Skating with the iPhone 14 Pro in Istanbul: stunning cinematic ad from Apple

Those of you who have booked a summer trip to one of world’s largest metropolises – Turkey’s Istanbul – will get the chance to marvel not only at Hagia Sophia and the Bosphorus Strait, but may also see Apple’s latest cinematic ad (running exclusively in Turkey for now).

If your plans don’t include a 19-hour flight from Denver to Istanbul, thanks to YouTube you can watch the wonderful advertisement focusing on the iPhone 14 Pro and its video capabilities (via 9to5Mac). It’s titled ‘The Great Escape’ and (apart from the plot, revolving around protagonists who want to escape the authorities) bears no resemblance to the 1963 Hollywood masterpiece of the same title starring Steve McQueen & Charles Bronson.

Skate away from the cops!

Shot entirely on the iPhone 14 Pro, the 150-second-long production is situated in the streets of Istanbul and the historic Grand Bazaar. A skateboarding boy and girl are chased by the cops: they roam through the crowds of tourists and natives, perform ollies, kickflips and other tricks: absolutely unacceptable IRL, but spectacular on screen.



All the iPhone 14 Pro camera and cinema capabilities are used and emphasized: macro shots from the ultra-wide camera, Cinematic Mode for aesthetical background blur, plus Action Mode for better stabilization. The scenery takes turns from outdoor to indoor, back to outdoor, proving that the 14 Pro packs some serious video capabilities, suited for all conditions.

Shot entirely by a Turkish cast, this isn’t Apple’s first exclusive regional ad – some of you probably remember the ‘Selfies on iPhone X’ ad from 2018, dedicated to Brazil’s world-famous Carnival.

Samsung went to Ridley Scott

The “cinematic show off” phenomenon is certainly not a new race. Director David Leitch (‘John Wick’) shot a 90-second ‘Snowbrawl’ snowfight epic in 2019 for the iPhone 11 Pro.

The competition is not wasting time: some 4 months ago, in February, Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S23 Ultra was highlighted in a striking 4-minute short movie by director Ridley Scott (‘Alien’, ‘Blade Runner’).

There’s more to the 14 Pro than just being a cinema tool:

As our own iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro comparison clearly shows, the difference between the two versions is not at all that subtle. True to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s line 'The essential is invisible to the eye', the Pro & non-Pro versions come in the same shape and size, but sport major differences on the camera, screen, chip and features fronts.