Shubhabrata Dutta
A coming-of-age comedy by Kim O. Nguyen, ‘Prom Dates’ follows Hannah and Jess, whose years-old pact of having the “perfect” senior prom goes down the drain after they break up with their respective dates, that too with only 24 hours remaining for the prom. Now, they have to find new dates. They need to find good-looking dates so that they can nail it at the prom. Time is less, and choices are many. How tough can getting hold of a prom date be? Well, conditions do apply.
The ‘Prom Dates’ cast includes Julia Lester as Hannah and Antonia Gentry as Jess. Additional cast members include Chelsea Handler, John Michael Higgins, Jordan Buhat, and Kenny Ridwan. Since the film deals with a prom, it makes sense for viewers to inquire about the actual locations, be it a school, a college, or a set, where the film is shot. Indeed, there’s more to the locations than just a high school as the ladies embark on a quest that takes them all across their neighborhood.
Prom Dates Filming Locations
‘Prom Dates’ is the 16th movie by the production house American High to be shot in Syracuse, New York. Filming took place in May and June 2023. The Syracuse neighborhoods become the backdrop for Jess and Hannah to carry out their search for their prom partners. The production team opted for modern spaces that can be used as the students’ houses, the places where they hang out, and their school. However, they did not overlook older buildings as they add to the neighborhood’s essence, as shown in the movie.
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse becomes the base for the ladies’ adventure in ‘Prom Dates.’ The historic architecture provides an attractive contrast to the modern vibe of a high school. The city’s bustling vibrancy is reflected in the movie and adds to its flavor, especially to the prom night. Many scenes are shot at the Syracuse University campus. Its halls become high school halls where the characters spend much of their time. The parks in the area, among other places, are also used for filming. The Treasury building at Hanover Square has also been used to film many indoor scenes. The production team used around 1300 extras to add to the prom nature and the overall high school aspect of ‘Prom Dates.’
Many scenes from the 2014 films ‘Adult World’ and ‘Irrefutable Proof’ have also been filmed at the Syracuse University campus, among other places. In a conversation with Young Entertainment, actress Julia Lester stated how her experience in ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ helped her to be comfortable in her new environment, ask questions, and share ideas. “Our director Kim just was so inviting to that kind of energy and always loved when we would bring ourselves to the characters that we’re playing and I definitely felt a lot of that on the High School Musical set so it was really fun,” she said.
Speaking about her filming experience, Julia Lester added that it was a fast shooting process, and most of the shooting for the leads was during nighttime and the “wee hours of the morning.” Naturally, this is because most of the exploits of the leading ladies occur at night when not many people notice them. Be it the university campus or the areas in the different neighborhoods, Syracuse provides a subtle background for narrative, including scenes that incorporate get-togethers, the prom, and the ladies’ exploits as they search for their dates.
Movies like ‘Adult World,’ ‘The Express: The Ernie Davis Story,’ and ‘Big Time Adolescence’ have also been filmed in Syracuse. However, among all the films shot in Syracuse, the 2020 film ‘The Binge’ is reportedly the biggest film shot here. It roped in more than 2000 extras. The 2008 film ‘The Express’ was also shot at Syracuse University, although the Carrier Dome, aka the JMA Wireless Dome, owned by the university, was removed digitally. The place is famous for the Erie Canal Museum, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, and the Great New York State Fair. Also, the Syracuse Jazz Festival is an annual summer music festival that brings jazz artists and lovers from all over the country.
Read More: Hulu’s The Stranger: Exploring All Filming Locations
