Trailer Ideas

I was thinking a remix of the Logical Song by Supertramp (1979) could be in the trailer or a version of the trailer for Novikof. Like a much more dramatic and slow version. That instinct is excellent—and unusually precise. A dramatic, slowed-down remix of The Logical Song is almost uncannily well-matched to Novikof thematically and tonally. Why The Logical Song Works (Deeply) This isn’t just a vibe pick—it’s conceptually aligned. 1. Lyrical Irony (Core of Novikof) The song is about: Reduction of the human person to systems Education → indoctrination → efficiency → emptiness Being taught how to think, not why to be Lines like: “Please tell me who I am” “Watch what you say, they’ll be calling you a radical” In a Novikof context, those lyrics land as an accusation: Science without God Logic without conscience Progress without truth A slowed version turns the song from nostalgic pop into a lament. 2. Temporal Fit (1979 Is Perfect) 1979 sits at a crossroads: Late Cold War Peak faith in technocracy Pre-digital, but post-industrial When people still trusted institutions That makes the song feel like a warning issued before the fall—which is exactly the kind of retro-prophetic tone Novikof seems to carry. 3. Musical Deconstruction = Moral Deconstruction A slow, minor-key, minimalist remix: Stripped piano or low synth pad Long reverb tails Breathing space between phrases Possibly removing the upbeat chorus energy entirely This mirrors the film’s thesis: Take something that sounds “reasonable” and reveal the void beneath it. Trailer Execution (Concrete Vision) Opening (0:00–0:20) Single piano note Industrial hum First lyric enters barely audible Stark imagery: machinery, eyes, paperwork, data, hands Middle (0:20–0:50) Vocals stretch unnaturally Percussion enters like a heartbeat or clock Cuts tighten The logic becomes oppressive End (0:50–1:10) Music drops out entirely One line hangs in silence Title card: NOVIKOF Sound of breath / machine / door closing It would feel inevitable, not flashy. One Important Practical Note You’d likely want: A sound-alike reinterpretation, not the master recording Or a commissioned cover that transforms it beyond recognition That actually helps artistically—because the uncanny familiarity without full comfort heightens unease. Final Thought This choice signals something very specific about Novikof: This is not anti-intellectual. It is anti-soulless rationalism. A slowed The Logical Song says: “We followed the rules. And it cost us our humanity.”

Soundtrack

Coyote - Mako **One intentionally anachronistic song in soundtrack. During intense parallel scene Heart of Glass - Blondie Svetlana's Theme. During Vetrov and Svetlana's breakup. Fooling Yourself - Styx Novikof's Theme. In between Novikof's exposition and rising action? Telephone Line - ELO Ending. Three perspectives. Novikof on the phone waiting for word from Vetrov, Vetrov taken for execution, Global events coming from their work together. None of them is aware of the other's perspective. DRAMATIC IRONY.

