“Macedonia is currently passing a bill to restrict broadcasts of Turkish TV series during the day and at prime time in order to reduce the Turkish impact on Macedonian society, daily Habertürk has reported.
“Our own programs have started being broadcast after midnight because of Turkish soap operas. On every channel I see a Turkish soap opera like ‘Muhteşem Yüzyıl’ [The Magnificent Century], ‘Ezel,’ or ‘Binbir Gece’ [A Thousand and One Nights]. They’re all fascinating, but to stay under Turkish servitude for 500 years is enough,” Information and Society Minister Ivo Ivanovski said.
Turkish series will gradually be removed and replaced by national programs, according to the new bill.”
Historical dramas, such as ‘Muhteşem Yüzyıl’ (The Magnificent Century), are fictionalized accounts of the lives of sultans rather than historically accurate documentaries, according to academics. Source : Hürriyet
“Academics gather to discuss the increasing popularity of historical TV series in Turkey, noting the distinction between fact and fiction is often misunderstood by audiences. “The fictional side needs much more work because no one knows how a sultan approaches his wife,’ says an academic
It is important for television viewers to understand that historical dramas, such as the wildly popular “Muhteşem Yüzyıl” (The Magnificent Century), are fictionalized accounts of the lives of sultans rather than historically accurate documentaries, according to academics.
“Turkish people confuse the idea of TV series and documentary. A TV series is a different thing than a documentary,” said Erhan Afyoncu, a professor on the board of the Atatürk High Institute of Culture, Language and History, as well as a former consultant for “The Magnificent Century.”
Fictional side
Some have issued criticisms of historical series, Afyoncu said during a recent symposium in the northern province of Tokat, but added that it was difficult to produce such series.
“Historic TV series have a reality side as well as a fictional side,” the former consultant said. “The fictional side needs much more work. You have to create a fiction. You know the political events from history and you stick to this reality when making a TV series. But no one knows how a sultan approached his wife or how he behaved in daily life. This is why you have to fictionalize it. We did it in ‘Magnificent Century.’ There were discussions about sending Süleyman the Magnificent on journeys in the TV series. But I added these journey scenes to the series. But it is interesting that the series had lower ratings in these episodes.” […]
Historical dramas, such as ‘Muhteşem Yüzyıl’ (The Magnificent Century), are fictionalized accounts of the lives of sultans rather than historically accurate documentaries, according to academics. . Source : Hürriyet
“Academics gather to discuss the increasing popularity of historical TV series in Turkey, noting the distinction between fact and fiction is often misunderstood by audiences. “The fictional side needs much more work because no one knows how a sultan approaches his wife,’ says an academic.
It is important for television viewers to understand that historical dramas, such as the wildly popular “Muhteşem Yüzyıl” (The Magnificent Century), are fictionalized accounts of the lives of sultans rather than historically accurate documentaries, according to academics.
“Turkish people confuse the idea of TV series and documentary. A TV series is a different thing than a documentary,” said Erhan Afyoncu, a professor on the board of the Atatürk High Institute of Culture, Language and History, as well as a former consultant for “The Magnificent Century.”
Fictional side
Some have issued criticisms of historical series, Afyoncu said during a recent symposium in the northern province of Tokat, but added that it was difficult to produce such series.
“Historic TV series have a reality side as well as a fictional side,” the former consultant said. “The fictional side needs much more work. You have to create a fiction. You know the political events from history and you stick to this reality when making a TV series. But no one knows how a sultan approached his wife or how he behaved in daily life. This is why you have to fictionalize it. We did it in ‘Magnificent Century.’ There were discussions about sending Süleyman the Magnificent on journeys in the TV series. But I added these journey scenes to the series. But it is interesting that the series had lower ratings in these episodes.”
Afyoncu said state-owned television channel Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) had made historic TV series but that they had not attracted much public interest.
“TRT made TV series without women and their intrigues. People criticize other TV series but do not watch these ones. This is what I don’t understand,” Afyoncu said.
