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!

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"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."