+ 1. commit to the challenge

straight 8 is a challenge - not a regular film festival - you're going to make a new film as your straight 8 entry.

confirm your place by clicking the enter button below. early-bird places are cheaper - but have an earlier deadline to get your exposed film reel to london.

there are limited places for each deadline, so grab the one you want asap. film delivery deadline for super early bird, early bird, and regular entry places can be extended by request for £25 per additional month, up to march 21st. march 21st is the final delivery deadline and no places can be extended beyond this.

once you've paid the entry fee, there’s no backing out - and that's a good thing. straight 8 is about committing. and doing.

+ 2. get your unique entry number to include in your first shot

you’ll immediately receive an email explaining how to set up your entry portal for use throughout the competition.

this guides you through the full rules and is how you get your all-important entry number which you must include visually in the first shot of your film. it's essential as it’s how we know the film was made for this edition.

you now have everything you need to start right away, no matter where in the world you are and even if we’re asleep! you’ll also now find yourself added automatically to our annual entry map which you can see below

+ 3. idea, idea, idea. get your idea together

with straight 8 you make the film you want to make.

no prompts, themes, genres, or random mandates.
some people have their idea before they enter, others like to feel the heat first. either way, ask yourself: what do you want to say? what do you want to make an audience think and feel? what can you achieve in a little over 3 minutes of storytelling?

+ 4. now plan your shoot

source everything you need to turn your idea into on screen magic:

your cast, your crew, your location, your props, your catering… not forgetting your camera and one new roll of *super 8 colour negative* film which you can buy from us, or from elsewhere.

NB. the only film type you can use for straight 8 2023 is super 8 colour negative. so that’s 50D, 250D, 200T or 500T. don’t use anything else! and find out the differences here

+ 5. shoot while you create your final edit

you make your entire film by shooting in story order without re-takes on that one roll of super 8. and it doesn’t record sound - so that comes later.

plan for your film to work in about 3 minutes 10 seconds or less. that's how much one cartridge of super 8 will safely allow you (we scan at 18 frames per second). when you reach the end of the cartridge, your visuals are done! no messing about or changing your mind. you want a pink sky? use a filter in front of the camera. you want a title? make a physical one and shoot it. want some special effects? find out the clever in-camera ways. there is absolutely no opportunity to edit or grade or do post-production of any kind. because…

+ 6. we process your film - you don't get to see it yet

you send your exposed and un-processed super 8 cartridge to london for processing.

it must arrive at cinelab film & digital in london by the film delivery deadline you selected on entry. you use your straight 8 entry portal to organise and track this. and that’s the last you see of your film for now.
in the meantime…

+ 7. make your original soundtrack 'blind'

you make a completely original soundtrack without having seen your film. sounds simple enough, right?! remember sound is half the picture!

you upload your soundtrack file via your entry portal, by 7 days after your film delivery deadline. it must be original: free of copyrighted music, samples, and effects

your film must have a soundtrack. but this doesn’t need to include dialogue, and does not need to be in english. if there are any words in your film, whatever the language, you also need to upload a set of subtitles (in english) that match your soundtrack

then there’s nothing more to do except…

+ 8. sit back and relax - if you can

you did it! well done!! now wait and find out if your film is selected.

if it makes our selections you will see it for the very first time - along with an audience - at its premiere. this means our pre-selectors loved it, then we included it in our top 25 selection from which our jury selects the top 8 selection.

• the best 8 films will premiere at our epic cannes film festival screening: after a three year break, we’re back!

• the full top 25 selection, including the 8 fresh from cannes, will have its cinema premiere in london the following week.

and even if your film is not selected it’s not the end of the world. the standard is so high now that some films that didn’t make our selections have gone on to make it into other film festivals up against films that have been made the traditional way… with editing and everything.

everyone will get a pro-res of their synch’d film a few weeks after our public premieres. plus we offer feedback if you want it, if not selected. let us know if you know any other festivals or competitions that offer that!