cups that magically refill.
Ba ld e r
Mister nice guy, goody two-clogs and knight in shining armor. The maidens swoon when he’s around and men
look to him with admiration and envy. He’s the son of Odin that turned out right – except for one little detail.
Balder has an unusual knack for flirting with disaster. If there is a deadly situation happening, Balder will surely be
close by. For that reason, people stay at least 20 yards from him. He thinks it’s his smell and spends an inordinate
amount of time bathing. Hans Hans admires him as well but also fears getting beaned by falling rocks when he
visits him.
Ym i r
YMIR IS THE ICE GIANT AND HE WON’T LET YOU FORGET IT!
We never see his face – just his hands and feet, for he is so large no god or mortal can see all of him at one
time. This doesn’t stop Thor from pounding him or the rest of the Vanir. Ymir has the personality of your typical
frozen lummox, with the occasional sick sense of humor – he likes making a hailstorm in the middle of summer.
He wants nothing more than to beat Thor and have Mjolnir to himself so that the ice giants can rule with thunder
and lightning as well.
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Th e l a n d s
The places that Hans Hans visits are as wild and colorful as the characters
that inhabit them. There are nine main locations in the world of our hero.
JOTUNHEIM
The abode of the Jotuns, or regular giants. A good place to
shop for extra-large items in the market.
MIDGARD
The land of mortals and Vikings. Hans Hans lives here in the
town of Grogrogviddyvid, birthplace of the wooden spoon.
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Th e l a n d s
ALFHEIM
The abode of Frey and the light elves. Partytown to some, Loudsville to most.
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Th e l a n d s
VANAHEIM
The land of Vanirs, or giants. The really GIANT giants.
ASGARD
The abode of the benevolent gods and location of Odin’s
great hall Valhalla. With 540 doors, it’s hard to keep all
those hinges from squeaking.
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Th e l a n d s
SWARTALFEIM
Underground land of the dark elves and dwarves. Everything happens here in. . . s low motion.
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Th e l a n d s
NIFLHEIM
Known as the “Land of Mist”, Nilfheim is a cold and partly
frozen realm, one of the two primal worlds that collided
and created the basis for all the others.
MUSPELHEIM
The land of fire ruled by Surt, the fire giant. A winter
vacation spot, great for BBQs. Just don’t go near the
exploding hot springs.
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Th e l a n d s
HELHEIM
At the very bottom of the underworld lies the cold and harsh realm of Hela and her minions. It is a place
thronged with the shivering and shadowy spectres of those who have perished ingloriously.
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Th e Tr e at m e n t
A giant cow that licks the ice of a bottomless chasm to produce a god. Dwarves that take nine years to tell a joke. An eight-legged horse
and flying boars. The ancient myths of Northern Europe provide a great wealth of wild stories and bizarre characters. Whereas the Greek
myths concentrate on drama that comment on the human spirit, the Scandinavian myths are full of humor and absurd situations. Little need
be changed to adapt these myths to cartoon form.
The world theater of Hans Hans will allow visits from the gods of other lands, drawing on folk tales and myths from around the world to
elevate this sense of a primordial and dream-like realm, where physical geography is mutable. The mix of gods and mortals provides potential
not only for creative storytelling, but puts Hans Hans into situations and dilemmas that test his moral compass. Often tasked to the point
of fight or flight, Hans Hans grows a little bit with each mission.
The episodes will rely heavily on timing, visual gags and silliness. Imagine a cross between the absurdity of Spongebob Squarepants, the
exaggeration of Ren and Stimpy, and the epic world of Samurai Jack. This unique spin on Viking lore is aimed at the young at heart, with a
visual flair meant to appeal to all ages.
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Ep i s o d e s
26 x 11 minutes
The episodes put our hero into situations that are both perilous
and absurd. Often the missions seem downright impossible for
one little mortal to accomplish. Hans Hans will encounter
recurring characters, as well as the occasional foreign deity,
just to add even more trouble. Here are brief outlines for 13
episodes:
Pilot
“If I Had a Hammer”
A rough day begins as Hans Hans just barely escapes the dreaded Helmet-Testing Day. However his troubles have
just begun, as Odin gives him a tricky assignment – bring the mighty hammer Mjolnir back to Thor. Odin borrowed
it to renovate Valhalla, but dim-witted Thor thinks the Ice Giant Ymir has stolen it. Thor is now carving fjords
throughout the lands as he fights with Ymir.