Secrecy of privacy
Fictionalization is occasionally necessary when there is a dearth of historical documents, said Professor Ali Açıkel, another symposium participant and a historian at Gaziosmanpaşa University, but added that these dramatizations should not contradict historical facts, general customs, traditions and law.
Scenarios set in historical times should not be infused with the perceptions of the present, Açıkel said, adding that ethical values should also be reflected in perceptions.
“The secrecy of private life should be respected. Otherwise, it is disrespectful to the private life of the Ottoman sultans. TV series are based on fiction when documents and information is insufficient. Documentaries aim to inform people according to a chronological order. There is no fiction in documentaries but some parts of TV series are fictional.”
The TV series such as Dila Hanım, are expected to attract lots of viewers both natoanally and internationally. The series which are recently started feature famous actors and actresses from Turkish televisions.
Article by Aslı Öymen
“The recent developments in the Turkey’s TV series sector reveal the increase in the audience. Each new production sold to foreign countries. Cannes’ MIPCOM fair unveils the latest situation […]
Turks are everywhere
As a Turkish person, I must admit that the first thing that attracted my attention and made me feel proud were the huge billboards and banners of various Turkish T.V. series that I encountered in the fair area, on the streets, and in cafes. The English translations of our T.V. series’ attracted me the most in those banners: Time Goes by (Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman ki), Magnificent Century (Muhteşem Yüzyıl), Fatmagül (Fatmagül’ün Suçu ne?), Fallen Angel (Kötü Yol), My Partner Knows (Ben Bilmem Eşim Bilir).
However, Kuzey Güney, literally meaning North and South, was not translated and was instead left as it is in Turkish.
Until a few years ago, no Turkish television station stands could be found at MIP apart from the official Turkish Radio and Television (TRT), let alone billboards and banners. Things have changed in a very short time. This year there were five Turkish T.V. channels with stands in the fair: TRT, Kanal D, Show T.V., Star, and ATV. Along with those, various independent production and distribution companies were represented. While the distributors were actively pushing sales during the daytime, they organized cool parties at nights, which were very popular.
‘Turkish series spring’
With its first attempt to expanding abroad coming with “Gümüş” in 2007, Turkish T.V. series first invaded the screens of the Arab world. Today, about 150 Turkish series’ are being exported to 73 countries across Asia, Europe and Africa. Sales of these are estimated to reach 100 million dollars annually, from just 1 million dollars in 2007.
After last week’s MIPCOM journey, Turks are sure to expand their sphere of influence even more. This year, our series also attracted the attention of the Far East, with demands coming from Korea and China. American company NBC Universal bought the format rights of “Aşk-ı Memnu” in order to distribute it to Latin America, which was once the most prominent series exporter.
We also set one of the best examples of format rights and adaptation with “Umutsuz Ev Kadınları,” Kanal D’s adaptation of internationally-known American series Desperate Housewives. This was a successful adaptation that corresponded to the taste of Turkish audience.
Currently, Turkish series are being sold abroad for amounts between 5,000 and 125,000 dollars per episode. This means that “an expensive series” with 100 episodes costs 12.5 million dollars for a foreign broadcaster. On the other hand, format prices are considerably low. The format price for one episode is generally between 5,000 and 10,000 dollars.”
Best thing that has happened to series
One of the lectures in MIPCOM was on Turkish T.V. series, titled “Turkish drama: the new delight.”
Kanal D’s editor-in-chief Pelin Diztaş, Global Agency’s CEO İzzet Pinto, the head of Ay Production Kerem Çatay, United Arab Emirates-based GM Productions’ head Fadi İsmail, and Lebanon K Partners’ distributor Nabil Kazan all attended the lecture.
