Feature Film - Worth it?

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article contains words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)

 

6 years on my filmmaking journey has shown me that the motion picture game, from indie film level all the way up, is a closed playground for the few. And unless you have the money or contacts, chances of getting to have a kick about in that playground is highly unlikely. That is, if you're playing by the rules.

Based on my my current setup, I reckon I could potentially shoot a self contained feature film within 10 days. But the question I always find myself asking is:

Will it be worth it?

Chasing Amy, Tom, Dick and Ahmed

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article contains words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)

© successyeti.com

"That mother-fucker STILL hasn't got back to me!"

Good morning, day or evening, inter-peeps. How many times have you torn yourself into little pieces over such words? I'm not just talking about that script you sent over to someone, that actor who liked your idea, that peer who couldn't be more up for it or that producer who was all up in your junk over a project. I'm talking about the many energy vampires we seem to stumble across throughout our filmmaking journey. The "Talkers".

EXT. LONDON - NIGHT

Film noir street choked with fog.  

Planted under a shaft of light -- A SILHOUETTE.  Man, Woman or Beast.  Nobody knows.  Just then, JOE FILM-AKER cuts across the damp, cobbled street.  

Nods on approach, eyes unable to make out the murky figure.

Great vs Undeniable

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article contains words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)

I've finally figured it out. The meaning of life... No wait, that's for another time! *Ahem*, on a more serious note:

Over the past few months I've spent some time on movie sets, met up with various people and had interesting chats with fellow peers. One thing I've found repeating to both myself and others is the word 'Undeniable'. As in:

"It has to be undeniable"

What I mean by that is that in order to get the recognition, success and sense of achievement we crave for like suicidal porn addicts, I feel the work we create must be 'Undeniable'. Not good, not great, not amazing... UNDENIABLE.

Here's my definition of the two:

• GREAT - Something you see, feel and experience and then move on.

• UNDENIABLE - Something that gets under your skin and skull fucks you into a submissive state of awe.

As I've said before, there's a shit load of talent out there. Guys'n'Gals that make most of us look like dribbling 3 year olds in terms of the work quality they produce. I watch their films and my loins ache with downright admiration and if I'm truly honest with myself, a little bit of jealousy -- Then I move on. There's no Interest and Interaction. It was great, thanks for the ride, laters. 

What Am I Giving Back?

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article contains words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)


I've been thinking a lot lately (at least for the past 18 months) on what it is that makes some creatives such a joy to follow and others, well, meh. I think it boils down to a few of things:

• Their content is informative and useful
• They share their experiences

"We are doing/did this... This is how we're doing/did it... More great resources here (link)... Please ask if you want to know more..."

This to me creates the most powerful tool any creative could wish for - Interest and Interaction. The way I see it is this: The reason why we make something is so we can share it with others, to get feedback and ultimately whether we like it or not, to get their APPROVAL (psychologically speaking, I think this stems back to social stature/hierarchy from our knuckle dragging days).

SWAT - When Opportunity Knocks

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article may contain words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)


One thing I've come to realise is that opportunity presents itself in the most subtlest of ways. It doesn't (usually) pop out of thin air and go "Yo, ass face, here I am on a plate ready for you to devour!" A little OTT, but I think you know where I'm coming from.

About a week ago I came across a casting call tweet looking for an Ex US Military person living in London. I'm not an Actor, shit like that doesn't interest me. I could've EASILY scrolled along my timeline BUT, my brother-in-law to be met the criteria. He's not an Actor. I just thought, why the fuck not, maybe he'd be interested. Long story short, he asked asked If I'd help him film something to send over to the casting peeps. Of course I said yes (turns out it was for a major studio movie).

Here's what we came up with. Best to watch first (process and blooper reel below).

I Write American

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article may contain words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)

I'm a Cypriot Man who grew up in London, with British values... But I write AMERICAN Scripts.

I don't write Cypriot.
I don't write British.
I write American.

Most of my childhood movies ranged from The Goonies, Back To The Future, Indiana Jones all the way up to Rocky, Pulp Fiction and Se7ven to name but a very, very few. Though I didn't have a clue back then, they've been the predominant backbone of everything I've written and aimed to capture since I left my day job in 2010. Trouble is, when it comes to story and structure, I feel very much at at odds with my homegrown peers who, understandably, embrace storytelling native to this country (UK).

