In cinemas from September, Super Nature includes Super 8 footage from contributors in 25 countries, including many from the Straight 8 community as well as conservationists, biologists and activists. The film weaves their personal observations, and director Ed Sayers own vignettes, into a stunning visual tapestry that celebrates Earth’s raw beauty.
Outdoor Photography Firstly, congratulations on creating such a powerful and immersive film. Can you tell us how it came about?
Ed Sayers Thank you from our big team! An 80-year-old entrant to ‘straight 8’, the Super 8 filmmaking contest I started in 1999, regularly submitted stunning short films of nature local to him in France. One moment featuring a flamingo was the jolt of inspiration. I thought, there’s something special about showcasing nature this way, could it be a feature film?
OP Ed, you are a long-time lover of the Super 8 format. What makes it special?
ES Super 8 is the same Kodak emulsion used on big features like Odyssey, only the film is a fraction of the width. So, the grain is gorgeously accentuated and makes for a beguiling, impressionistic image. I think that makes you lean in to discover the image and engage more. All the saturation, flares, dust and so-called imperfections add to the experience.
OP What are the biggest challenges of shooting Super 8 film?
ES It’s a different discipline. You’ve no way to check what you’ve just shot, you eye your subject directly, not via a screen. This can offer an even more joyful immersion because you’re being mindful about when to roll film, so you study the subject and environment even more, which can deepen that connection.
OP Super Nature highlights the devastating effects of climate change and humanity’s impact on the planet. Did you expect the film to have such a strong environmental angle from the outset?
Becca Wolff We knew the film should speak to the state of our world. We had a feeling that we could tell the story of all the wonder we’re fighting for and, inevitably, what we’re fighting against had to come into it to show the whole picture.
ES We gave the community autonomy to tell the stories they wanted to, and of course that included concerns in many cases.
OP There are also many tales of hope in the film…
BW This was key to us. We were aware people feel huge amounts of overwhelm and we wanted to tell stories of hope while also reminding people of all the beauty in the world if we just look for it. For us, hope is a radical act.
OP You must have been awe-inspired when you received the reels of film from the contributors. What were the greatest surprises?
BW One of my favourites was Imin Beng’s work with the Indonesian indigenous people, the Bajau Laut. He was not a photographer or filmmaker, but when we got the footage back from Cinelab London it was filmed with such understanding and care for the Bajau way of life. Imin really knocked it out of the park!
OP Has the process of making the film strengthened your own connection to nature?
ES It was transformative to say the least. It’s made me think so much more about what we are and how we act. I notice much more than I ever did before.
BW I’ve always had a very strong connection to nature, but what the process of making this film opened my eyes to is the incredible power of community.
OP Super Nature is your first feature film, Ed. Do you plan to make more?
ES I hope to for sure. Whether there will be a follow up to Super Nature remains to be seen, but people are already asking us about that! And I want to keep exploring our place within nature in different ways within film. Watch this space.
Find out more about Super Nature here.