During the lecture, the subject of the price of Turkish series’ came up, and İsmail and Kazan complained about the increasing prices. During his speech, Fadi İsmail said: “Turkish series’ are the best thing that has happened to Arab series,’ and the Arabs will learn to make their own series soon.” He warned that this would endanger the future of Turkish T.V. series’ in Arab countries, but this was not accepted by other attendants. Pelin Diztaş argued that making series’ could be learned, but finding and writing a plot was the most difficult part. “This is very abundant in our geography. Turkey is a country with abundant traumatic material, with a rich geography and a significant emotional dimension,” she said. As can be seen in the Desperate Housewives example, those learning to make T.V. series will shoot their own series with plots they have bought. I don’t know how long the learning process will last for, but when the localization trend is used it will become unavoidable for series to be framed in a certain format.
The movie, ‘When Derin Falls,’ is about a 8 -year-old girl, who tries connecting with her father in every possbile way, including encounters with sexual undertones. Source : Hürriyet
“The recent controversy around a Turkish film dealing with incest reminded many of a similar brouhaha over another film on incest two years ago, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç’s warning to TV producers to keep incest away from screens
Red flags were raised amid media delirium last week when the head of the jury for a national film festival openly condemned a movie on moral grounds, allegedly threatening to ban the movie from entering the national competition.
The festival was the Golden Orange Film Festival, the biggest one in Turkey. The head of the jury was the ever-controversial Hülya Avşar, who had made headlines in the summer when a member of the jury resigned in protest over her selection, questioning her judgment and knowledge of film.
The film, which became the most talked-about film of the festival, was director Çağatay Tosun’s sophomore feature “Derin Düşün-ce” (a word play that could mean “Deep Thought” or “When Derin Falls,” referring to the little protagonist’s name). And the controversial subject matter was incest, a no-go area in Turkish cinema, television, literature and pop culture. […]
Incest is indeed a taboo that is ignored and remains invisible in the media, in cinema and on TV. And if there is a hint of incest, censorship comes in all forms and from all places. Sometimes it’s the audience, sometimes the head of the jury, and at other times, it’s the deputy prime minister.
Last spring, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç made a statement out of the blue in an attempt to put into action his conservative views on relationships (and probably the views of his fellow members of the pro-Islamic ruling Justice and Development Party – AKP) as depicted in dozens of TV series.
“Some of the marginal themes seen in recent TV series, such as relationships between people of the opposite sex and incest, have become cause for serious criticism, upsetting society. We have to take seriously the criticisms regarding these series. These themes have to be reassessed,” said Arınç, stealing headlines for a few days if not actually making much of an impact on the plots in the series.
It was not that difficult to trace the inappropriate relationships between the sexes he was referring to, as infidelity, marital rape and abusive relationships are not new to recent TV series in Turkey. But incest? The closest reference Arınç could have in mind was the series “Eve Düşen Yıldırım” (Lightning Strikes Home), which features two cousins falling in love; it’s not an unusual situation, and one that is definitely not found immoral in most parts of Turkey. The story, on the other hand, was not an original one written for TV. “Eve Düşen Yıldırım” was an adaptation of Turkish writer Nahid Sırrı Örik’s 1934 novel of the same name. In fact, it was not that uncommon to see cousins falling in love and marrying in the Turkish novels of the early 20th century, seen in such classics like Reşat Nuri Güntekin’s 1922 novel “Çalıkuşu” (The Wren) or “Aşk-ı Memnu” (Forbidden Love) by Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil, serialized in 1900. Of course, when the latter was adapted to TV to huge success in 2008.”
“Following a decision taken by from the Culture and Tourism Ministry, Turkish T.V. series’ will start to be aired in a number of countries free of charge. Vice Culture and Tourism Minister Abdurrahman Arıcı has announced that Turkish series’ will be aired abroad with the support of the ministry, in the interest of promoting Turkey in foreign countries.
“With T.V. series’ we can enter every house and spread the influence of Turkish culture,” he said, adding that tourists coming from Middle Eastern countries often visited the venues where T.V. shows were shot.
