It’s nighttime in Dumbo and a film shoot is underway beneath the Manhattan Bridge. The entire understructure of the bridge is illuminated by a giant spotlight, and a vast spread of equipment has turned the steep slope of Pearl Street into a chaotic film set. Seeing as preparations are still underway, I head straight through the middle of this, sidestepping bundles of cables and grip equipment. At the intersection of York I pass by a series of tents housing production equipment: here is where the action will take place. No one seems to notice me as I thread my way through the teams of production assistants and crew members, each preoccupied with his/her own task. Then, at the apex of the street, I’m confronted by the following bizarre arrangement: the directorial staff is seated in rows of folding chairs all facing the same direction, and each person is staring intently at his/her smartphone – a kind of collective immersion in private entertainment spheres amidst a vast and extravagant media spectacle.