For years, many people have been working for Turkey to be better-known, have its worth and importance seen around the world and to make sure that its importance both in the past and in the future are understood.
As a man from Turkey who is tied to his country and understands his responsibilities, I have taken on my share and within the artistic realm, I am presenting my contribution.
| | Four years at the Ankara State Conservatory and then ten at the State Theatre, plus a Masters in Directing and Theatre Education, has given my contribution an even more knowledgeable and high quality role. In order to further reach this goal, I came to the United States, and specifically, the foremost school for film directing, American Film Institute. |  | |
The American Film Institute received thousands of applications yearly, but only accepts about twenty directors; Steven Spielberg, David Lynch, Darren Aronofsky to name a few of the directors, Pieter Jon Brugge, Steve Golin ve Abby Singer, Donn Cambern, Janusz Kaminski, Peter Deming, Susannah Grant, and Del Reisman are just a few of the producers, directors of photography, editors and writers who have either graduated, supported or given classes at this school; and I have taken my place as one of those successful directors, attracting the attention of the faculty.
Being the first and only Turkish student at this school was made me very hopeful; this would be an important opportunity to tell the world what a deep culture and rooted past Turkish people have.
With my last film at AFI but first in Hollywood, CONDEMNED, which I wrote and directed (about a young paranoid schizophrenic who is on death row for murder), I have been given the opportunity to show my work in all festivals around the world. AFI also gave $11,000 in support of this film, a good start for a short. But not enough. Because making a film in Hollywood is the most expensive thing in the world.
For this reason, I wanted to get some support from various Turkish organizations. During the filming process, we always need sponsors, not necessarily monetary. Some organizations, in order to show their good intentions, forwarded my e-mails to their mailing lists. I also sent mail to people introducing myself and my project. I got several sincere letters of support, wishing me luck with my project, which increased my motivation.
I really didn't expect much more.
We are used to being directed by greedy conmen who know no limits. We have forgotten to trust each other. We think that patriotism is cheering at a football game. We only support someone else's success when we have something to gain from it. We are filled with anger. We think that America is like what we have seen in cheap TV shows and fifth class Hollywood films: a land of skyscrapers where everyone is rich, ignorant, spoiled and has their whole lives guaranteed.
As a result, we see people who work, study and try to make a living as coming from another planet.
When someone wants monetary or moral support, our reaction is "who knows where the money will go, who knows what he'll gain off my back, I have enough problems for myself, he lives in America and at the same time wants support, what is this?"
Not completely wrong.
Corruption, cheating, immorality have even succeeded in entering the art world; we have been forced to live with leaders who use that administrative chair as a masturbation tool. Of course, the "everyone for himself" logic is becoming more a part of our makeup.
I visited an upper-level official here in Los Angeles and he described it very well.
" We Turks are unsuccessful at three things: saying thank-you; apologizing; and congratulating. The best thing is for you to do your own work. I wish you an easy road."
But it's this thought that binds our hands, that interferes with our success. To live in the middle of Hollywood, alone, is only for homeless persons.
And I was not deterred.
With my wife, Leslie, a screenwriter and critic, we went to Warner Brothers (WB).
We were able to get great help and support. Sound editor and Oscar winner, David Stone; sound mixer for "Friends," K.O.; and one of the biggest and most technologically advanced sound studios in the world were all put at our disposal.
Between us, CONDEMNED was the first non-company film to be edited by WB.
WB also did the Dolby Digital system engineering for free.
Of course, this help was given as a result of WB understanding the film's potential, not the result of wanting to help a dark-eyed, dark eye-browed person.
The film's producer, Georgina Macias (Mexico), Director of Photography Patrick McGinley (America), Editor Edward Mkrtchyan (Armenia), co-writer Leslie Bates-Buyukturkoglu (Turkey-America), Production Designer Rob Howeth (America) all worked together like the United Nations in real collaboration to make this film a success.
The film's composer, Derrick LeFebvre, was able to pull together string musicians from Oscar winning composer John Williams' orchestra.
In other words, the CONDEMNED team was a team of professionals who worked together to complete the film.
Nobody thought "Let me see if the film will be a success and then I'll support it, then I'll cheer for it."
Everyone knew the importance of THANK-YOUs, APOLOGIES, and CONGRATULATIONS; The worked because they had respect for art and artists.
The result?
A wonderful film. After August, we are sending it to festivals. We have received an offer from Ankara Film Festival. I think it would be nice to have the premiere in Ankara and watch the film with other people from Ankara. Hopefully, we will not meet delays from bureaucracy.
That's all from Hollywood for now.
If I get the time, I will write about why I suddenly became a film director, how being a theatre actor made film direction easier, how the things taught to film directors is not so different from theatre direction, and the stars and directors I have met.
Aclan Buyukturkoglu
Player, Director