Turkey has signed deals with seven companies that market T.V. series, films and documentaries to the world, Arıcı said, speaking at the October meeting of the Skal Antalya Club.
According to an article in daily Radikal, while Turkey’s T.V. exports currently amount to a total of $60 million, and the aim is to increase this amount to $100 million. “Magnificent Century” (Muhteşem Yüzyıl) is among the most popular, and the ministry would particularly like to air this series in Kyrgyzstan, said Arıcı.
The importance of industry
At the same meeting, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce board member İsrafil Kuralay said the industry had reached a very important position.
The Daily News has previously reported that Greek audiences in particular have learned a number of Turkish words thanks to the series that are aired in their country. Turkish series such as “Magnificent Century,” “Sıla,” “Asi,” “Acı Hayat” (Bitter Life), “Deniz Yıldızı” (Starfish) and “Lale Devri” (Tulip Age) are among those being shown in Greece, and Greek people have thus started to pick up simple words and phrases in Turkish such as “Hello,” “How are you?” and “My dear.”
“Magnificent Century” is being aired in Greece on OBN, one of the most watched stations in the country, under the title “Süleyman Velicanstveni” (Süleyman the Magnificent). It was also the highest rated T.V. series in Bosnia Herzegovina on its first day of broadcast.”
The 30-episode controversial series that cost tens of millions of dollars is watched on satellite television across the Arab world.. Source : Hürriyet
“A television drama about the life of a seventh century Muslim ruler, Omar Ibn al-Khattab, is polarizing opinion across the Arab world by challenging a widespread belief that actors should not depict Islam’s central figures.
Conservative clerics denounce the series, which is running during the region’s busiest drama season, the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.Scholars see an undesirable trend in television programming; the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates has publicly refused to watch it.
But at dinner tables and on social media around the region, “Omar” is winning praise among many Muslim viewers, who admire it for tackling an important period in Islam’s history. Some think it carries lessons for the Arab world, which is grappling with political change unleashed by last year’s uprisings.
Four caliphs
Mostly filmed in Morocco, the show was funded by the Dubai-based but Saudi-owned MBC Group, a private media conglomerate, and state-owned Qatar TV. The 30-episode series, which an MBC spokesman said cost “tens of millions of dollars” to make, is being watched on satellite television across the Arab world.
It has been praised for its elaborate sets and costumes, visual effects and battle scenes which involve elephants and hundreds of extras. But for many viewers, the production values have been outweighed by the fact that actors in the series play Omar and three other close companions of the Prophet Mohammad who were the first rulers of an empire that expanded out of the Arabian Peninsula. Historically, Muslim scholars have discouraged the depiction of revered figures in art, and some argue it is expressly forbidden, on the grounds it could be misleading or encourage idolatry. This is why mosques are adorned with elaborate plant and geometric patterns instead of human and animal images.”
There is a supply-and-demand problem in the Turkish television series industry, Tarık Pabuççuoğlu, a veteran Turkish television and cinema actor, says. Source : Hürriyet
There is a supply-and-demand problem in the Turkish television series industry, Tarık Pabuççuoğlu, a veteran Turkish television and cinema actor, has said.
Pabuççuoğlu, who is currently playing a role in a Turkish TV series, criticized the workings of the sector while speaking to Anatolia news agency.
“I am worried about the cultural erosion that Turkey faces today. It is very important to attract audiences to the theater, but no one is interested in it,” Pabuççoğlu said. “[TV series] feed of commercial advertisements and this makes it a commercial situation.”
Each season, 120 TV series hit Turkish television screens, Pabuççuoğlu said. “Each [production] team consists of 50 people, but only a few of these series can survive and continue through the season. When TV series are canceled then people become unemployed.”
This is a question of supply and demand, Pabuççuoğlu said. The imbalance of supply and demand affects everything in the industry, he said, and added that this also drives the cultural erosion Turkey faces.
