National Gypsum // PURPLE
– Lights, Camera, SoundBreak! –
Our team spends a lot of time on sets where every detail is staged in preparation for our shoots, and we frequently work with professional actors and prop stylists. When we arrived in a real-life client basement to document the construction of a home movie theater this past February, the crew was very different. The stars of this show were a group of very talented contractors walking around on 3’ stilts, holding up 80-pound drywall boards as they fastened them to the walls and ceiling. Working in tandem with Joyride Productions’ motion team, we captured the journey from studs to sound-insulated theater.
One of the products we featured was SoundBreak XP, a specialized kind of moisture-resistant drywall that dampens sound. Perfect for a home theater setup! SoundBreak XP is part of the PURPLE product line from National Gypsum, one of the largest producers of gypsum board in the world. They’re headquartered in Charlotte, so there was a lot of NC pride on that set. We shot a series of advertising images with creative compositions and angles, alongside a group of straightforward step-by-step installation photos for HomeDepot.com.
I’ve spent years working in male-dominated industries, and I always appreciate a client who’s excited to change up the ratio and support a female storyteller’s POV. I was the only woman on set during our first day of work together—and also the only Spanish speaker, which came in handy when the client asked me to interview our bilingual contractors for a Spanish website as well. The contractors were really patient with us, and it was a treat to learn about some of their specialized techniques.
One challenging aspect of working in a home construction zone: lots of dust! We took extra measures to protect our gear and keep it pristine. The effort was well worth it when our seasoned contractors were able to shine in front of the camera and share their skills with the world.
