Behind the Scenes: Crafting Dwyer Marble & Stone's Brand Promise
- Chris Gagnon
- Dec 16, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 17, 2025
When Dwyer Marble & Stone approached us to create their brand manifesto film, we knew this wasn't just another corporate video project- this was about capturing three decades of legacy and vision for the next thirty years.
A Vision Driven by Remarkable Leadership
What made this shoot truly special was Dwyer's marketing team. They arrived with a crystal-clear vision: a cinematic celebration of craftsmanship, materials, and the people who transform raw stone into extraordinary spaces. Their manifesto wasn't just words on a page- it was a philosophy that deserved to be seen, felt, and experienced.
"At Dwyer we believe that every surface has a story to tell, a legacy to uphold, and a future to inspire."
That opening line set the tone for everything that followed.
Preparation Meets Opportunity
A few days before the shoot, we walked through Dwyer's Farmington Hills campus with their team, scouting locations and planning our approach. The challenge? Capturing the monumental scale of their operation, the intimate beauty of premium stone, and the human element that ties it all together- all in a half-day shoot.
We showed up ready: the Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 12K LF Camera in hand, a dream to shoot some truly sexy marble shots, and a detailed shot list that would take us from the showroom gallery to the warehouse, from macro details to sweeping drone perspectives.
The Beauty of Stone Through Glass
There's something almost sensual about capturing stone on camera. The way light plays across marble veins. The texture revealed in ultra-close macro shots. The weight and presence of slabs suspended by warehouse cranes. We moved through Dwyer's spaces with intentionality- every frame designed to reflect their belief that surfaces tell stories.
In the gallery, we positioned three people examining slabs together, their gestures deliberate, the interaction authentic. The "candy aisle"- Aisle 8, as the team calls it- became a cathedral of material possibility under our drone's perspective.
Elevating the Everyday
One of the shoot's highlights was transforming routine warehouse operations into cinematic moments. Watching staff raise and lower slabs onto display stands became a choreographed dance of precision and care. The crane lifting inventory wasn't just logistics- it was the physical manifestation of Dwyer's promise to be "the bridge between raw and refined." We recruited team members throughout the campus to bring authenticity to key scenes: a group consultation in the showroom, examining stone samples together with the kind of focused attention that turns selection into collaboration.
Every person we filmed understood they were representing something larger than their individual role- they were part of Dwyer's story of transformation.
Finding the Perfect Voice
The visuals were stunning, but the manifesto itself demanded a voice that could match its gravitas. We found an exceptional voice artist and coached him toward what we internally called "the National Geographic sound"- that distinctive blend of warmth, authority, and wonder that makes you lean in and listen.
"We draw our inspiration from the earth's treasures- the rich layers of texture, the intricate veins of marble, the weight of the ages captured in stone and beauty perfected by nature."
His delivery didn't just read the words; it brought them to life with the reverence they deserved.
The Technical Details That Matter
Cameras: The Black Magic Cinema Camera 6k and the Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 12K LF Camera captured stunning detail in both macro and wide shots
Aerial Coverage: Drone footage provided those cathedral-like warehouse perspectives and campus establishing shots
Lighting: Dramatic warehouse lighting emphasized the monumental scale of inventory
Post-Production: Four days of editing, color correction, and sound design to create a polished final product
The drone work was particularly crucial- flying between towering rows of marble and granite, creating those sweeping perspectives that emphasized not just the scale of Dwyer's operation, but the thoughtfulness of how they organize and present materials.
A Film for the Next 30 Years
The result is more than a brand video. It's a declaration. A visual manifesto that positions Dwyer not as they've been, but as they're becoming. The film moves from intimate material shots to human connection to future vision- 90 seconds that somehow contain three decades of history and unlimited forward momentum.
What's Next
This brand film is just the beginning of our partnership with Dwyer. We're already in development on several exciting projects:
Envi Evolves: A bold reveal of new quartz colors featuring precision turntable shots and photorealistic 3D environments
Product-specific campaigns showcasing real-world installations
Educational content for their vendor training curriculum
Working with a client who understands the power of visual storytelling, who invests in getting it right, and who trusts creative partners to execute their vision- that's when magic happens.
The Power of Partnership
What made this shoot successful was the collaboration. Dwyer's team knew exactly what story they wanted to tell. They'd done the hard work of articulating their values, their differentiators, their future vision. Our job was to translate that clarity into images and moments that would resonate emotionally while communicating strategically.
Half a day of shooting. Days of preparation. A manifesto decades in the making. The result?
A film that truly captures who Dwyer Marble & Stone is and who they will be for the next thirty years.
We can't wait to see where this partnership takes us next.
Ready to tell your brand's story with cinematic impact?
Whether you're celebrating a milestone, launching a new product, or articulating your company's vision for the future, Sidelight Studio brings the technical expertise and creative partnership to make it unforgettable.
Sidelight Studio: Where craftsmanship meets storytelling.
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