Meanwhile, fully 78 percent of poll respondents in the Arab world and Iran report that they have watched Turkish soap operas.
Demand is high in Arab countries
“[Turkish] TV programs have taken the region by storm, with Turkish TV stars becoming pop idols,” a report from Paul Salem titled “Turkey’s image in the Arab World,” said. These soap operas have the effect of “creating attachment, understanding and affection for Turkish identity, culture, and values” in the region, the report said. “Like Egyptian TV and cinema creating a prominent cultural place for Egypt in previous decades, Turkish television has made similar inroads in Arab [and Iranian] popular culture,” the report said, adding that this has been complemented by a wave of tourism to Turkey that is bringing Arabs and Iranians from various classes and walks of life to the country, which has become the most popular tourist destination in the region.
“Turkish actress Cansu Dere is the most recent addition to the cast of the hit Turkish TV show “Muhteşem Yüzyıl” (The Magnificent Century), as the new season approaches.
Dere will be playing an Iranian woman named Firuze, who steals Sultan Süleyman’s heart in upcoming episodes of the show.
The next season will focus heavily on the power play between Leyla and Hürrem Sultan, played by Meryem Uzerli, and their fight for the love of Sultan Süleyman.”
Murat Cemcir (L) and Ahmet Kural (M) worked at the TV show ‘Ramazan Güzeldir, which is currently aired on TRT Arabic channel. In addition to trio’s currentl show on TRT called ‘İşler Güçler,’ Sadi Celil Cengiz (R) is acting a part at TRT’s ‘Leyla ile Mecnun,’ which is also broadcast on TRT Arabic as well.. Source : Hürriyet Daily News
By Tuba Parlak
“Comedy show ‘İşler Güçler’ sheds light on the TV industry, providing viewers with a peek at the reality behind the screen. The show is aired on Star TV every Thursday and has been an immediate success
Turkish TV series are widely appreciated at home and in neighboring countries, but audiences know little about the increasingly brutal nature of the TV show sector. A comedy series called “İşler Güçler,” however, is shedding light on the industry, providing viewers with a peek at the ugly reality behind the screen.
“We wanted to make a comedy out of what we or our friends have experienced in this sector and turn it into a satire of the whole TV show production system. It has worked very well so far,” said Selçuk Aydemir, the writer and director of the show, which became an immediate success after the airing of its first episode earlier in July on Star TV.
The lead characters, Ahmet Kural, Murat Cemcir and Sadi Celil Cengiz, perform in the show with their real names and their real career stories. “İşler Güçler” is aired on Star TV every Thursday, and the ratings have pleased the filmmakers. The general audience response, according to social media, has also been very positive, and it is more than likely that the show, which started as a summer series, will continue the next season.
“We are presenting a caricaturized version of our own career stories through which we are also making fun of ourselves, which is necessary for many reasons. First, if we told the audience what we have really gone through without any comical effects, they would not be able to watch the show without bursting out into hysterical tears,” said Kural, laughing before revealing the main reason, which was to sustain realism. “Had we started by criticizing the sector as fictional characters, it would have alienated the viewer in the long run because it would give them the false impression that we were out of this vicious circle. And unfortunately that is not true,” Kural said.
Dealing a death blow to Rambo
“İşler Güçler” takes its name from a colloquial phrase used to denote a hectic work schedule that is often not as busy as the speaker would have his listener believe. The title refers to the employment conditions in the sector, where the miscalculations of supply and demand might lead to the ruin of acting careers. An explosion in domestic and foreign demand for Turkish TV dramas has produced increased supply. In the last five years, Turkish TV viewers have been subjected to hundreds of new productions which repeatedly deal with the same topics and liberally employ recurrent themes with little imaginative effort due to confidence in their star casts.
