The film August Rush was largely shot on location in New York City, with key scenes in Washington Square Park, Union Square, and Central Park, among others. Production ran from February to May 2006 and deliberately chose real urban locations rather than studio shots to make the music and atmosphere of the city palpable.
The biggest challenge was the final scene in Central Park. For this scene, a large concert set was actually built in the park, with over 500 extras as the audience. The filmmakers insisted on shooting this scene outdoors because the story revolves around music filling the open air and reaching people, something the makers felt could not be credibly replicated in a studio.
Filming on location also presented practical challenges, such as dependence on the weather and limited shooting time. Nevertheless, the choice was made for real conditions, which is visible in the film: many scenes combine realistic cityscapes with a directed setting, where scale and atmosphere are sometimes enhanced cinematically but always remain based on real locations in New York.
More information at: TMDB
