One idea, one chance: why straight 8 Shootout is a pillar of creativity

Two weeks ago, on the last day of the 2022 Cannes Lions, 21 companies nervously sat down in Screen 1 at Cinema les Arcades to watch and vote for a series of super 8 films.

These films formed this year’s line up of the notorious straight 8 Shootout, the annual competition with a simple challenge: to make a two-and-a-half-minute short film created entirely in-camera on just one cartridge of super 8mm film. 

The nerves and excitement [are] all bundled together in a stomach-churning-butterfly-fest.

To increase the pressure further, there are no retakes, external edits or grade, in fact no post production at all. And the first time you see your film is on the big screen along with your fellow competitors and a packed auditorium. There‘s nothing quite like it; the nerves and excitement all bundled together in a stomach-churning-butterfly-fest.

Above: Iris's Silver-winning film from the 2022 Shootout in Cannes, Commercial Break. 

What may sound like a creative department’s worst nightmare is actually one of the highlights of Cannes. At Iris, this is absolutely the case. We are staunch Shootout fans, having entered nine times, and have been lucky enough to take home one Gold and two Silvers, with one of the Silver’s being brought home this year for our film Commercial Break, a satirical take on our ability as an industry to bury our heads in the sand when it comes to the climate crisis.

Coming together to bring to life an idea that can come from anyone and anywhere pushes us to think beyond our usual client briefs.

As I see it, against a backdrop of Lions and Grands Prix, straight 8 has become an opportunity for agencies and brands alike to put aside the politics and hefty awards budgets and create something that isn’t for a jury, but for the entrants themselves, who vote for their favourites. Going back to basics is a way for entire companies to take the shackles off and get back to the importance of a creative idea.

Above: This year's Gold-winning Cannes Shootout film, from Work Editorial, The Moove.

Bursting open creativity

Having entered straight 8 many times it has given myself, and Iris as a whole, a lot more empathy for the creative process. There are many moving parts that go into creating something - from designers to production to scripts to sound - and with Shootout requiring all facets of an agency to work together, a feeling of appreciation for all crafts is shared between us. Production and creatives really do great work when we come together, especially when faced with budget challenges! 

For young creatives coming through the pipeline, this kind of experience is truly invaluable.

It’s also a really wonderful, uniting force. The idea of coming together to bring to life an idea that can come from anyone and anywhere pushes us to think beyond our usual client briefs and build something that reminds us of why we do what we do. 

For young creatives coming through the pipeline in particular, this kind of experience is truly invaluable. It teaches you the basics of our craft and the importance of an idea over the medium of delivery. And, for us seasoned pros, it’s a useful reminder to champion efficiency and recreate the kind of spirit we feel during the process in our daily work.

Above: The Bronze prizewinner from Cannes' straight 8 Shootout 2022, Date Dreaming, from VCCP.

Creativity as a uniter and problem-solver

Whilst not directly related to Cannes Lions itself, straight 8 has become a reflection of the culture that has been forged at the fringes of the event. Cannes has become synonymous with creativity itself, and has allowed competitions like straight 8 Shootout to thrive symbiotically alongside the main awards, and both have their place front and centre of every trophy cabinet. 

As we go back to our regularly scheduled creative meetings, let’s bring the energy of Shootout with us to tackle the challenges we face.

As we go back to our regularly scheduled creative meetings, let’s bring the energy of Shootout with us to tackle the challenges we face. From the climate crisis to social parity, creativity must be at the heart of everything we do. After all, every solution to a problem starts with a small creative idea and is often the result of many perspectives, not a few.

And, if we do embrace the fun and fear of straight 8, the rewards will be plenty. As my fantastic Iris colleagues Héctor Ojea Pereiro and Isabel Rodríguez Albarrán put it: “The moment you see your film on screen, and it’s not pitch black, you’ve won.