During the September 2025 marketing review call, Quarra Stone and Asymmetric discussed a potential cinematic video production project with The Local Project, an Australian-based design and architecture media company with approximately 1.5 million Instagram followers. The proposal surfaced from a prior meeting Lincoln Durham had with a representative from the publication, where Quarra's website and the JP Morgan project were discussed.
The conversation was exploratory — no decision was made — but it surfaced important strategic questions about ROI, timing, and production logistics that should inform any future commitment.
See also: [1] | [2]
The Local Project proposed two potential video concepts:
These would be cinematic, narrative-driven productions in the style of the YouTube examples shared by the publication's representative.
Estimated cost: $15,000–$30,000 USD, excluding travel
The Local Project has a New York office, which would reduce (but not eliminate) travel overhead for US-based shoots. Any Italy component would carry significant additional travel cost.
Mark Hope raised the central question directly: is this a strategic investment or a vanity project?
"You have to think about projects like that — is this kind of a vanity thing? Are we doing it because it makes me feel good? Or is it actually going to do something for us?"
Arguments for the investment:
- The Local Project has 1.5M Instagram followers and strong reach within designer and architecture circles — the audience Quarra wants to reach
- Video content supports the broader goal of establishing Quarra Italia's European identity and presence
- High-quality cinematic content could anchor the planned [3] and serve as a long-term brand asset
Arguments for caution:
- The $15–30k range explicitly excludes travel, which could push total cost significantly higher
- Production logistics for an Australian crew (even with a NY office) are complex
- The return is difficult to measure directly
Mark suggested an alternative production model worth evaluating: rather than a single large shoot, engage a local agency to document a project from start to finish over the course of a year — multiple shoot days, no travel costs, no equipment transport. This approach could yield equally compelling narrative content at lower cost and logistical complexity.
Lincoln floated the idea of timing a potential shoot around next year's Quarra Italia Party, bringing both The Local Project and Asymmetric to Italy to capture studio footage. This would:
- Consolidate travel costs around an existing event
- Produce content specifically suited to the Italian studio and European market positioning
- Create a natural narrative hook (the annual gathering as a cultural moment)
The Local Project's audience skews toward designers, architects, and high-end residential clients — a strong match for Quarra's target market. Lincoln noted that the publication's representative specifically praised Quarra's website as "narrative driven" and "future forward" compared to other stone company sites, suggesting genuine editorial interest rather than a purely transactional pitch.
No decision made. The team agreed to evaluate further. Suggested next steps from the call: