Shining a Light on Sets, Conversations with New Talents in Turkish Cinema
Cinema is known as an art form that transports the audience to different worlds, stirs emotions, and provokes thoughts. Behind the magic of this world lies the skill and vision of master directors. Today, you will be joining us for an interview with one of Turkey's leading directors, Altan Dönmez. Altan Dönmez will share with us his career journey, experiences in the industry, and future aspirations.
- HELLO, ALTAN BEY. THANK YOU FOR THE INTERVIEW. FIRSTLY, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR
CAREER JOURNEY. AT WHAT POINT DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE DIRECTING?
ALTAN DÖNMEZ: Hello. My career began as a camera assistant in 1986. During this time, I realized that creating a world and sharing it with people brought me a special joy. This realization became a driving force for me to develop myself towards directing.
- THROUGHOUT YOUR DIRECTING CAREER, WHAT PERIODS DID YOU WORK IN AND WHAT TYPES OF PROJECTS WERE YOU INVOLVED IN?
ALTAN DÖNMEZ: Throughout my career, I have been involved in various projects. I have worked in cinematography, commercial directing, music video directing, as well as in TV series and cinema.
- WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE TV SERIES INDUSTRY IN TURKEY? PARTICULARLY, HOW WAS THE EXPERIENCE FOR YOU IN PROJECTS SUCH AS "GELSİN HAYAT BİLDİĞİ GİBİ" AND "GÜNEŞİ BEKLERKEN"?
ALTAN DÖNMEZ: The TV series industry in Turkey is rapidly evolving and diversifying with various projects. Projects like "Gelsin Hayat Bildiği Gibi" and "Güneşi Beklerken" were significant experiences for me due to their ability to tell different stories and convey strong messages. Especially in "Güneşi Beklerken," we tried something different, and the experience was successful.
- WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING ACTORS? ESPECIALLY, WHAT IS THE REASON BEHIND YOUR FREQUENT COLLABORATION WITH ACTORS LIKE KEREM BÜRSİN?
ALTAN DÖNMEZ: Finding the right person for the role is crucial in actor selection. The reason for my frequent collaboration with actors like Kerem Bürsin is our good understanding and creating a harmonious working environment. If I believe they are the most suitable person for the role after reading the projects, I prefer to choose them.
COULD YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR DIRECTING STYLE? WHAT APPROACH DO YOU TAKE TO PROJECTS?
ALTAN DÖNMEZ: My directing style involves adopting an approach that aligns with the spirit of the screenplay and the project. Especially if the content of the scenes is strong, I prefer not to contribute too much extra and focus on the relationships with the actors. Serving the screenplay and the project is a principle that is forefront for me.
- COULD YOU SHARE AN INTERESTING MOMENT FROM THE SET?
ALTAN DÖNMEZ: Once, I requested a knife instructor on set, and I saw with extraordinary precision that he hit the target. Later, I learned that he was a knife maker and had been mistakenly directed to me.
- WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG DIRECTOR HOPEFULS?
ALTAN DÖNMEZ: I advise young director hopefuls to constantly experiment, read a lot, dream, and shoot as much as possible. It's important for them to always evaluate their latest projects like their first ones.
- FINALLY, IS THERE A MESSAGE YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONVEY TO THE AUDIENCE?
ALTAN DÖNMEZ: Our industry is evolving with the audience, and I believe we will always strive to do better work. I thank the audience for their support.
- THANK YOU FOR THE INTERVIEW, ALTAN BEY.
ALTAN DÖNMEZ: Thank you too. Take care of yourselves.
With this enjoyable interview we conducted with Altan Dönmez, we had the opportunity to get a closer look at the magic behind the scenes of cinema. His perspective on the industry and experiences can be a source of inspiration for aspiring directors, while also providing cinema enthusiasts with an enlightening perspective on developments in the industry. We thank him for this candid interview and wish him continued success in the world of cinema.
Comments