The film should tell the story of the product, but what of the story of how it came about… and Simon’s ongoing involvement in it!
Dr Grace Horn is in the house charging 50p an inch! And so the story goes. Hathersage Social Club was our restaurant, bar and mini-cinema in the Peak District, between Sheffield and Manchester. Our chef knives took a hammering, so we were fortunate to have renowned blade-maker, Grace, as a friend. She’d exchange a bite to eat and a drink for a knife shaping. She’d set up in the corner of the restaurant with her wet stone machine and happily hone our knives to a razor blade sharpness whist catching up on local news. She’d sharpen the knives for people in the village too.
Nicola was a sous chef in the kitchen and she’d run a sweepstake on who would cut themselves first with our newly sharpened knives. Nicola had that kind of observant eye. She has a PhD as well as being a great chef and taught product design at the Open University between shifts.
Simon, the head chef, would invariably be the first to curse and reach for a plaster. As was tradition in the kitchen between shifts and to dull the throbbing pain of a deep out, drinks would be summoned from the bar. Simon is a whisky drinker and had assembled an impressive collation of Islay malts.
When the Club era came to a close and Simon sold the business, he found herself renting a house up on Islay just a few hundred yards from the Bruichladdich distillery. Frequently… ok daily… there’d be a visit to the tasting table (bar) to improve his knowledge of single malts but it also got him thinking about the occasion and process of pouring the perfect dram.
Why does no one, even a great distiller, not celebrate the pouring process. If Cuban cigar connoisseurs will invest in the very best cutters (£50,000 for the “Dragon Cutter” by Xikar) to enhance the occasion of smoking their cigar, why wouldn’t whisky aficionados not want to do something similar with their pouring experience? And so the idea behind Sruť was gestated… Simon, Nicola and Grace set to.
In addition to Simon being the original innovator and one of the 3 founders of the product, he brought his product development knowledge through CouthWürstlin to deliver a marketing plan that would reveal something that no one knows about and no one needs…but for the right person they’ll really want one!
A story worth telling well involves bringing together brilliant creatives. Logo design and art work from the super talented Anete. Creative vision and art direction from the inspiring Kitty. Cinematic alchemy from Deryn at GRIT and finally the amazingly multitalented Tom at Yeah Right who’s finalising the website as we speak! Watch this space.