Casting for Chris and becoming Paul 2015

The Story of Casting for Chris and becoming Paul 2014 In August 2015 I was sitting at my office, the Hinterhofkabuff, when I saw people outside. I walked out and asked if I could help. It turned out I could.

They were filmmakers wanting to make a wine/farming based big screen South African film and were looking for a farm suitable as a location. I like having a bit of fun and doing different things from time to time so I decided to show them my winery. They liked it. But I wanted to read the script before I commit. So I did, and the wine parts were all based on this fascinating wine made from a block of Pinotage grapes grown on the family farm. At the moment, in the premium wine market, South African Chenin blanc made from very old vines are the most talked about subject. Some claim we are making the best Chenin blanc wines in the world. So I suggested they change the Pinotage theme to the old vine Chenin theme. At first they could not understand how a white could be as cool as a red. So I took them into my winery and to a batch of wine ageing in barrel. It’s from a vineyard in Darling, 100% Chenin, the oldest in the winery. They loved it! So I went home that weekend with the script. I made changes to all the wine related scenes in the film, which they approved. I then told them that I would agree to them using my cellar under one condition: if I could do a casting for one of the roles in the film. They didn't have to choose me, but I just wanted to go for a casting. Something to tick off my bucket list. So I studied the role of a guy called Chris, the winemaker. 2 Weeks later I went for the audition and OH MY WORD, it was soooo embarrassing. Acting is a massive skill/art. Like everything done by experts, they make it look so easy.

So I obviously did not get the role and I was so relieved. BUT, a week later they phoned me and asked if I would mind playing a very small role at the very end of the film. The role of Paul, a buyer who buys wine from the Chris guy. It is in the very last scene of the movie, the scene that shows that the farm is making a massive success of the old vine Chenin and that the market is responding well. I would be the guy to say the last words in the film. After playing my role, I bottled the Darling Chenin. The wine that inspired a movie: Casting for Chris and Becoming Paul 2014. This is the second vintage, the 2015. A bit more restraint, lean and mineral than the 2014. I think a step up from the 2014.