Dining and Wining  

Get those juices flowing for the Vinos


If you spent the weekend pondering the smell of petrol in your Riesling and thought to yourself, I should make a video about BC Wine, then you're in luck.

Enophiles and videographers can finally come together and fuse their passions to produce a short film about a BC winery, or anything to do with BC wine or Wine Tourism.

Three years ago, Glenn Fawcett, general manager of Blackhills Winery,  created the Vinos Wine Film Festival after he was inspired by The Big Rock Eddies, a contest and awards gala that offers Big Rock drinkers the chance to create a funny TV or print ad and earn cash prizes.

"It was so successful for beer, I thought why doesn't something like this happen for wine and that was the genesis for the Vinos."

Fawcett put his idea of the Vinos to work by spreading the word among wine lovers to create a video submission about BC Wine.

"The first year we had 210 people in attendance, we had 17 submissions and we showed them all, and the energy in the crowd was unbelievable. All the producers were there with their friends and all these curiosity seekers from around the Okanagan came to see what it was all about. "

As word spread about the Vinos, interest in the film festival grew and Fawcett expects that there will be over 450 people in attendance this year.

There are between 50 and 100 video submissions expected this year, and for those wanting to try their hand at entering, Fawcett has two words of advice.

"One, have fun. It seems when the producer is having fun and they get a topic that is funny and they are able translate it in to a story that plays out on video, then the audience will see that as fun. Second speaks to experience, especially if it is about BC Wine or tourism in the Okanagan it's something that the audience can relate too. If it is too specific, say about one specific winery or one specific wine then  it may not resonate with the audience, but if it's something broad about why you love BC Wine that is what gets the laughs. "

To submit a video for the festival, you don't have to be in the wine industry or film industry, says Fawcett. Instead, you only need access to a camera and to shoot something about BC Wine.

"In many ways it's those amateur submissions, that aren't overly processed, that really resonate with the audience and do the best."

A significant difference between the Vinos and The Big Rock Eddies according to Fawcett is that given the Eddies focuses on beer, approximately 85 per cent of the producers are men, whereas producers for the Vinos are 80 per cent women.

"They creative diversity with the submissions is just amazing the kind of sense of humour or the kind of sense of humour didn't fall into any standard formulaic approach. So it really became a fascinating film festival to watch because you are seeing such an incredible array of talent play out."

Other tips for submissions include:
    1.    Remember: An amateur video submission is just fine – it’s dreaming up a great idea that’s key.
    2.    Get inspired. Visit youtube.com/blackhillswinery and check out videos from past festivals.
    3.    Plan your production. Write a script and outline the shots you plan to include.
    4.    Grab a few friends and your video camera. They’ll all play an important part in your video - and they’ll be glad they did when you take home Vinos glory.
    5.    Edit your video. We ask that your video submission be between 1 – 2 minutes. No more, no less.

Deadline to submit: June 1, 2012

If having fun making the video wasn't enough of an award, don't worry - the Vinos have several high quality prizes.

Over $16,000 in prizes are up for grabs this year for producers of winning video submissions for the Vinos. This includes prizes in three different video categories:

The Vinos “Wine Video” Awards, presented by SUN FM radio:
    •    First Place: $5000 in cash and wine
    •    Second Place: $2000 in cash and wine
    •    Third Place: $1000 in cash and wine

The Vinos “Wine Tourism Video” Awards, presented by Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association:
    •    First Place: $5000 in cash and wine
    •    Second Place: $2000 in cash and wine
    •    Third Place: $1000 in cash and wine

The “People's Choice Video Award”, presented by Wineries Refined:
    •    $1000 in cash and wine


As an added bonus, the producers of the 15 selected finalist videos will be awarded a complimentary deluxe package for two people to the Black Hills Wine Festival. (Includes 2 night’s hotel accommodation in Osoyoos, 2 tickets to the Vinos Festival party, and 2 tickets to the Nota Bene Release Party at Black Hills Estate Winery.)

For further information: Visit the Black Hills Estate Winery wine shop, call the winery at (250) 498-0666, or visit the website: www.blackhillswinery.com.

Check out one of last year's submissions that caught the judges eye and laughs from the audience.

 



More Dining and Wining articles