Now how do I say this without sounding like a self indulgent prick...

I believe in a 3 act structure of start, middle and an end with at least two plot points that anchor the story. I enjoy watching/writing films that catch the audience off guard with twists, turns and shock reveals somewhere along it's timeline. The best example I can give is M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense:

That film is the epiphany of "Ho. Lee. Fuck."

Write What You See

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article may contain words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)

The thing with click bait is that they very rarely give you the answers to the statements/questions they're posing. I call it the Politician Syndrome aka No Shit, Sherlock! This applies to a lot of filmmaking articles I come across, but a typical screenwriting example would be:

5 Things You Need To Write A Great Story

- Writing software (or pen and paper)
- A story that's worth telling
- Characters we can relate to
- Something bad that happens
- An ending your audience can remember

How you do this is completely up to YOU! At the end of the day, you're the one who's telling the story. It's your voice that counts!

Click this
Click this
Click this
Click this...

No Shit, Sherlock!

I mean, really? Do people really need to be told this stuff? It's like saying you need money to buy a house. Show me the money, mutha fackers!

I'm not sure who said it, but one of the best pieces of screenwriting advise I've personally come across in the diarrhetic bull-shit-sphere known as how not to write, how to write click bait is this:

"Write What You See" 

I Eat Sh*t Pieces For Breakfast

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article may contain words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)

A few weekends back I decided to make a spontaneous little sketch. Something that showed a little bit of my personality and the kinda stuff that makes me laugh. So I quickly wrote down some dialogue, setup up the camera and a few hours later I had 'That Awkward Conversation':

A quick and simple scene to flex the creative juices :)

Equipment used:

1 Camera
1 Lens
1 Tripod
1 Rode Mic
1 External recorder

You Don't Hate Mondays, You Hate Your JOB

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article contains words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)

meetsobsession.com

In 2010 I left my day job as an insurance broker to follow my heart into the creative world of filmmaking. Up until that point I was tied to a desk for 8+ hours of a day, haggling with people from all walks of life.

I dreaded, no, HATED Mondays. The thought of getting up in the morning and dragging myself into that environment made me sick to my core. Not because of the people I worked with, but because of the job itself. Being a middle man in any given business means only one thing --> Prostitution. Forget morals, forget dignity, forget self worth, it's all about bringing in the money. But I'm gonna save all that for another post.

Just for shits and giggles, my top 3 (office) work places to prostitute yourself:

Screenwriting White Space: What Is It Good For?

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article contains words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)

People are always banging on about 'white space' when it comes to screenwriting. You see it in nearly every piece of writing advice:

"Script readers won't read your script unless they see plenty of white space..."

"You gotta make sure there's a lot of white space in your script to make it breath..." 

"White space, white space, white spaaaccceee!"

Trouble is, they never really tell you why. Yes, the obvious is that it's easier on the eyes, less is more, better impact per word/sentence/paragraph etc etc. But I'm sure most of you writing folks already know that (or anyone who's ever read anything for that matter, instinctually knows this).

What A (Good) Story Means To Me

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article contains words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)

Hey guys, today I'd like to talk to you about story, not just any story, but good story and what it means to me.

Like many creative mediums, platforms or whatever the fuck you want to call them, story is a subjective matter. One person's Monet could be another person's euro trash. We each have our own ideals, thoughts, influences and factors that mold our definition of a good story. It's not a right or wrong thing, it's whatever resonates inside the individual. Whatever sparks that emotion inside you is what counts.

Unfortunately, we live in a society today where everything is digested and thrown away within a blink of an eye, or should I say a click of a button, or is that a slide of the finger? My point is, attention spans have reduced quicker than a diarrhetic bowl over the last (at least) 10 years. What this means is a severe reduction in good story and an increase in eye candy. The next generation of cinema goers/storytellers have been groomed into a corner where everything is geared to be generically structured without the twists, turns and surprises most of the older generation were lucky enough to grow up with. Some will argue this point, others will nod in agreement. Again, it's all subjective.

Bare with me as I rattle along and bring this sucker back.

5 Things To Consider Before Quitting Your Day Job

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article contains words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)

I was recently contacted by a friend who is seriously considering quitting there day job to pursue a path into filmmaking. They wanted some pointers from someone who was crazy enough to do this --> ME.

