Plans B-Z
With the help of his imaginary friend, Ethan makes several wacky plans to escape his house to get to his first ever party! The only things standing in his way are Ethan’s mom and Ethan’s own fear of rejection and the uncertainty that comes with growing up
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Connor Cameron BanksDirector
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Connor Cameron BanksWriter
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Alice CrowleyProducer
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Gabriel HattamKey Cast"Ethan"
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Kazim KhanKey Cast"Hunter"
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Beth KayesKey Cast"Nancy"
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Max McPheatKey Cast"Mason"
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Bryn JefferiesDirector of Photography
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Anna FrenchEditor
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Ray AunaArt Directors
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Marcus BrummellArt Directors
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Alice Crowley1st Assistant Director
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Jeremy Houghton1st Assistant Camera
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Jashandeep SandhuAudio/Boom Operator
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Alexandra YapGaffer
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Anna FrenchStills Photographer
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Jeremy HoughtonStills Photographer
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Ronan CourtneyProducer's Assistant
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Nina BossleyOffsite 1st Assistant Director
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Luci WintertonArt Assists
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Jeremy HoughtonArt Assists
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Comedy, family, coming of age, Magical realism
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Runtime:10 minutes 58 seconds
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Completion Date:February 19, 2022
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Production Budget:2,121 NZD
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Country of Origin:New Zealand
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Country of Filming:New Zealand
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:Yes - South Seas Film and Television School
Connor moved from the United States in 2018 to his dad’s home country leaving his friends and old life behind, bringing with him his consistent need for a creative output. From improv to woodworking, Connor has been working his way towards film directing, which has been his dream since he was three years old, making action figures fight with convoluted plots and writing school papers like scripts. Comedy has always been his strong suit, as he finds the best thing to do with challenging times and trauma is to convert it into something positive, like laughter.
Growing up on the Autism spectrum, Connor had to learn how to write conversations while also learning how to participate in them. Having this outsider perspective on ‘normal’ human connections makes Connor a unique writer who appreciates subtle nuances in scripts.
Plans B-Z was an important story for me to tell, as not only did I want to make a comedy, but because of how I wrote it, there is a lot of my story with anxiety and self-doubt ingrained into the emotional core of the story. Many times, in films these issues are clear to see, but diving into how hidden it can be with the mask of humor, and how even someone living with these fears of not being accepted does not realize they are there, seemed necessary. I explicitly never painted Ethan as pathetic or less than for not being social, because he is still creative, funny, and passionate, even behind closed doors. I hope people will connect with this story, and know they matter.