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."

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.

'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! 

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...?"

SETBACK - A Short Script Needs You! (Pt1)

 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)

Christian Bale: American Psycho (2000)

"Ozdemir has some intriguing ideas about looking deeper than the filmic surface – something that all filmmakers should start thinking about.." In Production - Brett Gerry Films

I'm writing this article in search of a small group of talented actors, actresses and Independent filmmakers willing to collaborate on an Interesting yet somewhat twisted little short film. 

Set Back is a short script I wrote within 24hrs of having the initial Idea and weighs in at a mammoth, wait for it... 5 pages! *Ahem* - The story looks at a day in mans life who through a series of baffling events discovers the body of a murdered young female. Though he informs the relevant authorities of this tragic event, he finds himself locked up and protesting his Innocence.

The Initial Idea for Set Back came whilst taking a break from writing my James Cameron Inspired Sci-Fi short K.O.S (more on that later). Oh wait, did I just say whilst taking a break? I'm sorry, what I meant to say was whilst bashing my head against a wall and screaming like a 2yr old in need of a fresh diaper! Oh the joy of writing..