Trabzon to become the Hollywood of Turkey

TRABZON - Anatolia News Agency

Trabzon’s geographical characteristics are the reason directors and producers choose to come to the area and shoot movies and documentraies.

Film producers and directors are increasingly flocking to iconic Trabzon to shoot movies thanks to the region’s unparalleled natural beauty and rich history, allowing the area to entertain dreams of creating their own Hollywood in the eastern Black Sea region. “Many directors from abroad have visited the city in the recent months. Trabzon may play an important role in the coming years,” Erdal Eksert, a producer and director, recently told Anatolia news agency.

The province has become one of the top choices for producers in a number of film genres, including television series, documentaries and films. They have been eager to reflect Trabzon’s beauty, 4,000-year-old history and cultural richness on the screen.
Trabzon is currently hosting a number of film production teams, although more are expected in the coming months.

The province’s geographical characteristics are the reason directors and producers choose to come to Trabzon, Eksert told Anatolia news agency. “Trabzon is full of natural beauty. It has not been damaged. The nature and people here have special characteristics.”

Presenting Trabzon as a cinema hub

Noting that many people go to Istanbul to shoot movies, Eksert said: “It is very important to present Trabzon with these kinds of events. This also affects the tourism events in the region. People who watch TV series and movies shot in Trabzon would like to come to the region.”

In the last two years the number of documentaries about Trabzon has increased, according to Eksert. “People who came to Trabzon to shoot movies have also contributed to the city’s economic situation,” he said.

Director Aytekin Çakmakcı echoed Eksert’s comments, saying the Black Sea province presented a great place for directors.

“Now, everyone would like to shoot movies in Trabzon,” the director said. “Trabzon has a cinematographic characteristic because of its natural landscape. The forests and highlands allow one to make very good cinematic photography,” Çakmakçı said. “You can catch 360-degree cinematic scenes here.”

Giving an example, the director said the province had a lot of fog which offered cinematic opportunities for film and documentary producers. The director also said a new incentive system for Turkish cinema had started a new filming trend.

The proclivity toward filming in the province is not limited solely to series, documentaries and film, according to Özer Çağlayan, the coordinator for Academy Trabzon.

“Many advertisement movies are also shot in the Black Sea region, particularly in Trabzon,” he said. “Nearly 500 to 600 people have applied for advertisement shootings. This means this can create new employment opportunities,” he said.

“There should be cast agreements for the employment agreements of these advertisements,” he said.
In Trabzon many areas have historical attractions. For example, the Ortahisar neighborhood reflects Turkish urban culture with its walls, architecture and nature.

There are also numerous examples of Ottoman civilian architecture in the province. The fountains of the Black Sea province have also attracted movie directors.