Capturing wine on film is always a challenge, but Dan James hopes he has allowed winemakers to tell the story of what was an eventful 2016 wine harvest in the southern hemisphere.
Dan James: I wanna tell you a story…a story about wine…
If you were doing an elevator pitch what is the film Vintage Sixteen all about?
Winemakers from across the world tell a story about the passion, hard work and fun involved in delivering the 2016 wine harvest. Some of the best winemakers in the world are featured from across Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Chile who explain the challenges and what is involved behind the scenes. The film features some spectacular footage in some incredible vineyards getting the audience up close to both the grape picking and inside the wineries.
Why did you decide to make it?
I have been interested in wine and the complexity of the subject for a while and you often read about the annual vintages and how they differ. I am a fan of some wine films but thought I had never really seen a film which put itself in the heart of the harvest and makes it feel like you are there up close. One evening I was looking at a glass of wine and the curiosity got the better of me. Just like that the 18 month journey started and here we are with a film.
Why the southern and not northern hemisphere?
It was more to do with my wife really who was pregnant and we took our toddler so it was more about the time available. I spent five months filming but they went home a little earlier so it was impossible to include the northern hemisphere just through practicalities. Maybe the sequel does the north lol.
How did you go about filming and choosing which regions/producers to film?
I put together a fairly detailed logistics plan and left gaps for some spontaneous visits. I based it on trying to see as many regions as we could with the available time and chose producers on a number of crtieria. Some I wanted to visit because I liked the wine, others through good articles we had read, others through the aesthetics of their location and then some great places popped up by recommendation of people as we continued the journey.
It became a fluid venture though and one of my favourite sequences in the film is homemade winemaker Guy Hooper who I bumped into quite randomly in Chile. Filming wise I did everything myself and became expert in using natural light while hunting for good vineyard views while also trying to manage the sound recording and battling the wind and other sounds. It was tough all wineries seem to hum, maybe it is the grapes singing as they ferment?
Who is the film aimed at? Professionals/wine enthusiasts or general film goers?
I think we are about to find this out the same as you. Few people have seen it yet and at this stage we have come so close to the film it is hard for us to judge. From the few people who have seen it some are saying it is more artistic than documentary yet very watchable so we will see. It is not about malolactic fermentation it is about the passion of the people involved and the beauty of the land. I found it inspiring as a theme comes through about the dedication to hard work and perfection involved. I hope it is enjoyed by both professionals and enthusiasts but only time will tell on that one.
Anything that particularly surprised or inspired you about making the film?
I loved how friendly people were around the world and how so many of them care about the environment. Despite the obvious competition involved in the wine business I also felt most people had a strong respect for each other and for the job. There had been fires in South Africa and some places had been almost wiped out. I felt other winemakers were genuinely saddened by this and I don’t think you would find that sort of camaraderie in every industry.
Is there going to be a follow up film with the northern hemisphere?
I would love to do this but have some other projects in mind and I have some other ideas about a further wine film which would have a different focus and theme.
You screened it at the London Wine Fair. How else can I get to see it?
The Curzon in Bloomsbury London is a dream venue for the official premiere of the film
The London Wine Fair was a private feedback screening for trade and journalists. But we showing the film as a Premiere at the Curzon theatre in Bloomsbury on June 9 where we have tickets on sale. This is the real test as they have an advanced Dolby stereo system so our sound mix has been made for this and it is where the film will really come alive. Beyond that we are putting a schedule together for the summer which will involve some film festivals across the globe and a UK mini tour of select cinemas and we are looking at putting together some screenings at some unique locations.
What is your own background and interest in wine?
I am an event director by trade but have made home movies for many years. This was the film idea that encouraged me to step up and make a film for public viewing. I had the interest as I have a small wine collection but mostly for drinking. I thought maybe other people similar to me would enjoy such a film. I did the WSET level 2 before leaving and set a target of putting a list together of my favourite 80 wines tasted. This really increased my knowledge and experience of the regions and intensified my thirst for finding super value wines.
Any particular classic wine moments in film that stand out or films about wine you like?
It might have been fiction but Sideways is seen as the classic wine film
I wanted to transfer the passion of some of these winemakers to the screen. There are a few clips in the interview sequences which for me do that however I guess that will be a personal thing. I created a slow motion sequence of people working and we have combined that with a very emotional piece of music. It sums it up for me. The scale of it, the effort and the focus on perfection its there on the screen but as for classic moments that will be for others and the audience to decide.
I of course love Sideways and thought the Somm film was a fabulous documentary. My film is like neither and is more observation and visually led than narrative but with so much going on in wine there is sure to be another wine story just down the road.
- Vintage Sixteen is a 45 minute documentary film about the 2016 southern hemisphere wine harvest. Winemakers from across the world tell a story about the passion and hard work involved in delivering the 2016 wine harvest. Some of the best winemakers in the world are featured from across Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and Argentina. In total Dan James conducted 40 winemaker interviews between February and May 2016. You can see the film for yourself at London’s Curzon cinema at 4pm on June 9.