Vadik is an ambitious Moscow teenager struggl-ing to survive in the newly fragmented Russia when he falls in love with Helen, a Western news journalist, and vows to go to any lengths to get her. Armed with his video camera, Vadik records anything he thinks could be classified as "news", including footage of a fake attempted assassination of a washed-up politician, Yavorsky. By filming his increasingly desperate publicity stunts, Vadik is adopted by Yavorsky as the only means to revive his flagging career. Vadik is more than willing to help Yavorsky -every futile effort they make to get Yavorsky on TV brings Vadik back into contact with Helen. But does the apprentice stringer understand that his new friends may only want him for what he can do for them ?