Though I don't have the exact answers, here are 5 thoughts I shared with them, and now with you, from my own personal experiences:

1. Know What You Want: 

Sounds simple enough, but it's something you must be sure of before starting your journey. Do you want to be a successful Screenwriter? Director? Cinematographer? Pimp? It's GOT to be specific. Theoretically speaking, it'll be your guiding light in the dark.

Nb: Mine was "I want to make films." In hindsight, this was too much of a broad brush stroke.

THE SOLDIER - Did That Just Happen?

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article contains words and phrases that some people may find offensive. Please do not continue if easily offended)

Directing Actor Oliver Park

Where to begin...

OK, let's take it from the top. The Soldier is a script I originally wrote for the Virgin Media Shorts competition (2013). I'd entered my previous short film 30 Seconds 2 Late in 2012 but had zero intention of entering this year. That is until around 4 weeks before competition deadline. I suddenly had this idea about a lone British soldier who makes a last stand against enemy forces. I knew I could make it work, shit, even make the tight deadline if I just kept things super simple. One location. 2 actors, max.

RISING [HD] - Mask Time!

You know, sometimes you just have to grab your camera, get out there and shoot something. No thinking. Just shooting. Yesterday was one of those days. So I sent the follow text to a friend:

"You will be in London in 1 hour. You will bring with a Mask..." That was the brief. Here is the result:

I enjoy days like this. It sparks creativity and can indirectly influence other projects you might be thinking of/working on. Try it and let me know how you get on!

DAILY DEAD | INDIE SPOTLIGHT

Promised (short film) shares indie spotlight on the Daily Dead!

Click Me!

"Prior to the creation of Man, one Archangel knelt before another, bowed his head and made a promise never to change his view of him, no matter what happened."

Connect with Daily Dead: @DailyDeadNews | Like their page on Facebook

INDIE BUZZ: PROMISED (2013) PREVIEW & TRAILER

Emma Knock over at The Horror Hothouse has put up this excellent blog preview for our supernatural short film 'Promised'. Check it out!

FULL REVIEW HERE!

"Hailing from The Horror Hothouse’s home town of London, comes an exciting new supernatural short film entitled Promised. Written, directed and edited by Bulent Ozdemir, Promised focuses on a broken promise between Archangel Michael and Lucifer, which brings forth a threat against the birth of Man."

'DINER' - A Pulp Fiction Inspired Short Script

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article contains words and phrases that some people may find offensive. If you are easily offended then please do not continue)

1994, some friends and I found ourselves at the BFI Southbank for, if memory serves, a Q&A screening of The Madness of King George. We went up the lobby escalators and onto the first floor. Bearing left, on the corner of this hallway was a cardboard cutout of 4 well known actors standing side by side. Underneath them, the title of a film called 'Pulp Fiction' accompanied by the words 'Coming Soon.' Instant reaction: "Bullshit. There's no way in hell all these actors are in the same movie. Must be a spoof."  Turns out they were all in the same movie... and what a fucking movie! 

Fight Your Demons

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir
(Disclaimer: This article contains words and phrases that some people may find offensive. If you are easily offended then please do not continue)

Since my last two short film outings (Promised and 30 Seconds 2 Late) in 2012, I haven't really had the energy, or quite frankly, the will to go out there and make another. In my childish arrogance, the 'measured' success bar I'd set for myself had not equaled the work load, or should I say pain load I'd put in. Yes. Pain. Both mental and physical. Mentally getting a project off the ground and physically creating the end result, both arduous tasks for one person alone (That's not even taking into account the social aspect of promoting your work!).

So I blamed a lack of a level playing field, my background, perfectionism, the stars, Mother Teresa and anything else I could come up with. I soon found myself in the darkest corners of a fucked up mind, wrestling gremlins and fighting demons that I manifested. All because the 'measured' success bar I'd set for myself had not... all together now... equaled the work load I'd put in. Very good.

Bulent Ozdemir Filmmaker Showreel [HD]

Q&A for '30 Seconds 2 Late' - The Albany

Article written by Bulent Ozdemir

12/02/2013 - Attended a public screening of my short film 30 Seconds 2 Late at The Albany, London. An interesting night made even more interesting when the presenter called me up for an impromptu Q&A! It went a little something like this:

Presenter: "Will the filmmaker, Bulent Ozdemir, please make his way up here for a Q&A."

Me: "Whaaa...?"