Date
March 13, 2026
Client
Universal Furniture
Category
Brand Story
Location
High Point, North Carolina
- about the project
Background
- Initial Consultation
- Concept Development
- Pre-Production Planning
Benchmade furniture is rooted in old‑world craftsmanship: historically, a single artisan or a small team hand‑hewed and finished each piece using techniques such as dovetail joints and mortise‑and‑tenon construction. This attention to detail creates durable, heirloom‑quality pieces that stand apart from mass‑produced furniture.
In 2026 Universal Furniture opened a 200,000‑square‑foot upholstery facility in Hildebran, North Carolina, replacing its former plant in Conover. The new site gives the company a larger, more efficient and technologically advanced home for its upholstery business. Universal has positioned its North‑Carolina‑built upholstery as a core growth engine, expanding made‑to‑order capabilities while balancing craft tradition with operational efficiency.
The new local facility provides expanded customization options for retailers and designers while continuing to ground furniture in the benchmade point of view.
Challenge
Universal’s theme for 2026 is “Elevate”, and the company wanted to tell a story about craftsmanship and community. The move to the new Hildebran plant offered the perfect backdrop to introduce (or re-introduce) designers and consumers to Universal’s benchmade process: handcrafted upholstery with rich fabrics and strong frames. The marketing team needed a film that would:
- Explain what benchmade upholstery is and why handcrafted quality matters.
- Showcase the new facility’s efficiency improvements and employee‑centric amenities—without framing the move as pure scaling.
- Capture the theme of “Elevate” by highlighting artistry, innovation and the sense of community among craftspeople.
- Initial Consultation
- Concept Development
- Pre-Production Planning
- what we do
Solution
Gorilla King Media partnered with Universal Furniture to produce a cinematic announcement video and supplementary assets. Our approach included:
- Dual‑purpose filming: Over several days we captured interviews with executives and artisans plus extensive B‑roll on the shop floor. From this footage we produced a main consumer‑facing film and a recruitment video to attract skilled craftspeople to the new facility. We also delivered short cut‑downs for social media and an announcement clip for Universal’s press release.
- Authentic visuals: The warehouse was fully operational, with bright overhead lighting. Rather than fight the environment, we leaned into realism, selecting camera angles that created shape and depth while embracing the ambient light. Our footage places viewers “right there” with the artisans, avoiding excessive polish to preserve the story’s authenticity.
- Storytelling & message: Interviews explained how benchmade upholstery differs from mass production—emphasising that each piece is handcrafted by skilled workers. Cutaway shots revealed details such as hand‑sewn seams, dovetail joints and careful frame assembly. Authentic interviews reinforced key themes like benchmade quality, made‑to‑order customization and the new facility’s employee amenities.
- the result
Video finalization
Premiering at the 2026 High Point Market, the film highlighted Universal’s commitment to both operational efficiency and artisanal quality. It reinforced the company’s “benchmade in North Carolina” message and supported recruiting by showing the facility’s upgraded workspaces and on‑site healthcare suite. The dual‑purpose content demonstrated Gorilla King Media’s ability to turn a facility move into a compelling brand story that resonates with consumers and potential employees.
- Quality Assurance
- Color Grading
- Final Cut Approval
