Orkide Ünsür

Short Documentary Film, Hidjaz Houmayoon (2002)

Film Production May 21, 2009 Leave a comment

Hidjaz Houmayoon / Documentary (2002) ( 3th 1001 Documentary Film
Festival/Alanya, 1st Eastern Mediterranean International Underwater
Photography And Film Festival/Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, 9th
Biennual International Festival of Underwater Photography /Switzerland)

Producer and Director: Okan Ünsür

Executive Producer: Orkide Ünsür

Underwater Camera: Okan Ünsür

Music: Murat Tuğsuz, Reed Flute Performed by: Eyüp Hamiş, Flute Performed by: Murat Çelik
caretta gif
I find the life under the sea is astonishing. The creatures which are living in a harmony with their nature rules in their habitat are so impressive for me. Although I am not a diver and not planning to become one in the future, this magical atmosphere effects me heavily and I respect it.

In 2002 my brother Okan and I were in Kaş for making a promotional movie
of a diving center. Kaş/Antalya is a wonderful town famous for its diving
sites. We had an idea in our minds for some times to make a short under
water documentary about Kaş. So we planned our shootings and chose the most popular and interesting diving sites like Cave, Flying Fish, Canyon, and began to shoot. The most dangerous site was the Plane Wreck which only high plane gif professional divers like Okan are allowed. The plane had crashed for unknown reasons during the Second World War. The engine of the plane becomes visible at a depth of 57 meters; the other parts and the tail go down to the depths of more than 70 meters. Sometimes Okan followed a unique creature, or experienced the underwater exhibition with ceramic objects. And the night diving was done too. We decided to edit the movie with lyric style with the music but text. It would be reflection of the divine, holy and mystic atmosphere of the under water world of Kaş and the Mediterranean Sea.

Turkish classical music consists of different kind of music tunes, a system of melody type called “makam”(maqam). Each makam specifies a unique intervallic structure and melodic development. Whether a fixed composition or a spontaneous composition all attempt to follow the melody type.

cave gif

Hidjaz Houmayoon makam belongs to Hidjaz family. Hidjaz (hijazz) makam is one of the oldest, most be loved and most common makam in Turkish classical music which gives the soul modesty, humbleness.

This tune infuse into divine melancholy too. So referring the beauty of the under water world and feeling the divine love and melancholy Hidjaz Houmayoon makam and it’s tune was a meaningful and nice choice. And of course, many thank’s to Murat Tuğsuz and Eyüp Hamiş…

Orkide Ünsür

Working at News Department…

Writing May 2, 2009 Leave a comment

If you are working at news department in a TV channel as a reporter, a cameraman / camerawoman, producer or director; it means you have to be ready and adapt all unexpected, spontaneous situations with quick mind and movement. For instance if you are a reporter, in limited time you have to shoot your news, write it clear, brief and striking way, record your text mostly with your own voice, edit the material in a short time and present it to your chief. All have to be done in the limited time with the right way. Really hectic times!

checking the footage

Because of I worked as a reporter (and for couple of news as a camerawoman) as a Child News Coordinator and as a producer in TV channels, I can say mostly I lived the whole procedure.

I have unforgettable memoirs about my works at news, some of them made me feel myself lucky or funny or sad. As an example, I had a chance to interview with world famous French theorist, philosopher Jean Baudrillard (1929–2007) while he was in Istanbul for a meeting . I was using a heavy SVHS camera and my colleague Banu Gökçül was a reporter. After his speech we interviewed with him. He was little surprised about to see 2 young women in Istanbul, Turkey in 1993 for interview him and he made nice compliment us. It was a great honor for us benefit from his intellect and his thoughts about media criticizing.

While I was making culture & art news, I had an interview with world famous Turkish jazz musician and jazz drummer Erol Pekcan in his backstage after some recording for his concert. He was a cult figure in Turkish jazz history. He made the first jazz album in Turkey with jazz musicians Tuna Ötenel and Kudret Öztoprak (1947-2008) which called “Jazz Semai”(1978). And very soon after my interview he passed away in 1994. I think this interview I made with him was his last footage.

