AN EXPLORATION INTO THE DEPTHS OF CINEMA
We had an enjoyable conversation with Orhan Oğuz, one of the master directors of Turkish cinema. Oğuz shared insights into his fifty-year career and discussed how Turkish cinema and his own projects have evolved and grown
-First of all, welcome, sir!
ORHAN OĞUZ: Hello, welcome!
-SIR, COULD YOU PLEASE TELL US A BIT ABOUT "ORHAN OĞUZ"? HOW DID YOU GET INTO THIS INDUSTRY?
ORHAN OĞUZ: Well, when I was 16 years old, I was in high school. I started by taking photographs, then I began as a camera assistant, and I've been in this industry for fifty years. I grew up here, learned the ropes here. Camera assisting... cinematography... directing. I went through all these stages. Of course, back then, it was more challenging because we were shooting manually. We were using film negatives. So, becoming a "cinematographer" or a "director of photography" took years. It was the same for me. Years later, as a director of photography, I worked with all the masters, and I shot two or three films for each of them. They made me a director. I don't know any other profession.
-YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS THE ONLY THING YOU KNOW?
ORHAN OĞUZ: This is the only thing... Yes, I grew up in the world of cinema.
-YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT CINEMA...
ORHAN OĞUZ: It has to be that way... Cinema... it's like love. You experience all the reactions within that same love; you experience disappointment, you get emotional, and it's full of ups and downs. Just like love, cinema is the same. You make films... there are responsibilities. Because these are costly endeavors. That's why they are challenging. My years have been spent in this field.
-SO, SIR... CINEMA FILMS OR TV SERIES?
ORHAN OĞUZ: Cinema films, of course. I make Art House films every two years, similar to cinema films. But I also work on TV series commercially. I try not to make commercial films. I made one called "Büyü" (The Miracle) at one point, and I tried to give it an Art House touch to make it more unique. Because worldwide, Turkish cinema is known for its Art House films, that's how people recognize us, the country... Otherwise, you know the commercial films, they come and go like TV series for the Turkish audience.
-"ARKA SOKAKLAR" SERIES ACHIEVED GREAT SUCCESS. WHAT IS THE SECRET OF THIS SUCCESS?
ORHAN OĞUZ: The secret of "Arka Sokaklar" is that each episode tells an independent story, and we accurately depict the police characters that our people love. Turkish police are shown as honest, willing to risk themselves for the people. That's why we are seen as a sympathetic police unit in the eyes of the public.
-ARE THERE ANY NEW FILMS OR PROJECTS IN THE UPCOMING SEASONS?
ORHAN OĞUZ: I had a long-term project. I was working on a book, Dostoyevsky's "Poor Folk." I've been preparing that for 5-6 months. Now, it's about to finish, so I'm planning to start a new TV series from the next season. I'm thinking of starting a project around February-March, the script is currently being written.
-IF YOU'RE PREPARING A PROJECT, I'M SURE IT WILL TURN OUT GREAT.
ORHAN OĞUZ: I hope so, I hope so... the book is a very valuable work. Therefore, we are working very hard to overcome its challenges.
-SIR, HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE CHANGES IN TURKISH CINEMA IN RECENT YEARS?
ORHAN OĞUZ: Firstly, many young directors have emerged in Turkish cinema. There are also many TV series, and in those series, there are technically skilled people. Unfortunately, many people who learn about filmmaking start working in TV series, and they acquire technical knowledge. Right now, they are doing their jobs, and the TV series world is highly commercial. You shoot a series for a year or two... three years... five years, and then you start a new one. Making a sudden decision to shoot a cinema film is impossible. You need to write the script at least two years in advance. That's why there is a lot of work for screenwriters at the moment. That's why I'm starting a new project.
-BECAUSE THE SCRIPT IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL THIS...
ORHAN OĞUZ: It's the foundation... film is a fundamental thing, cinema is a fundamental thing.
-SIR, YOU WORK WITH YOUNG ACTORS. DO YOU THINK TURKEY HAS SEEN AN INCREASE IN TALENTED YOUNG ACTORS IN RECENT YEARS?
ORHAN OĞUZ: Yes, I work with young actors. They are very enthusiastic, energetic, and hardworking. Of course, they have technical shortcomings because they lack experience. When it comes to young actors, there was a time when they received awards for the best young actors, and later, many juries had to put a lot of effort into doing a good job. Now, while many awards are given, more effort is required to do a good job. Actors are competing with each other. Therefore, there are many experienced actors, and they are all doing their jobs.
-FINALLY, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TO YOUR AUDIENCE?
ORHAN OĞUZ: My advice to my audience is to always watch a good film. Going to see a good film is a wonderful thing. A good film can make you happy, cry, or even scare you. Don't forget that, and don't give up on cinema.
-SIR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU HAVE ENLIGHTENED US ON MANY TOPICS, AND WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
We had an interesting and intimate conversation with Orhan Oğuz, a master of Turkish cinema. We learned about Orhan Oğuz's dedication to cinema and his future projects. Exploring the inner workings of the world of cinema was a great experience for all of us. We look forward to Orhan Oğuz's contributions to Turkish cinema and his upcoming projects..
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