Early critics of the abundant supply went to the trouble of counting the number of shows on domestic TV channels for one whole season, reaching three-digit numbers. The same critics complained about the declining cinematographic qualities as a result of pressing weekly schedules, which stemmed from the amount of competition. “In the U.S., a 22-minute comedy is shot within 28 days. In Turkey, we are urged to shoot a 100-minute episode in six days,” said Cemcir.
The story for “İşler Güçler” developed out of a documentary project director Aydemir was writing to cast the same three actors.
“I was planning a documentary series called ‘Meslek Hikayeleri’ [Professional Stories], in which we would pick three professions each week and interview a few people in that profession. I was also writing funny parts to connect each interview, because I wanted the documentary to have a degree of humor. In the long run, the project turned into the script for ‘İşler Güçler.’”
The show’s plot is the career story of three actors who get hired by an extremely unprofessional producer for the making of a documentary titled “Professional Stories.” As the three characters strive to do their job properly, despite a lack of funds and professional conditions, the show’s plot changes into a funny employment story about the TV business. The fictional documentary is of such desperately low quality that it never gets an airing, and the channel – which is named after the real broadcaster of the TV show, namely Star TV – repeatedly airs Sylvester Stallone’s “Rambo” films in its place.
“In this episode, we’re getting our revenge on Rambo,” Aydemir said. In last week’s episode, the show opened with the opening scene of “Rambo 4” as a joke to the audience, and the full film followed the airing of the show. On being asked whether this yielded any copyright infringement issues, Aydemir said he had asked for the necessary permission.
Breaking free of the vicious circle
These four people have previously collaborated on a few TV shows, none of which continued past the middle of their first season. Aydemir and Cengiz know each other from a web portal where they used to upload their short films during their amateur years. They meet with Cemcir coincidentally while they were shooting “Kurban” (Sacrifice), which was later aired as a four-episode mini-series on state-run TRT during the Kurban Bayram Holiday.
Kural and Cemcir’s story is as funny as it can get. “While I was shooting ‘Gazi’ [Veteran] for ATV in 2007, [Cemcir] joined us as a guest actor. But we did not meet during filming because we never shared a scene. He played in only four episodes and then the show was withdrawn from the screen after the airing of the 19th episode,” Kural said.
Cemcir picked up telling the story of the duo’s collaborations where his friend left off. “In 2008, I started to work on another show called ‘Bir Bulut Olsam’ [If only I was a cloud] and [Kural] joined us as a guest actor. After the 16th episode was aired the channel cancelled the show,” Cemcir said.
The duo also shared the lead role in Aydemir’s 2011 movie “Çalgı Çengi.” That same year, Cengiz joined the trio in the shooting of another TV show titled “Üsküdar’a Giderken,” which was named after a Turkish classical music song, broadcast by Kanal D until only the 14th episode.
“While the shooting of the show continued I was offered a part on another show and to be able to do both of these [shows] I had to resign from my post as a civil servant. On the day my resignation was confirmed, I was told the show was being cancelled from the screen and the other project was cancelled before even being broadcast.” This chain of misfortune is the main inspiration behind their current project and where the plot derives its humor from. It is certain that with their final project they have broken free of the vicious circle.”
Nu Boyana, the largest film production studio in Bulgaria, will host Turkish filmmakers Muharrem Gülmez and Serdar Akar for a 78-episode TV series. More than half the cast will be made up of Bulgarian actors. Source : Hürriyet
“Turkish filmmakers Muharrem Gülmez and Serdar Akar are planning to make a 78-episode TV series in Bulgaria. Shooting for the series, which will take places in the Nu Boyana Film Studios, will begin in August
Turkey’s hugely successful TV industry is preparing to bring one of its shows to Bulgaria, with plans to shoot dozens of episodes of the new program “Biniciler” (Riders) in the Balkan country.
“Our country is insufficient for us. We are producing so many things that we have trouble finding sufficient equipment and staff. This is why we have decided to come to our neighbor. When you need something, you go to your neighbor. This situation is like that. I hope we will do a good job here,” Turkish producer Muharrem Gülmez said during a weekend press conference outlining the filmmakers’ plans.