Hans must travel carrying a magically miniaturized version of the most coveted object in the world.
Watch out! Loki the trickster is always on his tail, giving him a hard time and seriously sabotaging
his mission. When Loki accidentally returns the hammer to its full size, the problems really
begin. Now Loki is forced to help Hans bring the hammer or be banished from Asgard. Will
Hans Hans make it? And what new tricks does Loki have up his sleeve?
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Ep i s o d e s
An Apple a Day
Loki steals the enchanted apples from Asgard. Without the apples that keep the gods immortal, the gods start to
age… in reverse! All the gods, including Loki, are growing younger by the minute. Hans Hans must quickly recover
the apples. But a reverse aging Loki isn’t much help.
The Sky is Falling
A terrifying grinding noise awakens Hans Hans in the middle of the night. Up in the sky, the stars are no longer in
their usual place. The heavens have shifted! Hans Hans zips up to Asgard to find out about this mysterious
phenomenon. Odin tells him that one of the four dwarves who hold up the heavens has been having terrible backaches.
Frigg suggests it’s due to bad footwear and offers to send Hans Hans with part of her shoe collection - 8000 pairs
- to find an orthopedic solution. With the lands littered with clogs and Viking ships navigating erroneously, the biggest
shoe-fight in history will break out if our intrepid hero doesn’t make it.
Ragnarök and a Hard Place
Freya throws a big party for Thor’s birthday, but the noise is driving Hela crazy. Fed up with the
gods and their ways, she decides to trick Heimdall into believing that the noise is actually Ragnarök,
the end of the world. Hans Hans finds out the plan and must get to Heimdall before he blows his
horn, but Hela has put a curse on him. He now moves at the speed of dwarf – slow motion. Will
he find a way to stop the end of the world, as he knows it?
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Ep i s o d e s
A Tear for Balder
Loki finds out that the beloved Balder is invulnerable to everything but mistletoe. Disguised as Frigg, he tricks Hans
into delivering the deadly twig to the great god, thinking it’s just herbal tea. Balder falls into a permanent sleep and
Loki blames Hans Hans. Poor Hans is banished from Midgard. Legend has it, that if everyone in the world cries for
Balder, he will come back. As the water level rises quickly, Hans Hans begins to panic. Soon only one patch of land
remains, with Hans and Loki sharing it. Loki refuses to cry and Hans must think fast to find a way to make him shed
a tear, and clear his good name.
Winged Messenger
The Greek god Mercury is on his way North with an important message for Odin. A group of rowdy Vikings knock
him out of the sky, mistaking him for the evil bird Snort. Mercury asks Hans to continue the delivery as he recovers
from his injuries. Hans Hans is thrilled to borrow the winged shoes and after many false starts, is flying swiftly. Soon
the neglected bicycle gnaws at his conscience. Meanwhile, Mercury recovers and goes to rescue Hans, using our
hero’s little bicycle with awkward results.
I’m a Frey’d Knot
After a gruelling, freezing delivery to Nifelheim Odin offers Hans a break from messenger duty for a week. Frey
invites Hans to his swinging pad, and in no time, Hans Hans gets fat and lazy. Back on duty, Hans has adopted Frey’s
laid-back ways, to the point where Odin has to resort to using Loki for messenger service. How humiliating for a
god! This prompts Loki to use his trickery on Hans in a positive way for once.
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Ep i s o d e s
Green-faced in a Green Greenland
To the embarrassment of all Danish Vikings, an enormous ice-covered island is named Greenland. Odin decides to
send Hans Hans there to deliver magic grass seeds that will grow in any condition. But that means (gasp!) he’ll have
to go by boat. Even worse, that loopy Leif Erikson is the captain. Deciding to brave the elements, as well as a rag-tag
team of crazy Vikings, Hans Hans has to fight off seasickness, seagulls and squids. At the rest stop in Iceland (which,
by the way, is completely green) Hans Hans makes a deal with Leif to carry on the mission without him. But when
he sees the departing ship heading in the wrong direction, Hans must find a clever way to catch up with the ship.
