Written by Shona Smith on May 12, 2021. Posted in Awards and Festivals

Caviar, The Producers and Pulse Films win straight 8 shootout

The shootout had a nature theme, following up after the Isolation Edition in 2020. Competing companies included Agile Films, Caviar, Dog Eat Dog, Familia, Gear Room, Groundglass, Iris Worldwide, The Lift, Mullen Lowe, Pitch and Sync, Presence, Prodigious, The Producers, Pulse Films and Yolafilmo.

Fifteen 2.5 minute short films, each made with one roll of Super 8mm film and no post-production, live-streamed on April 29th in the latest straight 8 Shootout. Caviar, The Producers and Pulse Films were named winners after company was allowed a single vote for their top three, not voting for their own.

Bronze went to Pulse Films Trash Island made in Manhattan, New York by director Colin Read who chose to donate to American Civil Liberties Union.

Silver went to The producers in Melbourne, Australia for The Pros and Cons of Bob directed by Cameron March. Charity donation goes to Beyond Blue.

The Gold winner was Caviar, directed by Quba Tuakli for the film A separation, about a man trying to detach from his lockdown housemate: a prickly cactus. Their chosen charity is The Motherhood Group.

Tuakli explained the thought process behind his winning piece “A straight 8 film has a few certainties - at times it's going to be out of focus, out of sync, underexposed and frankly, some of the takes are going to be a bit shit. Great, so it's a comedy. About nature. Night Of The Living Dead and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace inspired the film's feel - and yes, Night Of The Living Dead has matured into a comedy. The biggest challenge was exercising economic storytelling. Once that was nailed in the storyboard and animatic, it was down to John Fisher our DOP to sweat over every frame he exposed on the day. Shout out to the Team, you guys killed it and forgave me on day one when I forgot the film at home”.

Georgie MacEchern, Head of Sales & PR at Caviar says: “It's always a great pleasure to be a part of and support straight 8. Every time, I'm amazed by the creativity and levels of films entered. We are so proud of Quba who is one of Caviar's exciting rising stars in London, as well as the whole team involved on their well deserved gold win this time”

This years shootout was the second with a theme. Ed Sayers, straight 8 Founder says “This shootout was a particularly strong turnout. Technically the films were great across the board, with strong concepts too. This is the second shootout that’s had a theme and, perhaps understandably, our industry seems to love to respond to a brief, no matter how loose!”

The live show is available to watch and straight 8 is now accepting enquiries for 20 more brave companies to compete in the next shootout. All at: straight8.net/shootout-nature-edition.