Some 78 episodes of “Biniciler” will be shot at Bulgaria’s Nu Boyana Film Studios starting in August.
Gülmez told Anatolia news agency that filmmakers had laid the foundations for a bridge between the countries in the best possible way and added that the chance to shoot in Bulgaria had attracted them because of the country’s natural beauty and its studio opportunities.
“More than 50 percent of the staff will include Bulgarian artists,” Gülmez said, adding that 15 artists from Turkey would act in the show for which casting work is still being conducted.
Asked by Bulgarian reporters how closely Turkish series adhere to reality, Gülmez said: “TV series are dramatic documentaries. These TV series are not dramas that relate to Turkey but the dramas of people and families. Turkish TV series do not give messages like ‘our beaches are very beautiful, our policy is very strong.’ We generally work on love stories.”
Director and screenwriter Serdar Akar said shooting would last two years.
“The TV series, which includes fantastic elements, is set in the pre-historic period, but at its core there is the theme of humanity,” he said.
Akar said they had found a good basis in Bulgaria for shooting. “The director of Nu Boyana Film Studios David Varod made many things happen for us. He opened the door to the studios for us. I think that we can do good work there. Now we have started looking for a house to stay in. We will be working here for two years but we don’t feel out of place.”
Bulgarian Culture Minister Vezhdi Rashidov, who brought the Turkish filmmakers together with their Bulgarian counterparts, said he was very pleased to establish the bridge of friendship. “Bulgaria-Turkey relations have never been as good as they are now,” Rashidov said.
ashidov said Turkish cinema was the world’s third biggest cinema after Hollywood and Bollywood. “One of our biggest dreams is to organize a festival that will introduce young Turkish cinema to Sofia soon.”
The minister also said he would sign an agreement with Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay in the coming days for Turkish-Bulgarian joint productions. “In this way, we will be able to provide financing from both countries for joint productions.”
Nu Boyana
Nu Boyana is the largest film production studio in Bulgaria. Since being rebuilt in a picturesque location on the outskirts of Sofia the studio has hosted the production of 180 feature films, including high-budget movies like “The Black Dahlia” and “The Way Back,” as well as produced visual effects for “The Expendables,” “Conan” and more.
‘Valley of the Wolves’ has been ranked as the most violent TV series, followed by ‘Behzat Ç.’. Cartoon films including ‘Ninja Turtles,’ ‘He-Man’ and ‘Pokemon’ are also on the list.
“The head of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), Fatih Yalçın has prepared a “black list,” which includes TV series that have violence and encourage youth to violence, according to an article in daily Milliyet. The 167 page report is the dissertation of Yalçın and covers foreign and Turkish TV series and movies. Among the foreign movies listed, “Natural Born Killers” directed by Oliver Stone was listed as the top violent movie.
Valley of the Wolves (Kurtlar Vadisi) ranked as the first violent TV series, cartoon films including “Power Rangers,” “Ninja Turtles,” “Batman,” “He-Man” and also “Pokemon” were also on the list.
According to daily Milliyet’s article, the report revealed that cartoon programs broadcast during the day include violence more than 30 percent of the time.
The report also revealed that young people who watched “Reservoir Dogs,” “License to Kill” and “Natural Born Killers” are involved in violent acts. “It is not true to say that everyone who watches those movies would become involved in violent acts. It is not possible to arouse the same effect on everyone, but people who are involved in violent acts should not be ignored,” the report said, according to daily Milliyet.
“Those movies may not cause violent acts, but they encourage violent acts among youth.
The TV series also use violence and use scenes [of violence] and the viewer gets used to the violence,” said the report. TV series such as “The Valley of the Wolves,” “Autumn Roses,” “Behzat Ç,” “Backstreets,” “Adanalı” and “Ezel,” which are shown in prime time on Turkish channels are also among those encouraging violence.”