Freya’s Pet
Odin summons Hans Hans to deliver a special gift to Freya. Hans would do anything for the lovely and charming
Freya. At last, a chance to be near her! As usual, the package is not exactly user friendly; it’s a golden boar named
Hildivinni, with fierce tusks and a temper to match. Loki just makes things worse by trying to show Hans how to
train Hildi to be his bodyguard. Much flinging, smashing, and devouring ensues, leaving a trail of destruction not
unlike a great battlefield. However, by the time they reach Freya, Hans and Hildi have actually bonded, turning this
gift delivery into an awkward dilemma.
Ymir’s Big Feet
In the snow-covered land of Vanaheim, massive craters are swallowing up men, monsters and gods. Turns out they
are the footprints of Ymir’s mighty feet. But when Thor accidentally falls into on of these cavernous holes, Odin
calls on Hans Hans to travel to the New World to ask the mighty god Glooscap for help. Glooscap creates enormous
snowshoes for Ymir, and throws them back to Vanaheim, with Hans hanging on for the ride. Ymir takes to the
new footwear like a baby learning to walk, making new Fjords with each fall. Can Thor, Odin and Hans Hans find
a solution to saving the lands?
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Ep i s o d e s
The Trouble with Trolls
Hans Hans is proudly delivering an historic prized wooden spoon to Grogrogviddyvid, when he is ambushed by three nasty Trolls.
Bruised and bereft of spoon, Hans Hans stumbles into Svartalfheim, where the dwarf Smirt makes him a cloaking helmet. But Hans,
impatient as usual, leaves before Smirt can finish his very slow instructions. A now invisible Hans Hans returns to the Trolls to
steal back the spoon. Too bad he didn’t stick around to finish listening to Smirt, because the invisibility is not only short-lived but it
shrinks the wearer to half his size - forever! As if Hans Hans wasn’t short enough! Now very small, and very visible, and surrounded
by disgusting, spoon-slobbering Trolls, Hans Hans has to double his efforts to survive uneaten.
Hela Swella
Odin has a rather spooky mission for Hans Hans - deliver the soul of an evil dragon to Helheim. Mischievous Loki must not find out
about this because he’ll “let the cat out of the bag” and create strife for all. Hans just barely makes it, with tricky Loki at his heels. A
grateful gothic Hela greets Hans Hans with an offer; work for her instead of Odin and actually get real rewards instead of a pat on the
back and godly approval. As the dreamlike world of Helheim consumes Hans’s spirit, Loki steals the dragon soul. With a conflicting
sense of duty tearing away at him, Hans Hans tries to wake from his reverie and find his rightful place.
A Thor Throat
A lovely Valkyrie named Helgavida visits Odin after a mighty battle. Thor is lovestruck by her, but is too shy to sing her praises. He
recruits Hans Hans to be his voice, but they only ever meet Helgavida in fierce war zones. After accidentally beaning Helgavida with
his hammer, Thor sends Hans Hans with gifts, asking for forgiveness. Tired of being a go-between, Hans Hans disguises himself as Thor
and visits Helgavida but inadvertently insults her. Now this means war! Thor and Helgavida engage in thunderous battle, and soon
realize it’s the most fun they ever had. A truce is made and Hans Hans is rewarded with a Valkyrie shield.
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Ha n s Ha n s On li n e
Games and Webisodes
Hans Hans may be the stuff of myth and legend, but our hero already has a real presence online! On July 17, 2009 Nickelodeon launched
“Leaving Loki’s Lockup,” an action puzzle game featuring 4 playable characters and 11 challenging levels. The game has received 100%
positive feedback and an extremely favorable review from Jay is Games an opinion leader for Flash and casual games.
Going forward Hans Hans will be a truly multiplatform project. In addition to his starring role on television, Hans has appearances
scheduled online for both games and webisodes, as well as on the iPod, iPad, and connected consoles.
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©
NDI Media Inc. 2002-2010

For more information please contact Neil Smolar
smolar@ndimedia.com
1751 Richardson St Suite 7509
Montreal Quebec Canada
514-931-0707 ext 228
cell 514-919-5979
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