First, we have to make a deal: not to call them telenovelas. Professor Arzu Ozturkmen, who teaches history at the Bogazici University in Istanbul, told The Guardian that "are against the use of this term." It produces Turkey is not related to soap operas or periodic dramas, they called dizi, with unique narrative , space and music. And they are very, very popular.
Thanks to international sales and worldwide viewing, in some countries, Turkey is second behind the US in television distribution. Its products have attracted a large audience in Russia, China, Korea and Latin America. Currently, dizi's biggest consumer is Chile, while Mexico and Argentina pay more to buy them.
What exactly are dizziness?
Dizi are described as a comprehensive epic, with each episode lasting more than two and a half hours. Advertising time is free and the state broadcaster allows up to 7 minutes of advertising in 20 minutes of dizziness. Dizit have original soundtracks and can include more than 50 main characters. They tend to shoot scenes in places in the heart of historic Istanbul and the studios are used as little as possible.
Eset, a well-known screenwriter and creator of "The Magnificent Century" also known as "The Great Sultan," told The Guardian that in the subject matter, dizziness shows caution in several elements:
1. No weapon can be placed in the hand of the event hero.
2. The center of every drama is the family.
3. A foreigner shall "travel" in a social and economic environment that is contrary to his or her origin.
4. After the characters are disillusioned with love, their hearts are tragically closed to romantic feelings.
5. Nothing breaks a love triangle.
Eset points out that dizzies try to "love the good guy with the good girl, but sometimes life has unexpected and bad people around."
According to Izzet Pinto, founder of Istanbul-based Global Agency, the fame of Turkish products began with "One Thousand and One Nights" (Shehrezade's Tales) in 2006, followed by "Gümüş" * (Gymysh). "One Thousand and One Nights" was broadcast in 80 countries around the world. Subsequently, the success was further enhanced by "Majestic Suleyman," recounting the story of the tenth Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, falling in love with a concubine named Hyrrem.
When it was first aired, "Majestic Suleyman" grabbed almost a third of the country's viewership. In the media, it was termed "Sex and the City" of the Ottoman era, while others compared it to "Game of Thrones". To accomplish this, the producers collaborated with numerous historical consultants, and the team consisted of 130 people, with 25 people working on costumes alone.
Production on Suleyman's figure was seen by more than 500 million people worldwide and was the first Japanese-bought diesel. Since 2002, about 150 Turkish products have been sold in more than 100 countries.
The international success of dizzying films is a sign that native culture, ranging from Bollywood to K-pop, is challenging Western culture. Experts from Turkey think the reason for this success is that American and Western television in general is entertaining, but it does not affect the feelings that make us human.
The narration of these films focuses on traditional values and principles in relation to the modern world. For example, "Fatmagül" focused on the rape of a young girl and her battle to establish justice. Soon, it is expected that "Fatmagyl" will be adapted by Spanish TV makers.
While men have generally dealt with abuse, rape, and murder for sensational issues, men are portrayed as more romantic than Romeo. "They tell people what they want to tell them," says Pinar Celikel, Istanbul fashion editor.
Dizzy productions still have work to break into the English-speaking world, and this may be related to audiences owned by the US and the United Kingdom, which usually do not air subtitle shows. Or, after all, they may be prejudiced by the fact that we are dealing with an Islamic state.
Turks have been in touch with quality television productions since the 1970s. Kıvanç Tatlituğ, the star of many popular films and one of the most beloved in Turkey, whose fame has penetrated Albania and other Balkan countries, told The The Guardian reasons why it thinks Turkish cinema is succeeding. The actor said he appreciated the series as "Breaking Bad" or "Game of Thrones", which are definitely great. "I don't think it's about values or conservatism, but empathy. In addition to the success of Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad, some people may be more drawn to dizzying stories. ”
Recently, there has been a shift towards Turkish broadcasting. This is also seen on Klan television, which is currently airing popular American and serial productions of Netflix creating a balance with dizziness.
However, by 2023, the Turkish government hopes to expand its audience even further in Latin America and Western Europe, especially in Italy and Spain. Experts point out that Turkish soap operas do not yet have a steady level of popularity, but still lack the global desire to see what the dizzying can offer. There are obstacles coming mainly from Saudi Arabia and other countries around the world that have stopped broadcasting Turkish products, but the producers feel that "the occupation of television by Turkish products has not come to an end".
- Adapted from The Guardian
