Arzu Öztürkmen
Arzu Öztürkmen is a history professor at Bogaziçi University in Istanbul. Her research embraces oral history, cultural folklore, and performing arts. In addition to several articles about Turkey's cultural history, she published the book "The Delight of Turkish Dizi, Memory, Genre and Politics of Television in Turkey" last year. Señal News spoke with Öztürkmen to understand the phenomenon around Turkish content.
The global appeal of Turkish content continues to grow. What are the historical reasons for that phenomenon?
"Many researchers relate the success of the dizis (Turkish TV series) to cultural proximity, as the initial interest began in the post-Ottoman era. It started with 'Yabancı Damat' (Foreign Groom, 2004) first in Greece, then spreading to the Balkans, and continued with 'Gümüş' (Nour, 2005) in the Middle East. The cultural proximity argument also works for Central Asia, where the Turkic origins of modern Turkey are rooted. That theory is also true for Latin America since the Latin culture shares many similarities with the Mediterranean culture."
What does Turkey have or do differently that makes it a global hotspot for drama?
"Another reason for the global appeal of Turkish content is often related to the narrative style that dizis materialized. Dizis are shot in real locations, and their story follows a natural slowness. A musical narration escorts the story. The pace of the narratives offers a real-time acting style that enables talent to pass the feeling of their dialogues. There is also a rising curiosity about the mixed impressions of Turkey. I remember how Alan Parker's 'Midnight Express' (1978) marked Turkey's political image during the 1980s and 1990s. That began to change with the new branding of Istanbul in the 2000s. Dizis brought another visual frame with its different shots of Istanbul and other places around Turkey, together with a new and diverse profile of actors with remarkably different appearances."
What new local trends do you recognize for Turkish content, especially around drama?
"I believe that the content of the early 2010s made up the new "Turkish Wave." Dizis like 'Fatmagül,' 'Aşk-I Memnu,' 'Uçurum,' 'Suskunlar' or 'Kayıp Şehir' had compelling themes from different elements and spots of Turkish society. With the change in the rating system, the dizi industry became very fragile, and producers and networks headed to 'safe' content with a mixture of romance and action. With the entrance of new digital platforms in recent years, we see a strong desire to produce a new type of dizi, also branded as the 'New Generation of Turkish Series.' 'Saygı' and 'Magarsus' are clear examples of that trend. Digital platforms also offer an opportunity for writers to create content dealing with delicate issues in Turkish society, like class, gender, ethnicity, or religion. 'Ethos' and 'Fatma' are also an example of that. A new trend in mainstream television drama is adaptations from 'real-life stories.' The content coming particularly from G. Buğdaycıoğlu, a therapist and writer, offered stories and characters used for prime-time hit series."
Are those trends necessary to keep the international expansion of Turkish content?
"Yes, of course. Although digital platforms are watched globally, there is still a strong tradition of watching linear television. Furthermore, today, local audiences in Turkey demand content related to freedom and a sense of humor."
By Diego Alfagemez
