Turkey – The Filming Paradise ~Discover the land where your favorite film was shot~

January 8, 2015
3,123 Comments
Located at the
crossroads of Europe and Asia and surrounded by the Mediterranean
Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea, Turkey has established itself as film directors’ and
producers’ paradise! With 7 geographical regions having diverse climates at the
same time, Turkey makes for the perfect locale to shoot all genres of films.

Since the beginning of history, Anatolia, well known
as one the earliest settlements, has continued to flourish with the migration
of various tribes, and accumulated a large cultural heritage through a line of
succeeding empires and civilizations. Many empires ranging from the Sumerians
to the Hittites, the Lydians to the Byzantines and the Seljuks to the Ottomans
have once thrived and expired within the borders of Turkey, which make for
beautiful sets to shoot films.
The popularity of Turkey as a tourist destination has
also put it on the map for Western companies. Istanbul has long been a popular
destination for international filmmakers due to its many cultural and
historical venues. Ek Tha Tiger was shot in places such as
Mardin, Istanbul and Antalya in Turkey. The song ‘Mayya Mayya’ in Guru shows
the Nuruosmaniye Mosque in Istanbul. Mardan Palace in Antalya is shown as John
Abraham’s palace in Race 2. The most recent installment of the
James Bond film series, Skyfall has been shot in Istanbul,
which as previously hosted filming for other films in the James Bond series,
including From Russia with Love and The World is not
Enough. Russell Crowe also picked Turkey for his directorial debut
film The Water Diviner, so did Zoya Akhtar for
her next film Dil Dhadakne Do, starring Ranveer Singh,
Priyanka Chopra, Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Farhan Akhtar andAnushka
Sharma. The 2003 Greek movie, Politiki Kouzina (A Touch of
Spice), was also filmed in Istanbul, along with The Accidental Spy.
Hollywood flicks like Argo, Taken 2, Harry Potter and the Order of
Phoenix and Ghost Rider- Spirit of Vengeance and some
south Indian movies as well, have also been shot in Turkey.
In Turkey, you can shoot spring/autumn, summer and winter
scenes throughout the year. So you
can film a skiing scene on a snowy mountain and then a swimming scene in the
beach in the same day, in Antalya, for about 9 months of the year.
 
 Turkey has varied geographical settings which
provide ample opportunities round the year for filmmakers to shoot films. The
geography of Turkey has been a home to more than 30 known civilizations
throughout history, and each has left significant cultural and physical
heritage on the land. The Aegean region, full of olive trees and
vineyards, can be the set for Greece, Italy and Spain, the Taurus mountains in
the south of Turkey can be used to depict Switzerland, France and French Alps.
The nature and environment in the Black Sea Region is very similar to that in
England, Ireland, Scotland and the North European Countries. A film whose story
takes place in the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Palestine and
Jordan can be shot in some cities in the South East of Turkey, as the Arabic
architecture is dominant in Antakya, Mardin, Şanlıurfa, Adıyaman and Diyarbakır.
 Over 250 of films and TV programs were shot in Turkey
in 2012, as the country is blessed with natural wonders like Cappadocia and Pamukkale, beautiful
beaches, rocky shores, waterfalls, lakes, rivers, mountains, plateaus, forests, dry lands,
modern architecture, cities and villages with special architectureand ancient cities like Ephesus and Troy.
 
 Also, it is cheaper to shoot a film in Turkey, as several companies renting
cameras, light and film set equipment, cranes, Jimmy Jib and Steadycam of the
latest technology, providing the necessary technological equipment and transportation vehicles required to
shoot a film nowadays have emerged. Turkey maintains an extensive
transportation network that is both efficient and cost-effective.
 
 The Turkish
government has also taken steps to promote Turkey as an ideal destination for
shooting films. To make it an even better experience for film makers, once the production
of cinematographic works is approved by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism,
foreign film producers can get a refund of the VAT on goods and services they
buy in Turkey within the duration
of film shooting. Foreign film producers can request a VAT refund by a petition
to the relevant tax office following the expiration of filming permit, and the
refunds are finalized within 30 days following a complete CFA report
submission.
 
Bringing
Turkish cinema to India, renowned film maker Reis Celik was
nominated as a jury member at the 19th International Film Festival of
Kerala.  Some critically acclaimed Turkish films like Yozgat
Blues, Night of Silence, I am Not Him, Majority, Sivas, Come to My Voice,
Pandora’s Box and A Fair Ground Attraction were also
screened at the festival.
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