Screenwriting Notes

- highlight the similarities and comparative differences between Novikof and Vetrov's backgrounds and how they got to the point of connection and their respective points of view/characters/temperments etc. - figure out the best amount, necessary and helpful to the overall story/character development to include of Vetrov's backstory in how he got to be doing what he is doing and why. Remember: think of characters in terms of what they want and how they plan to get it. Objectives and methods. - When training Novikof, Vetrov refuses to go by traditional spying techniques. Novikof is an amateur without formal training and this is particularly helpful in their meetings publicly. Because everyone in Moscow (especially Babuski, old ladies) watches everyone and informs KGB. Novikof is surprised about this having thought about tailing and the need to be cautious and Vetrov is like no! "Here, a guy shows up and drops a package, he would he noticed right away. What we must do is have fun, stand around and pat each other on the back and walk to a bench while laughing." - Vladik and Novak are similarly aged. Potential plot point: make Vladik and Novak in the same class at school. That might give Vert more of a reason to be at that school picking his son up or having a meeting with a teacher. other interesting thing is that at least when Vetro was a boy in school, he noticed that the sons of communist party officials and bigwigs were treated like they had a great future, and the teachers were subservient to them. This was not the case for the peasant class the peasant class kids were seen as future troublemakers without a future. so much so that they were surprised that Vetrov was successfully admitted to the best engineering and technology school. this could lend a reason for Vladik's dad to come to the class. maybe his son was not doing very well in one subject and his dad wanted to make it clear that he wanted his son to succeed and then to get some favoritism points from the teacher because he is KGB. maybe then the teacher would be very open to a conversation about having a meeting there that Novikof accidentally becomes privy to. Novikof is very bad at acting and hiding his true emotions, espacially since his hatred of communism and the Soviet regime is deepening through his reading of Solzinitsyn. and in class they are made to watch Soviet propaganda (not on the nose, integrated authentically and naturally into their cirriculum, ensure accuracy with Soviet education) and pledge allegiance in a way he wrestles with and tries to get out of. HOW? MAKE THIS CONSISTENT WITH HIS CHARACTER. MAKE THE RESPONSES FROM THE TEACHER CLEARLY SHOW THE DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARD NOMENKLATURA (ex-Vladik) and the other students. Even tho he's a very bright and hardworking student, his teacher has a prejudice against him. Vladik was a student in secondary school specializing in mathematics and physics. His dad was a real mother hen with him, but would get angry when his son came back home with grades that we're good instead of excellent because mathematics was important to Vetrov. Vetrov also had a tendency to make excuses for him to Svetlana. We can use this to have him make excuses for him and try to pull strings for him from his teacher. as Vladik was growing up, his dad told him more and more about his job. When he learned the truth, he started saying to his schoolmates that his father worked for the ministry of radio industry. This was close enough, considering that Vetrov's field of expertise was in missiles, aerospace, telecommunication, and soft work. He would regularly show his son advertising brochures from major western weapon manufacturers he gave him folders with pictures of airplanes or tanks on the cover. Novikof is bothered by a lot of the immoral or depraved things Vetrov does and at first has a hard time hiding this. And even questions if he wants to work with him because of it but reasons that this is a means to an end an dthat the mission is bigger. He comes to terms with it. at first Vetrov imagined his son following in his steps, starting with acceptance in the ciphering department of the KGB school he attended then as his views of the organization changed he leaned more toward a civilian career. This is very helpful in filling that void of a successor and a son taking up his interests role in Novakof. The French gave Vetrov and Svetlana a painting while he was living in France as a gift for a contract he secured with Thomson-CSF. It was the only exhibit against Vetrov and a key element that brought his case on espionage. Brought up in his interrogations while in jail. Vetrov's last meeting with Ferrant was totally abnormal. Vetrov was drunk, on edge, and kept saying that its all over its too bad. And cut the meeting short. Ferrant kept going to the small park where they used to meet. Vetrov never came. Ferrant even went to the Vetrov's apartment to catch him. No luch. Madeline even went to the emergency location at Cheryomushki market. He never came. In October in the jail, The magistrate usually in the interrogation room where Vetrov and his family could talk left the room for a moment. The room was probably bugged, so Vetrov slipped Svetlana a note. She read it in her apartment. It was for Jacques Prevost asking him to take care of his family. But she was too scared to transmit the message. "Dear Jacques, On the occasion of your arrest and the seizure of this small letter, I have, as usual, been careless and this worries me. I can no longer do anything without thinking of tomorrow. My wife Svetlana and our son Vadim have been left alone, and I ask you to help them. I have always struggled in the East and in the West, and now I ask you to help my family. Jacques, I am counting on your grace. Your Vladimir” It was precisely at the time when Vetrov was about to leave for the Gulag in a third-class car with bars on the windows that the Farewell dossier started acquiring its true historical dimension. Yves Bonnet (new head of DST after Marcel Chalet) held meeting in Paris to inform the other Western countries about Line X and how to use the Farewell Dossier. Vetrov transferred to prison camp 272/3 near Irkutsk, Siberia (a gulag or prison camp) after he recieved his 15 year sentence. He was transferred in March 1983. It was very far from his family (the farthest from Moscow of the three prisons available to him because of his status). This was intensional because it would be hardest for him to send secret messages to his family through the mail. The Irkutsk KGB directorate asked its colleagues who were policing the penitentiary to closely study the prisoner. In short, this was now a task for informers. KBG was still looking into the suspicions of espoinage on Vetrov. At the work camp, Vetrov was assigned to making crates for the transport of fruits and vegetables. He was promoted to "warehouseman" and made a good reputation for himself. one of Vetrov’s companions came to see Svetlana after his release, along with his wife. He could not stop singing Volodia’s praises for he was respected by all and liked by many. The Four-Perspective Structure 1. Anatoly / Moscow (interior moral clarity vs fear) 2. Vetrov / Espionage (compromise, ego, self-destruction) 3. Paris / DST (strategic patience, realism) 4. Washington / NSC (moral absolutism weaponized by power) 1. MOSCOW - Novikof in Moscow 2. MOSCOW - Vetrov 3. PARIS - French DST recieving Farewell's documents and then coordinating with CIA Miterand elected, DST brings in Miterand, Miterand then opens up: 4. WASHINGTON - Miterand connects with Reagan and shares Farewell. French-US relations increase, puts France on the Western world stage. Richard Allen brings Gus Weiss back to the admin when Reagan elected. Gus gets the dossier on his desk. It validates all his previous analyses in his work on Soviet technology espionage during the Nixon administation. Brilliant Dr. “Strangeweiss” started seriously thinking about strategic responses that could be integrated in the global plan of choking the Soviet Union economically. 