I was born in 1965, 14th of April,
My parents were teachers.
I became a writer and filmmaker.
I studied (quite accidentally) film in university,
in Izmir, Turkey.
At school, I made experimental short flicks with
Super8.
I’ve written feature film screenplays.
I’ve published one book of stories and two novels.
I’ve worked in advertising agencies as a copy writer/creative
director.
I’ve made TV commercials as a director and I can
say I really enjoyed it.
I want to be a great feature film director when
I grow up.
If I was asked my job in heavens,
My email address is:
(A quite regular Aries I should have been if I
believed in horoscopes.)
The place was a little town which I’ve never been
again, in south-west Turkey.
My mother wanted me to be a painter and
my father wanted me to be an architect.
They’ve won some prizes in national short film
competitions.
8 of them have been made into films. (For
Turkish market only.)
It’s fun and it pays well. I’ll go on doing that.
I've directed my first feature film in Summer 2001.
It's called 9 (Nine). If you want to know about
it,
click here.
I would say “Story-teller”, (in any medium, any
form).
[email protected]
14th April 1965
Born in Tire- Izmir, Turkey.
1981-85
Izmir, Dokuz Eylül University,
Fine Art School, Film Department.
Three experimental short
films:
The Question ( Soru), Untitled
(Adsiz) and Two Songs (Iki Sarki).
These films won three prizes
in national short film competitions in 1983 and 1984.
November1985
Directing assistant to director
Atif Yilmaz for
Her Name is Vasfiye (Adi
Vasfiye) feature.
1986
First feature film screenplay:
My
Aunt (Teyzem),
Directed by Halit Refig.
Cast: Müjde Ar, Mehmet Akan, Yasar Alptekin.
First prize in Milliyet Newspaper’s
Screenplay Competition.
1986 - 87
Two more feature film screenplays:
Billioner
(Milyarder), Directed by Kartal Tibet; Cast: Sener Sen.
My
Dreams, My Love and You (Hayallerim, Askim ve Sen),
Directed by Atif Yilmaz.
Cast: Türkan Soray, Müsfik Kenter, Oguz Tunç.
1989
Screenplay for The
Devil My Friend (Arkadasim Seytan),
Directed by Atif Yilmaz.
Cast: Mazhar Alanson, Ali Poyrazoglu.
October- December 1989
Two months study at the Goethe
Institute, Berlin
with a scholarship from the
German government.
1990
Co-writer in the feature
Piano
Piano Bacaksiz,
Directed by Tunç
Basaran, Cast: Rutkay Aziz, Taner Barlas.
1990-92
Copywriter in Yaratim/FCB
and
Manajans/Thompson advertising
agencies,
working on ads and commercials
for accounts such as
Apple Macintosh, AEG, Nissan.
1992-93
Sweet Betüs (Tatli Betüs)
TV series adaptation of the book by Aziz Nesin;
Directed by Atif Yilmaz.
Cast: Türkan Soray.
1993
Screenplay for The
American (Amerikali),
Directed by Serif Gören.
Cast: Sener Sen, Lale Mansur.
Summer
Rain (Yaz Yagmuru), TV adaptation of the story by A. H. Tanpinar;
Directed by Tomris Giritlioglu.
Cast: Ahmet Levendoglu, Pitircik Akerman.
American
Beauty (Amerikan Güzeli)
A book that compiles stories
written between 1983-1992.
1994
Aziz Ahmet
(15 Episodes TV series) Directed
by Orhan Oguz.
1995
Copy writer in Lowe Adam
advertising agency
1996-October
Alphabet
of Love (Askin Alfabesi)
A novel.
1996 February- 1999 November
Creative Director in rpm-radar
cdp europe advertising agency.
As of November 1999, I'm a freelance writer/filmmaker.
2001 July
9
(Nine)
My Debut Feature Film
2001 October
Kuyruk (The Tail)
A Novel.
2004
Istanbul Tales (Anlat Istanbul)
My Second Feature Film (Co-directed by 4 other directors.)