Private Project

A Civil Civil Servant

A veteran civil servant takes on greater and greater roles as his colleagues are terminated leading him to a final confrontation with the occupant of the Oval Office.

  • Jonah Manibusan
    Director
  • Elliott Bales
    Writer
  • Emilee Hayward
    Producer
  • Elliott Bales
    Key Cast
    "Dave Callahan"
    Remote, Wireless, Legends & Lies: Patriots, The Sultan and the Saint
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    37 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 10, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    50,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Night of Shorts
    Milano
    Italy
    Winner, Best Satire
  • Chatham-Kent International Film Festival
    Chatham-Kent, Ontario
    Canada
    Finalist, Screenplay Short
  • Red Flight Pictures Screenplay Awards
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    United States
    Quarter Finalist, drama Screenplay Short
  • Screaming Ostrich International Film Festival
    Arlington, Massachusetts
    United States
    Selected, Screenplay Competition
  • Bistrita Romania International Film Festival
    Bistritia Romania
    Italy
    Selected, Best Screenplay Short
  • Cedar Rapids International Film Festival
    Cedar Rapids, Iowa
    United States
    Official Selection
  • Maryland International Film Festival
    Hagerstown, MD
    United States
    Official Selection
  • Lumina Film Festival

    Czechia
    Nominee - Best Short Film
  • Los Angeles Movie and Music Video Awards
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Jonah Manibusan

Jonah Manibusan is a filmmaker from Northern Virginia with a degree in Film from George Mason University. He is the Founder and Creative Director of 3017th Studios, a production company established in 2022, dedicated to creating thought-provoking and meaningful content. Under his leadership, 3017th Studios has produced award-winning short films, documentaries, music videos, and more.

Inspired by filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock, Christopher Nolan, and Quentin Tarantino, Jonah’s work explores themes of memory, redemption, and the lasting impact of the past. His stories often center on characters grappling with their history, reflecting his belief that the past shapes identity.

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Director Statement

I’ve always felt captivated by how moving pictures have the ability to transport you into a whole new reality for a few hours. Inspired by filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock, Christopher Nolan, and Quentin Tarantino, I aim to create films that push genre boundaries while telling invoking and meaningful stories by focusing on themes and messages about the past. Much of my own work involves characters struggling to come to terms with their past, or struggling to overcome their past actions, as I believe that the past is vital in shaping who you are today.

I enrolled at George Mason University in 2020 and since then I've learned a variety of tools and skills ranging from pre-production all the way to post-production. I believe that the more you know about all crew positions, the better filmmaker you'll be, which is why I’ve taken it upon myself to learn roles relating to producing, writing, editing, color correction, on set sound recording, and lighting, with a primary focus in directing and cinematography.

Through a variety of projects, ranging from fiction to nonfiction, corporate business videos to non-profit work, and to music videos, my goal as an artist is always in the best interest of the story and the vision of the Director or business. I want to create and help create a product that everyone on the team is proud of.