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.

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!

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...?"

ALL NEW 'PROMISED' TRAILER!

A broken promise between Archangel Michael and Lucifer threatens the birth of Man.

Official Site
Facebook
IMDb

'Promised' Movie Review

The following movie review was kindly posted by Frank over at Bobba_Fett1138.

Promised (2012) Directed by Bulent Ozdemir

This is being one exceptional shot short movie, that should not pass by unnoticed.

Even while probably chances are you not constantly going to fully understand what is going on at the moment on screen, you still get a grasp of its importance and gravity through its intensity. It's an intense short, shot in an extreme tense way, with some dynamic camera-work and a wonderful, effective, dark atmosphere.
It would help to first read what this movie is supposed to be all about, since it will help you to understand things that the movie doesn't just spell out everything for you. This is not a complaint about the actual movie but more as a friendly warning to those who are planning to watch it.

Promised Film Poster #3: Evil Is Just A Perception

And finally, the third and final poster. Hope you've liked them as much as we have :)

Links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

FACEBOOK PAGE




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Bulent Ozdemir is a self taught Writer, Director and Filmmaker who left his day job as an insurance broker back in 2010 to pursue a career in film.

website

twitter

instagram

e: bulentfilms[at]gmail.com

Promised Film Poster #2: Evil Is Just A Perception

Here's the SECOND of three Movie posters for Promised. The remaining will be released tomorrow night (September 12th) at 9pm GMT!

Links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

FACEBOOK PAGE




----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bulent Ozdemir is a self taught Writer, Director and Filmmaker who left his day job as an insurance broker back in 2010 to pursue a career in film.

website

twitter

instagram

e: bulentfilms[at]gmail.com

Promised Film Poster #1: Evil Is Just A Perception

Delighted to showcase the first of three Movie posters for Promised. The remaining two will be released over the next few nights.

Links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

FACEBOOK PAGE



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bulent Ozdemir is a self taught Writer, Director and Filmmaker who left his day job as an insurance broker back in 2010 to pursue a career in film.

website

twitter

instagram

e: bulentfilms[at]gmail.com

30 Seconds 2 Late - Virgin Media Shorts 2012

*** Northern Nights Film Festival 2012 (Official Shortlist) ***

Originally made for the Virigin Media Shorts competition 2012.

Synopsis: 

If you made the mistake of leaving the one you love, would you not run to get them back? Jake must reach Keira before she leaves forever.

Written, Produced, Cinematography, Directed and Edited by: Bulent Ozdemir

Starring:
Kevin Leslie (Jake)

Sammi Elston (Keira)

Makeup and Camera Assistant: 

Annarita Melina

'PROMISED' - A True Collaboration

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)

From left to right: Bulent Ozdemir, Remie Purtill-Clarke, Annarita Melina, Alan Stenson & Andrew Dowbiggin

3 out of the 5 people in the above picture are actors. The remaining 2 (Plus the person taking the picture) are crew. We had a shoe string budget for food, a donation that I made personally to the location and balls the size of monkey fists.

But none of the above matters. The reality is that no one really cares about how your film is made or the blood, sweat and tears that goes into the process. It's all about end result. The reason I mention these numbers is because I feel my super small team deserves to be highlighted for their efforts.

The Cast:

Alan Stenson
Andrew Dowbiggin
Remie Purtill-Clarke

SETBACK - Journey from Script to Screen (Pt2)

 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)

©Wolf Valley Films 2011

An Idea, a germ of an Idea forms. It lingers. Asks questions. Born out of the beating my brain's taken from the Sci Fi script I'm writing, it grows by itself. Something completely different. Grab a pen. A pad.

Words spew out onto white space and bleed into each other as my hand tries to keep up. Not sure if it's me writing the story or the Pen. It screams across the pages like a crazed dog with a hot pepper shoved up its ass. To take a breath would be an insult.

16th May 2011. 24 hours after the initial Idea the first draft of Set Back is complete. Not a long script by any standards. A mere 5 pages. Still, 4 days later the final draft is in the bag. The slug hits my ears as quickly as the words hit paper:

" A man finds himself locked up & protesting his innocence over the brutal murder of a young female "

And so the Journey begins..