Sartaj Singh
‘Players,’ helmed by director Trish Sie, is a romantic comedy film that introduces us to New York sportswriter Mack, who, along with her friends, comes up with elaborate plays to score one-night stands. While the group members work as a team to get hooked-up, they abide by a strict rule of not letting their game result in a lasting relationship. When Mack comes across Nick, an accomplished war reporter and New York’s most eligible bachelor, she begins her most ambitious play yet. Calling upon the full strength of her team, Mack begins to keep track of Nick’s routines and methodically starts to appear at the places he happens to be in. Nick begins to take notice and approaches Mack, curious about how they always seem to run into each other. Having researched his interests, she easily charms her way into a date with the unsuspecting bachelor and claims her prize.
However, when she finds herself unable to let go of Nick after the successful play, her friends begin to suspect that the impossible has happened. Mack wants to settle into a relationship with him despite the glaring differences in their personalities and interests. Adam, her best friend, vehemently dissuades her from pursuing Nick, as he sees it not only as a violation of their ethics but also as a relationship doomed for failure. Mack herself faces a daunting new task of nurturing a romance beyond the first night. The film takes us across the bustling streets of New York City, showcasing both modern locations and graffiti-clad alleyways. Inquisitive minds may find themselves wondering if filming for the romantic comedy actually took place in the City that Never Sleeps.
Players Filming Locations
‘Players’ was indeed filmed in and around New York City, New York. Principal photography began on July 26, 2021, and was carried out for over six weeks before being wrapped up on September 10, 2021. The process was beset by setbacks owing to natural disasters in the region. “Featuring a dream cast who made me weep with laughter every day… a stalwart crew who battled two hurricanes and a historic flood in NYC while we were shooting,” wrote director Sie in the caption of a picture she shared on social media. Interestingly, the story was initially set in Chicago and was later changed to New York City. Let us take you through the details of the film’s shooting sites.
New York City, New York
Staying true to its plot, the Netflix film was shot entirely in and around New York, largely on location. A subtantial portion of the movie was shot in Brooklyn, a borough on the westernmost edge of Long Island renowned for its metropolitan charm, containing iconic landmarks along with open green spaces. In cinematic landscape shots, we are treated to New York City’s emblematic skyline, featuring landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge, One World Trade Center, 40 Wall Street, and 70 Pine Street among other skyscrapers in the financial district.
The film crew set up shots and scenes in various locations around NYC, making use of its picturesque parks with the Hudson River enriching the background of some of its sequences. Multiple segments were filmed of the characters walking along the streets of Brooklyn. In one scene, Mack and Nick come across a shop with a statue of a bull in front of it. This is the Kick Axe Throwing bar on 622 Degraw Street in Brooklyn. As seen in the film, it is a cozy bar with flannel decor and mounted deer, having the unique activity of axe throwing incorporated into it. The entire area around Degraw Street is chock-full of restaurants, bars, and other activity-based businesses including a public pool and rock-climbing gyms.
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The elegant party sequence seen later in the film, which involves Mack and Adam arguing over Nick’s influence on her, was filmed in the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House. The Museum at 1 Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan is a majestic Beaux-Arts-style building that has served various functions throughout its history. As a filming site for the movie’s party scene, the historical venue provides a stunning backdrop. In the scenes, we are treated to views of Its grand interior featuring marble columns, ornate decorations, and a soaring rotunda with a domed ceiling adorned with murals depicting commerce and maritime scenes.
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