Venue of historical films

KOCAELİ – Anadolu Agency

The Seka Film Studio in the northwestern province of İzmit is hosting historical film and TV drama shootings. The studio, which is rented out to the Maya Film Studio by the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, is also drawing the interest of foreign producers. 

The director of the Maya Film Studio, Alper Çetintaş, said many period dramas and films had been shot in the studio so far. 

He said the studio had many decors and accessories to assist the production of a variety of films from the 16th century to the 20th century. “We have nearly 5,000 costumes and 10,000 pieces of accessories. Those who want to make period films need to come to this studio because the İstiklal Avenue, the Ottoman streets from the 1700s  and 1850s, the Galata Tower, side streets, frame houses and other structures are drawing everyone’s attention. The buildings have been built just like their original,” he added. 
 
Çetintaş said producers of Turkish period films and from foreign countries had great interest in the studio.
 
“Recently, we received demand from a Turkish-Korean joint production called ‘Ayla.’ We have a setting for harbor scenes; they worked there. There is another Turkish-Japanese joint production; they will work here too. We receive demands from abroad for TV drama, film, documentary and commercial projects. We are open to foreign demands and do our best to serve them. We are working like a factory; making costumes, carpenter’s shop, paint shop, etc. We can meet every demand including accommodation and food,” he said, adding that talks have been continuing with foreign producers who are interested in shooting films in the studio.
 
Çetintaş said the first production made in the Seka Film Studio was “Bir Zamanlar Osmanlı’da: Kıyam” (Once Upon A Time in the Ottoman: Rebellion) six years ago and then continued with “Osmanlı’da Derin Devlet” (Shadow State in the Ottoman), “Osmanlı Tokadı” (The Ottoman Slap), “Filinta” and “Payitaht Abdulhamid” (Capital City Abdulhamid). 

“We built 60 to 70 new venues for the latest one, which started recently. The Yıldız Palace, big and small state apartments, stairway landing, Sultan Abdulhamit’s carpenter shop, seraglio garden and rooms are among them. All of them were made like their original including their carpets and accessories,” he said. 

60 million liras spent on studio

Çetintaş said he invested 60 million Turkish Liras on the studio, adding that it increased every year. 

“The inner spaces of the buildings in the studio can be used and they can be changed according to the demand of the film crews,” he said. 
 
“Most of the extras in the projects are chosen among locals in Kocaeli. We are working very hard and noisy. We have approximately 300 people on set per day. We also help people who want to visit the studio. But we can’t let them visit everywhere as works would get interrupted,” he added.