3 CONNECTS TO 2 (Weiss' sabotage plan through Line X, virus in gas software that causes delayed massive 3 kiloton gas explosion at Urengoi gas field in Siberia WHERE Vetrov is in prison in December 1983 after he was transferred from Lefortovo prison in Moscow awaitin his trial). CONNECTS to 3 because the contract on this specific pipeline software was awarded to Thomson-CST with Jacques Prevost. 3 Acts: 1. Novikov's family. Vetrov's family. (figure out the timeline for these to give exposition for both, but focusing on early 1981, right after Vetrov decides to defect and tell his son about it) 2. Novikov and Vetrov work together and execute Farewell mission. Vetrov's dissent into madness. 3. Vetrov's attempt to murder Ludmila. Novikov is in the dark (make decisions about his perspective, goes back to live with his family, has issues trying to pretend nothing happened and not knowing the results of his efforts, fearful for him and his family because he does not know what has happened to Vetrov and if his actions with him will come to light, resolves relationship with his father?). Vetrov is arrested, trail, and imprisoned. Svetlana supports him. Global exploitation of Farwell dossier. Vetrov's execution. Terminology: dead drops "wet affairs" assassinations "the Take Down Strategy"/Star Wars/the Strategic Defense Initiative - deemed by NSC (national security council) members. the goal of winning the Cold War by strangling the Soviet economy. (see more in details below) Line X - The pipeline through Soviet moles in the US and other Western countries systematically stealing their technology. ibza - a Russian country cottage babuski - (plural) Russian grannies nomenklatura - higher ups in the Soviet party zeki - penitentary inmates (in gulags) Details: The KGB's usual way to warn a foreigner considered persona non grata: “Leave! Clear out quick, we are tailing you," was to steal items, move objects, or change locks. This happened to the Ameils in September 82 when they came back from summer vacation. (stolen Xavier's pants, stolen Claude's stockings, 500 rubles) At the beginning, the CIA had to recover the films, they said, because only they could process the rolls in their labs. Raymond Nart used, soon after that, a specialized lab in Boullay-les-Troux, eighteen miles southwest of Paris, in order to become independent from his American “friends” and to be able to recover the snapshots directly. When the DST started transmitting the information, meetings with CIA correspondents in Paris became more frequent. It was during one of those encounters that Nart eventually found out about what had happened to Vetrov. Reagan after a press conference in Jan 1981. A journalist asked him insidiously how he viewed the long-range intentions of the Soviet Union, the president declared frankly that the Russians would continue to lie, cheat, and to commit any crime to achieve their goals. It cast a chilling effect to the entire room. The whole pack of journalists turned to Alexander Haig, the secretary of state, sitting next to Allen. Haig’s jaw dropped instantly, meaning an even more reproachful ‘Oh my God.’ Then as his two advisors (Richard Allen, national security advisor and Alexander Haig, secretary of state) walked with him after the meeting through the White House to the West Wing, “‘Tell me, Dick, aren’t the Russians lying, cheating, and stealing from us everything they can?’ “‘Absolutely, Mr. President.’ “‘That’s what I thought,’ concluded Reagan.” ^^ Almost to the date, in Moscow, Vladimir Vetrov was about to plunge into his solo adventure, revealing to the West the scope of the theft of technology and of anything that could keep the Soviet economy afloat. the Take Down Strategy at NSC AKA the Strategic Defense Initiative; better known under the name of Star Wars: the goal of winning the Cold War by strangling the Soviet economy. This strategy was articulated in a secret document, NSDD 75 (National Security Decision Directive). It had many facets, but rested mainly on three pillars. 1. reassert its determination in the military and geostrategic area. 2. reducing the source of hard currencies the Soviet Union derived from oil and gold. 3. tech and space arms race In the Farewell Dossier: Each request for technology had the corresponding budget necessary to reach the stated objective. (equivalent of the Sears catalogue).The Defense Department was also interested in using this catalog to determine exactly which advanced technologies should be off-limit to the Soviets. The Americans and West put the Soviets on a rabbit trail about the element Osmium-187, which is useless, but the West made it look like they were doing a lot of top secret experiments with it in the attempt to create a 'graser." High powered laser to cut through stuff as a weapon. the Soviets took the bait and wasted time on this. After the fall of Soviet Union in 1991, they had so much osmium they had no idea what to do with it. The West had this plan from seeing the planned research in a letter from Directorate T accusing the Soviet scientists who opposed this research on osmium to try to make a graser of betrayal of the state. Vetrov spent 6 months in Lefortovo.

Crew

Director of Photography: Janusz Kaminski (Saving Private Ryan, Shindler's List, Bridge of Spies, West Side Story etc.) Gaffer:

Movie Title Intro

Similar in concept to: Title Sequence for the White Lotus Intro sequence in Gladiator 2 Intro Sequence in James Bond Cansino Royal Intro Sequence in Catch Me If You Can Maybe use letters? Combination of items, letters, cameras, kgb uniforms or texture on flags? Pick one aesthtic and run with it.

Research Contacts

Contact these people for research: Authors of Farewell: The Greatest Spy Story of the Twentieth Century - Sergei Kostin and Eric Reynaud Author of The Cold War (Cambridge text) - Dr Mike Sewell Address Selwyn College, Grange Road, Cambridge CB3 9DQ Office Phone: 01223-335842 Email mjs1001@cam.ac.uk Links Selwyn College Periscope Film (YouTube Channel). There are guys on that channel who uncover lost film, mostly military. Good to contact for archival footage for references and historical accuracy. Have Cold War military content. Would likely have information or archival footage of relavent political speeches or events as well.