Is it possible to speed up the process slightly, say to 8 hrs?

A recent Smitten Kitchen post addresses this issue - I found it quite helpful.

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/10/lazy-pizza-dough-favorite-margarita-pizza/

When I want to ensure that the place I'm proofing dough is warm but not too warm, I put about an inch of water in the bottom of a small dish, them microwave it for about four minutes -- plenty of time to let it heat up and steam up the inside of the microwave. Then I quickly put my covered bowl in the microwave, and shut the door. I've never had to do this for such a long rise, but if I did, I'd check on it and repeat the process every hour or two. Another advantage of the microwave is that the environment is guaranteed to be free of drafts. Would be interested to hear how this turns out. Oh, one other thing: I would add a tablespoon or so of rye flour to the dough (actually I'd replace 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour with rye flour), to give the dough a bit more flavor. The key disadvantage of shortening a rise like this is that the dough won't taste as good, due to the abbreviated fermentation. (Rye flour ferments very quickly, giving the dough a more complex flavor.) ;o)

If you increase the yeast a bit (say to 1/2 or 3/4 teaspoon), it will move faster. How fast will depend on how warm the room is, so you can also speed it up by putting it in a warmer place.