Lads

Lads is a short, coming of age drama that explores male friendship, identity and intimacy in a world dominated by toxic masculinity. Taking place entirely in a bathroom during a house party, the film follows Josh and Patrick, as they attempt to wrestle with a past decision that has unravelled their friendship. 

We are a group of emerging and mid-career filmmakers, looking to tell stories that resonate, reflect, and, hopefully, inspire. Writer, Christopher Plank, and new producer, Tyler Brown-Ortiz, are exciting, fresh voices who will be guided and grounded by director, Victoria Boult, and producer, Rachel Fawcett. Our team are collaborative, encouraging, and deeply committed to the craft of storytelling for the screen.

Christopher Plank - Writer (He/Him)

Christopher Plank is a 28-year-old British screenwriter. After earning a first-class MA in Screenwriting from the University of Arts London, he began his career at The New York Times as a Producer before shifting to narrative projects. Christopher has worked as a Storyliner on Child of Pop (Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ) and is developing his original television show, Lads, with Lusty Productions (n00b, Literally Dead). 

Christopher has also worked on feature films like Heart Eyes (Sony Pictures) and The Wrecking Crew (Amazon Prime), along with television projects such as Literally Dead. His work explores themes of masculinity, queerness, and human connection, blending humour with emotional depth. 

Now based in New Zealand, Christopher draws inspiration from his surroundings, weaving diverse cultural influences into his storytelling. With a growing portfolio spanning screenwriting and production, he is committed to creating compelling, thought-provoking narratives.

Victoria Boult - Director  (She/Her)

Victoria Boult (Ngāi Tahu) is an indigenous 27-year-old writer and director best known for her debut television series n00b (2024), which she wrote, co-created and co-directed. n00b was made with the support of Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ and has been picked up by NETFLIX Australia, CANAL+ and was selected for the Berlinale Series Market 2025. n00b is the first scripted television series in the world based on a viral TikTok series. 

Victoria is Head Writer on Child of Pop (in development with Warner Bros. International), has written for Ahikāroa, storylined on projects such as Spinal Destination (2024), and – in her role at Great Southern Television - was the Development Executive on AMC’s One Lane Bridge, Fifth Season’s Friends Like Her and BBC’s The Ridge. She was the set-up director on NZOA-funded web series Literally Dead and will direct a block of A Remarkable Place to Die Season 2 (NINE, TVNZ). 

Victoria was selected for the DEGANZ Emerging Female Filmmaker Incubator (2023), the Show Me Shorts Development Lab (2023), SPADA’s Collaboration in Action Program (2022), and Screen Canberra’s POD program (2023). In 2023, Victoria’s short film Invisible Dragons was funded through the NZFC Kōpere Hou - Fresh Shorts program.

Rachel Fawcett - Producer  (She/Her)

Rachel Fawcett is a Pakeha-Chinese producer from Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa. After kick-starting her career as a co-producer on Roseanne Liang’s award-winning series, FRIDAY NIGHT BITES (season 2), she has gone on to produce Steven Chow’s award-winning short thriller, MUNKIE, the Te Reo short Loading Docs documentary, WIND, SONG AND RAIN, Pulkit Arora's short drama, ANU, and the hit TikTok series, n00b. She also served as associate producer on the feature film biopic, JOIKA,  which stars Diane Kruger and Talia Ryder.

Rachel launched her production company, Lusty Productions, with actress and producer, JJ Fong, which focuses on creating obsessions and connections through female-centric storytelling.

In 2024 she released her first network series, n00b, for Three and Three Now, and the YA muder-mystery series, LITERALLY DEAD, for YouTube. 

Tyler Brown-Ortiz - Co-Producer (They/Them)

Tyler is a queer Jewish Puerto Rican writer/actor from Connecticut (United States). After graduating cum laude from Wheaton College in Massachusetts with a degree in Film and New Media, they worked extensively in a variety of roles in the commercial, scripted, podcast, and music video space in Los Angeles. While in the U.S. Tyler also wrote and starred in the short drama, ‘Van Life’, and comedy, ‘Wings’. Tyler also played a supporting role in the short film, ‘Polywood’. 

After moving to New Zealand in late 2023, Tyler served in a writer's room for Warner Bros. NZ and Lusty Productions, played the male lead in Ren's music video for her single 'In Too Deep', and served as the Production Talent Coordinator for the NZOA-funded webseries, Literally Dead, released in 2024. They continue to work in the commercial and scripted space in styling and production roles, while continuing their acting training in between auditioning. They are currently developing a horror feature, an Australian based rom-com TikTok series, as well as a slate of other projects.

Daryl Wong - Cinematographer (He/Him)

Daryl is a Director of Photography based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, New Zealand, whose career spans over a decade of dedication to the art of visual storytelling. From 2012 to 2014, Daryl refined his craft in Hong Kong as an Associate Producer and Camera Operator at Asia Pacific Vision (APV), collaborating with prestigious clients such as HSBC, Disney HK, Starbucks, and Cathay Pacific. Returning to Aotearoa, Daryl transitioned into a flourishing freelance career, filming for several esteemed local production companies and creative institutions, as well as the New Zealand Film Commission, Television New Zealand, and New Zealand On Air. Daryl's cinematographic work has earned him numerous accolades, including multiple 'Best Cinematography' awards at the 48Hours Film Competition and the 2022 Hollywood International Diversity Film Festival, along with a Gold Award for Web Series from the New Zealand Cinematographers Society. His recent works include acclaimed TV series such as N00b, Sik Fan Lah, Predict My Future, and The Hustle.

We are forgoing traditional funding channels and crowdfunding the entirety of our production and post budget. Your generosity will help us cover:
 

• Actor and crew koha
• Location fees
• Art, costume and gear hire
• Catering
• PL insurance
• Editing costs
• Music composing
• Grading, sound mixing and final conform

"With Lads, I want to challenge the traditional narrative of masculinity. I want to show that true strength comes from vulnerability, that love between men doesn’t need to fit into a box, and that connection—real, raw, messy connection—is what saves us. It’s time to reimagine what it means to be a man." 

- Christopher Plank

In a world that celebrates female friendships while actively discouraging men from being vulnerable, emotionally intimate and open, no one wins. In New Zealand and beyond, we are facing a real crisis where men are plagued by higher rates of suicide, isolation and feelings of loneliness. Through this short film, we hope to highlight the power of male friendship and how viciously societal pressure, tradition and expectations can rip this apart. 

Lads is the latest collaboration between n00b co-creators, Victoria Boult and Rachel Fawcett, and their n00b cinematographer, Daryl Wong. We are creatively drawn to raw, bold stories that explore the human experience, and are proud to be bringing Christopher's beautiful and deeply vulnerable script to life.

"At it’s heart, Lads is a love story. Josh and Patrick’s friendship deserves the reverence and treatment of traditional, grand, heteronormative love stories. In doing this, we validate the importance of male friendships and show a generation of young men that vulnerability, kindness and even crying are the very
foundation of manhood."

- Victoria Boult

Lads is a challenge to traditional views of masculinity and male friendship. A confronting watch that shines a light on an issue rarely explored on screen. Your generous donations will help us bring this short film to life with the level of artistry and care we like to bring to all our projects, as well as help bring and important message to audiences. Our ultimate hope is to see Lads screen at film festivals everywhere, and to provide Christopher and Tyler with opportunities to grow as filmmakers.