Podtalk: Megan Marie Connolly on ‘Straight 8 Says Hello Chicago!’ on Jan. 26, 2018

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CHICAGO – A very unique film event will take place on Friday, January 26th, 2018. The “Straight 8 Says Hello Chicago!” presentation is designed to introduce Chicago filmmakers and other interested participants to the Straight 8 film competition. The program will be an exhibition of films from that global contest, including one (“Bedhead”) from Chicagoan Megan Marie Connolly, who went to London as a finalist. Connolly is producing “Straight 8 Says Hello Chicago!” with Eliaz Rodriguez, in association with Straight 8 and IFP Chicago.

Straight 8 Says Hello to Chicago
Photo credit: Event Poster

Straight 8 is an international film competition utilizing Super 8, the old home movie format. The unexposed film comes in a cartridge which snaps into the camera, and yields about three-plus minutes of movie time. The idea is to use the entire cartridge to make a film with no retakes, editing or film correction. Contestants then send the cartridge to London, with an accompanying soundtrack, where they are synched up for exhibition. Winners of the competition are shown at the Cannes Film Festival.

Megan Marie Connolly, as a finalist in the contest, noted there weren’t many other participants from Chicago. She, with co-producer Eliaz Rodriguez, will use the evening to introduce the audience to the possibilities of the contest, by showing them some example entries, including “Bedhead.” Rodriguez even shot a film using the Straight 8 rules (“The Big Slip”), and will premiere it at the event. The evening with be moderated by Ry Jagiello of the podcast Cinema Jaw.

In the following Podtalk, Megan Marie Connolly talks about “Straight 8 Says Hello to Chicago!” and her experience as participant in the competition.

By PATRICK McDONALD Writer, Editorial Coordinator HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com