CINEMATOGRAPHY AND STORIES FROM YEARS ON SET
Yunus Emre Karadavut is one of the renowned cinematographers in the Turkish cinema and television industry. Stepping into his inherited profession at a young age, Karadavut has continued his career with numerous projects. We discussed his cinematic journey, interesting moments on set, and the intricacies of cinematography with him.
- HELLO, WELCOME.
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: Hello.
- CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF?
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: I’m Yunus Emre Karadavut. I work as a cinematographer. I was born in 1979. My late father, Nurhan Karadavut, was also a cinematographer. Because of my father's profession, I entered the industry at a young age. My first job was in 1994 as a camera assistant on the project "Unutulmayanlar." I was still in school at the time, so I went to school in between, but later I finished high school externally and started working on sets full-time.
- YOU ALSO WORKED ON THE "YASEMİNCE" PROJECT. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS PROJECT? WHAT WAS THE ENVIRONMENT LIKE THERE?
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: It was a very enjoyable job. It was a project by Yasemin Yalçın and İlyas İlbey. Since it was a comedy, our set was quite fun, and we laughed constantly. It was also an exciting time for me as I had just transitioned to being a focus puller. I had a great time, and it was a well-loved project by the public. Even you remember it; people my age and older also remember "Yasemince" very well. Just like "Olacak O Kadar," "İnce İnce Yasemince" was a memorable project.
- LATER, YOU WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN THE "KINALI KUZULAR" PROJECT. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS PROJECT?
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: In "Kınalı Kuzular," our producer was dear Ahmet Yenilmez, and our director was Tunç Davut. It was a story about the Gallipoli War. A team of 200 people built beautiful trenches in Yalova. The weapons, rifles, and costumes made at that time were perfect. Through this project, I met the very valuable cinematographer Erdoğan Engin. Erdoğan was the cinematographer for Yılmaz Güney’s films such as "Yol," "Kibar Feyzo," and "Hababam Sınıfı." Meeting him was a great opportunity for me, and I learned a lot from him.
- IS FILMING WAR SCENES DIFFICULT FOR A CINEMATOGRAPHER?
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: It's not difficult; on the contrary, it’s more enjoyable. When shooting drama, you make more static movements, but in war scenes, you can use the camera more aggressively. Bombs are exploding, soldiers are running; these kinds of scenes are more dynamic and exciting. Working on such scenes gave me great pleasure.
- YOU ALSO WORKED ON THE "BİR GEÇER ZAMAN Kİ" PROJECT. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS PROJECT?
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: It was another period piece. It starred Erkan Petekkaya, Ayça Bingöl, and Aras Bulut İynemli. It was a big-budget project; for instance, we shot a fire scene, and a house was built just for that scene, and we burned it down. It was very exciting, and we filmed those scenes with three cameras at once. It was a beautiful project.
- FILMING WAR SCENES, FIRE SCENES, OR DIFFERENT ACTION SCENES MUST BE FUN.
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: Of course, shooting a war or action scene is not the same as filming a scene where four people sit around a table and eat. You can use the camera more dynamically. Generally, cinematographers and cameramen prefer more dynamic scenes because you can practice your profession better in those scenes.
- YOU WERE ALSO THE CINEMATOGRAPHER FOR THE FILM "YALANCI ŞAHİT." WAS IT FUN TO SHOOT THIS FILM?
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: The cast of "Yalancı Şahit" was excellent, and Ulaş İnan Torun was in it. He is an actor with positive energy. We had a lot of fun filming, and we were rolling on the floor laughing.
- YOU ALSO WORKED WITH ULAŞ BEY ON THE FILM "41 KERE MAŞALLAH." WHAT IS ULAŞ BEY LIKE?
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: He is a wonderful person and a great actor. He has a great rapport with the technical team. He greets everyone in the morning and chats with everyone. As a cinematographer, I would love to work on all of Ulaş’s projects.
- YOU ALSO DID THE CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR "CUMALİ CEBER 666." HOW WAS THIS FILM?
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: It was the first time I shot a film involving social media phenomena. I didn't know what to expect in terms of acting. At first, I thought, “Can a film be made with social media stars?” But I put aside all my prejudices there.
- NOW YOU ARE BOTH THE CINEMATOGRAPHER AND AN ACTOR IN THE SERIES "AŞK VE UMUT." CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR ACTING EXPERIENCE? HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: That day, we were working at Be Plato, it was raining, and we couldn’t shoot an outdoor scene. We decided to shoot an indoor scene, but the actor hadn’t arrived yet. I said, "If it’s just for a second, I can act." It turned out that the character was significant and had long scenes in the series. It became a 20-episode role, and today we shot one of those scenes. I had no idea, but it turned out well. I've been in the industry for 28 years and haven’t had any acting training, but we’ve been looking through that viewfinder for 28 years, so I did my best. I hope it will be appreciated.
- WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF SHOOTING A DAILY SERIES?
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: The biggest challenge is not being able to spend time with ourselves and our families. I have four children, two of whom are very young, and I can't spend time with them, which really upsets me. When I leave for work and return home, the children are asleep. But you can’t do this job unless you love it; it’s all about the passion for your work.
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INTERVIEW.
YUNUS EMRE KARADAVUT: You’re welcome. Take care, see you soon.
Yunus Emre Karadavut's story reflects his passion for cinema and years of experience. This conversation sheds light on the fascinating journey behind the scenes of the film industry. Karadavut's experiences and shared memories are sure to inspire young people who are passionate about cinema. We thank him for this delightful interview and wish him continued success in his career.
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