straight 8 Challenges Ad Industry to Super 8 Shootout at Cannes

straight 8, the APA and Creature of London have joined forces to challenge the ad industry to a Super 8 showdown at Cannes - the only screening where no-one will have seen the work. It’s all for charity, we just don’t know which one yet…

straight 8 - which re-launched for 2016 - offers anyone, anywhere the chance to make a short film on one cartridge of Kodak Super 8 film, editing only in camera and with a maximum length of 3 minutes 20 seconds dictated by the roll of film. With no re-takes, no postproduction whatsoever, and with original soundtracks submitted ‘blind’, straight 8 creates a level playing field for experts and rookies alike. And what’s more no-one sees their masterpiece until its packed premiere. The best straight 8 films have been screening at Cannes Film Festival since 2003.

Now introducing the straight 8 industry shootout…

Presented by APA and in association with Creature of London, Kodak, Cinelab London, elevenfiftyfive and ourscreen, the straight 8 industry shootout is a global industry battle - a company to company showdown - to produce the best film on one un-edited Super 8 cartridge.

ALL of the films - good, bad or ugly - will be screened for the very first time ever, even to their makers, at Cinema Les Arcades in Cannes on Thursday June 23rd - it’s raw, it’s pure. it’s legendary, it’s scary.

Audience vote will decide the winner and the proceeds will go to the winning company’s charity of choice.

Only 25 places are available and each film must be an official company entry - companies must be working in the advertising industry or have a link to the festival in June. Entry fee - to form the charity pot - £350 per company.

There is no creative brief. All cameras, crews, props, locations and ideas must be sourced by entering companies.

Entry opens on April 26th 8pm UK time - first come first served. Pre-registration is essential if you want to enter and is open now at straight8.net/shootout

Ed Sayers, director, and founder of straight 8 says: “This is an amped up version of something we did in London with the APA before. It was a real success - everyone had fun and we raised a load of money for charity. We’re back this time and challenging not just London ad agencies but any agencies, production companies, tech companies, post houses, edit houses, sound houses… any companies that have a tie to Cannes in June… we’re throwing down the gauntlet and saying what can you do with no brief, no edit suite and just 50 feet of celluloid film? It’s not for the faint-hearted. We always say - if you have a straight 8 in you, we want to see it. We can’t wait till June 23rd to see what the global industry has to show!”

Steve Davies of APA comments: “We are delighted to be part of bringing the straight 8 shootout to Cannes. It is the most exciting film event because it involves film makers creating films that even they don’t see until the screening. So no one knows what the screening will reveal- and on past experience we can be confident that some will be brilliant, some will be odd, some will be dull and some will be too dark to see!- It’s a fast, exciting melange of brilliance and uncertainty.”

Creature of London co-founder, Ed Warren, says: “I've entered straight 8 twice, and what makes the competition stand out from the crowd is how the rules of the game force you to be brave, conceptual and clever - there's nothing to hide behind except the strength of your idea. We think this makes it the perfect short film competition for creative companies and so we're delighted to help re-launch the Industry Shootout.“

Key info & dates

Pre-registration essential - by April 25th latest

Entry for 1st 25 pre-registered companies opens at 8pm UK time April 26th

Entry fee £350 - proceeds to charity

Films dispatched April 28th

Exposed, un-processed films to be delivered to straight 8, London by 7pm, 1st June

Original soundtrack delivered digitally by 8th June

Screening at Cinema les Arcades, Cannes - June 23rd, morning. Ticket info to follow.

Comprehensive rules supplied after successful registration.