“The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has handed down a cash fine to the Behzat Ç television series due to what the council deemed inappropriate language and content. The detective series has been warned before over its alleged use of improper language. The fine from RTÜK came after Behzat Ç producers continued to use language RTÜK have defined as improper.
RTÜK also claimed the fine was a result of the series not being proper for Turkish family life. According to RTÜK the language and behavior of the series’ characters creates problems for the Turkish family style.
Management of Star TV earlier made an official statement denying rumors about a broadcast ban for Behzat Ç. Ömer Özgüner, the channel’s controller, said they did not have the slightest intention to stop broadcasting the show before its scripted end.
The head of Turkish Green Crescent complained that the main character of the show, detective Behzat Ç, was not representative of the Turkish police with his alcohol and cigarette use. He claimed the series was doomed to be banned from broadcast soon.”
The stars of ‘Muhteşem Yüzyıl’ pose at the event held to support the children’s village. Hürriyet photo,Behlül AYDIN
The set of the popular Turkish TV series, “Muhteşem Yüzyıl” (Magnificent Century) was the location of an event on June 5 to support the children’s village project to be built in İzmir-Barbaros by the Foundation for Children in need of Protection, daily Hürriyet reported. The house will be dedicated to the memory of screenwriter Meral Okay, who recently died of cancer.
Organized by a member of the foundation’s board, Berrin Yoleri, and hosted by Timur Savcı of TIMS Productions, the production company responsible for “Muhteşem Yüzyıl”, the event was attended by a number of famous Turkish society figures, including Caroline Koç, and Suzan Sabancı Dinçer, as well as the series’ production team and cast. By the end of the event, 800,000 Turkish Liras has been collected, not counting SMS pledges.
The TV series’ huge set, located at Istanbul Film Studios, was open to visitors during the event. The artists attending the event undertook to raise money for the construction and furnishing of each house in the children’s village.
A selection of music from the TV series was performed at the event, and actress Meryem Uzerli, who plays the role of Hürrem Sultan on “Muhteşem Yüzyıl,” performed Whitney Houston’s song “The Greatest Love of All.” Halit Ergenç, who plays the role of Kanuni Sultan Süleyman (Süleyman the Magnificent), performed Sezen Aksu’s “Masum Değiliz.”
Zeynep's frustration at not being able to convince Ozan to settle down had been a comedic source for the writers over the show’s previous 250 episodes. Source : Hürriyet
“Pressure from Turkish TV’s watchdog is forcing the writers of a popular TV show to have their lead characters, an unmarried couple, wed in the interests of promoting greater morality, daily Habertürk reported today.
Zeynep and Ozan, the couple in the popular “1 Erkek 1 Kadın” (One Man, One Woman), will be married in a wedding scene that is to be included in next week’s episode following pressure by the Turkish Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK).
The pair’s failure to tie the knot, due to Ozan’s reluctance to settle down, was one of the key dynamics to the show, which features a series of skits that follow the couple during their daily routines.
Zeynep’s frustration at not being able to convince Ozan to settle down had been a comedic source for the writers over the show’s previous 250 episodes.
RTÜK, however, has been criticizing the show for some time, accusing the writers of encouraging extramarital affairs. The cohabiting couple is often portrayed as sexually active.
The general director of the show, Müge Turalı, recently announced the screen wedding, but added that the original story, which was adapted for Turkish TV, made no clear mention of the characters’ official marital status.
“It is a format adaptable to the culture and social values of the host country,” Turali was quoted as saying. “In some countries they never got married. In others, like Lebanon, they were a married couple from the start.”
A similar plot fix has been made to the popular cop show “Behzat Ç.,” in which the lead actor, a maverick homicide detective, was finally hitched to his long-time girlfriend. “
“Macedonia is currently passing a bill to restrict broadcasts of Turkish TV series during the day and at prime time in order to reduce the Turkish impact on Macedonian society, daily Habertürk has reported.
