Case studies: Straight 8 Industry Engagement

Name: Hereford College of Arts
Price range: $

From Hereford to Cannes, through Straight 8, HCA creates extraordinary opportunities that prepare students for careers in the creative industries.

Straight 8 is more than a filmmaking competition – it’s a gateway to the creative industries. Students at Hereford College of Arts worked within the unique constraints of analogue Super 8 filmmaking to create an original two minute super 8 film that premiered at Cannes and London's Prince Charles Cinema.

With support from Oscar winning alumni James Price, to create a two-and-a-half-minute film with no editing or retakes before seeing their work premiere at the distinguished Cannes Film Festival (France) and later at London's eminent Prince Charles Cinema.

The project brought together students from Digital Content Creation, Popular Music, Performing Arts, and Photography, challenging them to collaborate across disciplines, solve problems creatively and work to professional standards under real production pressures. Alongside technical filmmaking skills, students developed leadership, communication, planning, project management and professional confidence.

Most importantly, the project connected students directly with industry. Through Straight 8 they met filmmakers, creative agencies including Born Social and Salt, and strengthened relationships with organisations including Eastnor Castle and The Courtyard. Students gained valuable insight into career pathways, with some encouraged to apply for graduate training opportunities.

Straight 8 demonstrates HCA's approach to industry engagement: authentic, collaborative experiences that place students alongside industry professionals rather than simply learning about them.

Straight 8 isn't just one industry partner—it's a gateway to lots of them.
Nicholas Stevenson

It levels the playing field for our students.
Nicholas Stevenson

Students are standing alongside industry professionals.
Nicholas Stevenson

It's the networking under the guise of a creative challenge.
Nicholas Stevenson

Seeing their film at Cannes makes careers feel accessible.
Nicholas Stevenson

It's much more than a competition.
Nicholas Stevenson

The project brought multiple courses together around one creative challenge.
Nicholas Stevenson

Students learned under genuine production pressure.
Nicholas Stevenson

The relationships we've built are only just beginning.
Nicholas Stevenson

This is the kind of story we can tell prospective students.
Nicholas Stevenson

Quick Details

Industry Partner	Straight 8 (with collaboration from Eastnor Castle, The Courtyard, Born Social and Salt)
Course	BA (Hons) Digital Content Creation, BA (Hons) Photography, BA (Hons) Music & BA (Hons) Performing Arts
Industry Engagement Type	International Competition
Partnership Length	under 1 year
Project Type	International filmmaking competition and industry collaboration

Industry Partner	Course	Industry Engagement Type	Partnership Length	Project Type
Straight 8 (with collaboration from Eastnor Castle, The Courtyard, Born Social and Salt)	BA (Hons) Digital Content Creation, BA (Hons) Photography, BA (Hons) Music & BA (Hons) Performing Arts	International Competition	under 1 year	International filmmaking competition and industry collaboration

Project Themes

Analogue filmmaking
Creative storytelling
Cross-disciplinary collaboration
Professional networking
Film production

Students Develop

Filmmaking and directing
Production planning
Storyboarding
Creative problem-solving
Teamwork and collaboration
Leadership
Professional networking
Project management
Confidence and resilience
Portfolio development

Professional Context

International filmmaking competition
Cannes Film Festival premiere (France)
Prince Charles Cinema screening (London)
Live industry networking
Cross-course collaboration (Film, Music and Photography)
Professional creative agencies and cultural partners
Authentic production constraints (Super 8 film, no retakes or editing)
Gateway to long-term industry relationships

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