Spring 2018, Silent Roof engages with The Film Industry – ‘The Monster Roof’
In the spring of 2018, we received an inquiry that asked, “Will your system work on a metal roof?” At that time, our Silent Roof Material was primarily used on domestic conservatories. However, this inquiry opened the door to a ground breaking application: the first installation of Silent Roof in the film industry. A vast warehouse known as “The Monster” served as the filming location for the first series of “Temple,” which premiered on Sky ONE in 2019. Our Silent Roof technology effectively eliminated the disruptive rain noise from the roof structure, enhancing the sound recording environment for filmmakers and revolutionising how we approach sound recording in challenging environments.
Temporary or Permanent Installations within The Film Industry
As a result of the Monster Roof installation, Silent Roof Limited became the go-to authority for rain noise suppression across various roof structures. We are regularly contacted for our expertise, particularly for temporary buildings leased to production companies. A prime example of Silent Roof effectiveness occurred during the filming of Sam Mendes’ epic ‘1917,’ where two barns on Salisbury Plain were temporarily transformed into studio spaces for underground scenes, protected from rain noise by Silent Roof. A sound stage was constructed within these facilities, and addressing the issue of rain noise was tackled decisively and efficiently.
Other locations were on new builds where Silent Roof was installed as a far more economical solution than of using multi-layer roofing panels.
Silent Roof and The Film Industry in 2024
Jumping forward to 2024, Silent Roof have now completed numerous large and small installations in the UK and Europe and the USA. In the UK, installations from one hundred square metres up to many thousands of square metres have been completed. This includes the odd ‘domestic’ installation. Silent Roof Material (SRM) is supplied in rolls which are 60 metres in length by 1 metre in width, (60 square metres per roll).
The material is black in colour and is UV stabilised. Any number of rolls can be delivered usually from stock, from single rolls to full container loads, of 44 rolls.
Silent Roof and The Film Industry in the USA
Our first supply of any quantity within the USA of our Silent Roof Material (SRM) was to Moffett Productions. Moffett chose Silent Roof to address their rain noise problem on their film studio roof in Houston, Texas. This was followed by the media giant NBC Universal for their new studio complex acquired in Albuquerque. The St.Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis also utilised SRM on a studio roof.
Installation
Together with our approved installation team at TV & Film Studio Group, we have devised a stable, weatherproof means of installation. In simple terms, lengths of Silent Roof Material cover the entire roof area. Each length is secured to its neighbour and anchored at the extremities and at intermediary points across the entire roof surface by retaining wires. Due to the open lattice structure of the material, it presents very little wind resistance therefore being unaffected by inclement weather conditions. SRM can be used over transparent roof lights which are ‘blacked out’ prior to laying the covering of SRM.