Giving for a funny (actually it was absolutely not funny for me in that time) example, I can not skip this case: I was planning to shoot an art gallery opening with a painting exhibition at night time and I came to work with elegant outfits. But in the middle of day we heard the announcement about a big fire in Halkalı city dump which is close to our tv station. I was one of the 2 reporters who is available at that moment because others were all in charged and outside for their news. So our chief picked me to shoot the news, I was very disappointed and upset. I found myself in the city dump on fire and garbages and ashes around me. It was the first time in my life that I saw hundreds of seagulls around us in the dump area. Till then I had seen them only around the seaside or just flying in the sky. I felt that like I’m in the “Birds“ movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock. I think I will never forget this disgusting smell. So after that day I tried to avoid having certain plans about my news.

Another difficulty of working at news, you have to watch many different rough footage like a tragic traffic accident, a violent murder or a disaster like the earthquake we had in 1999 in Marmara. While we had this earthquake I was a producer at CNNTURK, we were all working like crazy and as an emotional and sensitive person, it was really hard for me standing to watch incredibly, sadly rough footage and edit them. But you have to wipe your tears, skip the hard ones which is not possible to broadcast, find and choose more normal shootings, make your news and broadcast it as a professional. Your job is informing the people all around the world.

Although it’s neither my priority nor my ambitious or passion working at news department; I must admit I’m thankful about what I’ve learned while I was working at ATV and CNNTURK. Professionally, I like to control events, actions and follow my shooting plans. But I have my flexibility and ability to adapt myself unexpected situations and shootings. I like to find different angles spontaneously too on the other hand. Especially while you are shooting a documentary this is very important and necessary. So I think these special experiences I’ve had at news departments will always helpful for my future projects either documentary or fiction.

Orkide Ünsür

On the set… Acting

Acting, Film Production, Front of the camera March 30, 2009 Leave a comment

ABOUT BÜYÜKADA (BIG ISLAND)

AND THE TOY FACTORY SHORT MOVIE

This short movie produced in Büyükada (Big Island) / Prinkipo which is one of the Princes’ Island in the Sea of Marmara, near Istanbul. Büyükada is a wonderful place for it’s specific position which is so close to Istanbul (it’s only 2300 metres from Maltepe coast to Büyükada ) but also far away from the city crowd and noise. This place is famous for its beaches with cool and clean water.

from my childhood memories

As on the other islands, motorized vehicles – except service vehicles –are forbidden. Visitors can explore the island by foot, bicycle, in phaeton (horse- drawn carriages) or by riding donkeys. The famous monastery Aya Yorgi (Hagia Yorgi) standing on the island’s highest point. There is a ritual to climb and you should strictly follow the old rules without talking, only praying. Orthodox believers climb barefoot. But it’s a holy place for people from all religions. Some muslim Turkish people mostly visit Aya Yorgi especially 2 times in a year April 23 and September 24. And with an old tradition, some people tie ropes or rag on to the bush and trees for their wishes come true. And this short movie is inspired of this old tradition.

“Oyuncak Fabrikası / The Toy Factory” Short Movie, Producer: Michael Armstrong & Münire Armstrong, Director: Münire Armstrong & Didem Erayda,

In my opinion, a drama director must have empathy actors/actresses’ world and have knowledge and/or instict about acting. I like acting and same improving my knowledge and understanding about this area. So it was a nice chance for me to have a role in this short movie, I found the opportunity with work wonderful actresses as Sevim Çalışgir, Tanju Tuncel (like we worked in Pamuk Prenses / Snow White short movie) Hasibe Eren. And even I kept my contact in my private life with Sevim Çalışgir since 1998 while we were working in TV drama Ateş Dansı/Fire Dance, it was the last time for me to had a chance working with her. Unfortunately this remarkable woman passed away in 2008.

In this short film set, I was also working as a Production Coordinator and collabrated with İsmet Karalar. Due to motorized vehicles forbidden in island we had to take special permission for our movie set vehicles. And as a production coordinator I found the opportunity with work wonderful technical team too. Briefly, it was nice and enjoyable movie set in Büyükada with unforgettable memories…