straight 8 shootout online at FOCUS – line-up announced

straight 8 shootout online line-up announced & live premiere details

The one-super-8-cartridge-no-editing film challenge ​straight 8​ invited creative companies worldwide to compete for charity with a new super 8 short film, made entirely in-camera. The line-up for this shootout includes: ​Prettybird​ /​ ​Progress Film Company​ / Spindle​ /​ ​Ana​ /​ ​Marshall Street Editors​ /​ ​The Network Productions​ /​ ​Groundglass /​ ​Adelphoi Music​ and more. Each company is making a 2.5 minute short film entirely in-camera on just one cartridge of super 8mm film. Every shot is taken in story order, with no re-takes and no post-production. All visual effects, colouring and titling has to be achieved the old-fashioned way: as part of the shoot, with the camera, as processing is carried out by straight 8 partner Cinelab London​. The running order will be determined by random number generator, and no-one – not even the filmmakers – will have seen the films before they premiere.

See the premiere live at ​FOCUS The Meeting Place for International Production in Islington, London on December 3rd at 09:45 GMT – Attendance at the premiere is free, with delegate registration required at this link. Or watch live online as a simultaneous online stream on ​straight 8’s site​.

STRAIGHT 8  one super 8 cartridge no editing  Every entrant company was given this creative brief: what do you want to do with 2.5 minutes of screen time to impress your colleagues, competitors and friends who’ll be watching your film when you do (with unimaginably hard technical limitations)?

Immediately after the premiere, the entered companies only will vote for their favourite films – not including their own. As well as earning an iconic camera trophy made by shootout partners, ​Machine Shop​, the winners will choose the charity to which straight 8 will donate the prize pot.

Ed Sayers, straight 8 founder​, comments: ​“We’re very happy to be continuing to  grow shootout. It only takes 20 brave companies to put their name on the line and  get to do what they want: no brief, no budget, technical restraints galore but  otherwise pure creative freedom. That freedom is debilitating for some but for  everyone else shootout is here. And our existing partners and new ones – we welcome  Cheat, No.8 and Panavision – are all helping us make sure it keeps growing and that  our unusual challenge is thrown down to ever more varied companies.” 

Clara Le, Commercial Director, FOCUS Show Ltd & The Location Guide​ “We are thrilled to be partnering with ​straight 8​ for the first time. As long-term fans of the shootout, it is a pleasure to host the next world premiere at our December show. The online shootout is another amazing way to showcase creative talents from across the global industry, so what event is more fitting for this premiere than FOCUS, the meeting place for international production?”

As long-term fans of the shootout, it is a pleasure to host the next world premiere at our December show.

Steve Davies, Chief Executive, APA London​:​ ​“straight 8 is the most fun filmmaking  competition for companies. Watching the films with the filmmakers who haven’t seen  them either is compelling- they might be great, and often are, but if they aren’t, it’s only a  couple of minutes and you’re on to the next one! The online version is even more exciting  as there’s no knowing how many people are tuning in.” 

More info straight8.net