Straight 8 Shootout: The Nature Edition winners announced

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.

The theme was nature, a follow up to the Isolation Edition last year, and an impressive roll call of industry companies responded in their own distinct ways.

Each company that entered was allowed a single vote for their top three, not voting for their own. The winners get to donate prize money to a charity of their choice and receive an iconic camera trophy made by shootout partners, Machine Shop.

The results were equally democratic and emphatic...

Bronze went to Pulse Films with Trash Island, made in Manhattan by director Colin Read. Their charity donation goes to American Civil Liberties Union. 

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

And the Gold winner for this shootout edition was Caviar whose director Quba Tuakli made their film A Separation - about a man trying to detach from his lockdown house mate: a particularly prickly cactus. Their chosen charity: The Motherhood Group. 

Gold winner for Caviar, Quba Tuakli says: “Really grateful for this win - we were up against some great pieces I truly enjoyed watching. Personally, I read these things to learn about the process behind a film so let's do that. I knew what my film was about - a tumultuous relationship with nature - and that we had to roll into the constraints of the competition. 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. Thanks as always to Ed and Alex and the sponsors who make straight 8 possible, we will be back again for sure"