A scene from the commercial

May 1, 2005 - The Cingular Wireless commercial “Workday,” which shot in New York City in January, features a man keeping in touch throughout his workday with his pregnant wife, thanks to his excellent cell phone reception. The commercial shot at numerous City locations including Grand Central Station, Columbia University, Brooklyn, SoHo and Tribeca. It was directed by Scott Hicks and shot by Bob Richardson, with production designer Barbara Ling, line producer Lindsay Skutch and production manager Jason Manz.

Susanne Preissler, an executive producer at Independent Media, said the commercial was shot in New York City because of the recognizable locations and lifestyle. “We wanted it to be about New York because when you look at it, you know exactly what city you’re in,” Preissler said. The numerous forms of transportation in the City allowed producers to illustrate the different places where the man was able to receive reception, including cabs and trains.

For Preissler, the streets of the City are the perfect set for a commercial shoot. “We love shooting in New York,” she said. “The actors are so great … but also it’s the look of the City. You can put a camera on the streets of New York and shoot a cavern of buildings that goes off into infinity. On one street you find cobblestones and on the next street over its all neon. When you go to Chinatown, Little Italy or Brooklyn, you get so much texture, and you get people on the streets. People don’t walk in Los Angeles.”

Interested in casting New York in your next production? Contact the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting at 212-489-6710.