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thedaleygrind: misterstevohi: Please take second to read this post before you unpin it into oblivion. You also don’t have to, but I really need some help. My NYU thesis film, “Big World”, is in the running for project of the week on Indiewire. In order to win, I need to get the most votes (yeah, it’s one of those things). There’s no registration or any of that mumbo jumbo required. Please, Tumblr friends, if you have an actual minute, please vote for “Big World” if you think it’s the project you’d like to see win project of week. It’s a big deal to me! You can vote here: http://www.indiewire.com/article/vote-for-indiewires-project-of-the-week-will-it-be-world-monsters-mum-or-violence Help my good friend!
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thedaleygrind:

misterstevohi:

Please take second to read this post before you unpin it into oblivion. You also don’t have to, but I really need some help. My NYU thesis film, “Big World”, is in the running for project of the week on Indiewire. In order to win, I need to get the most votes (yeah, it’s one of those things). There’s no registration or any of that mumbo jumbo required. Please, Tumblr friends, if you have an actual minute, please vote for “Big World” if you think it’s the project you’d like to see win project of week. It’s a big deal to me!

You can vote here:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/vote-for-indiewires-project-of-the-week-will-it-be-world-monsters-mum-or-violence

Help my good friend!

Day 2: Morning Scout, Ortakoy I find myself scouting my second location sooner than expected. Due to some changes in my schedule, I woke up this day and learned that I had 15 minutes to shower, change and become presentable if I wanted to leave the house that morning. In a rush I packed up my DSLR, a book to read in my free time and my usual accessories: wallet, phone, ID etc. Impulsively, I chose to go to Ortakoy. I was not mentally prepared for scouting but figured that I could at least grab some breakfast and settle my thoughts a little (it had been a very hectic week). Ortakoy is the neighborhood where I had spent many of my nights drunk and hanging out with friends. Over the years it had become quieter and perhaps not the hang out spot. I still find it the most picturesque. Taksim has the atmosphere and the liveliness what with its crowds and every changing design. But Ortakoy is the postcard: the Bosporus bridge lighting up the water below, connecting Europe and Asia as a beautiful mosque sits underneath it. In the film, Ortakoy is the scene that shows the protagonist losing his connection with the city. It is a walk and talk scene that begins in the narrow passages of this diverse neighborhood (starting in the Kumpir and waffle street, going past the nargile bars and then the cheap pubs) and ends out in the open, under that postcard bridge. I had been filming and taking photographs with my SLR. However, as was expected, I was getting a lot of peeved and angry looks. People figured that since I kept returning to the same spots that I was not a tourist. I decided to switch to my phone for pictures. This was actually easier and also, I used a panorama app to take some super wide wides. I may have overused it. Also, if my hands were not steady some mistakes were made. See if you can spot some of these mistakes below!
Day 2: Morning Scout, Ortakoy I find myself scouting my second location sooner than expected. Due to some changes in my schedule, I woke up this day and learned that I had 15 minutes to shower, change and become presentable if I wanted to leave the house that morning. In a rush I packed up my DSLR, a book to read in my free time and my usual accessories: wallet, phone, ID etc. Impulsively, I chose to go to Ortakoy. I was not mentally prepared for scouting but figured that I could at least grab some breakfast and settle my thoughts a little (it had been a very hectic week). Ortakoy is the neighborhood where I had spent many of my nights drunk and hanging out with friends. Over the years it had become quieter and perhaps not the hang out spot. I still find it the most picturesque. Taksim has the atmosphere and the liveliness what with its crowds and every changing design. But Ortakoy is the postcard: the Bosporus bridge lighting up the water below, connecting Europe and Asia as a beautiful mosque sits underneath it. In the film, Ortakoy is the scene that shows the protagonist losing his connection with the city. It is a walk and talk scene that begins in the narrow passages of this diverse neighborhood (starting in the Kumpir and waffle street, going past the nargile bars and then the cheap pubs) and ends out in the open, under that postcard bridge. I had been filming and taking photographs with my SLR. However, as was expected, I was getting a lot of peeved and angry looks. People figured that since I kept returning to the same spots that I was not a tourist. I decided to switch to my phone for pictures. This was actually easier and also, I used a panorama app to take some super wide wides. I may have overused it. Also, if my hands were not steady some mistakes were made. See if you can spot some of these mistakes below!
Day 2: Morning Scout, Ortakoy I find myself scouting my second location sooner than expected. Due to some changes in my schedule, I woke up this day and learned that I had 15 minutes to shower, change and become presentable if I wanted to leave the house that morning. In a rush I packed up my DSLR, a book to read in my free time and my usual accessories: wallet, phone, ID etc. Impulsively, I chose to go to Ortakoy. I was not mentally prepared for scouting but figured that I could at least grab some breakfast and settle my thoughts a little (it had been a very hectic week). Ortakoy is the neighborhood where I had spent many of my nights drunk and hanging out with friends. Over the years it had become quieter and perhaps not the hang out spot. I still find it the most picturesque. Taksim has the atmosphere and the liveliness what with its crowds and every changing design. But Ortakoy is the postcard: the Bosporus bridge lighting up the water below, connecting Europe and Asia as a beautiful mosque sits underneath it. In the film, Ortakoy is the scene that shows the protagonist losing his connection with the city. It is a walk and talk scene that begins in the narrow passages of this diverse neighborhood (starting in the Kumpir and waffle street, going past the nargile bars and then the cheap pubs) and ends out in the open, under that postcard bridge. I had been filming and taking photographs with my SLR. However, as was expected, I was getting a lot of peeved and angry looks. People figured that since I kept returning to the same spots that I was not a tourist. I decided to switch to my phone for pictures. This was actually easier and also, I used a panorama app to take some super wide wides. I may have overused it. Also, if my hands were not steady some mistakes were made. See if you can spot some of these mistakes below!
Day 2: Morning Scout, Ortakoy I find myself scouting my second location sooner than expected. Due to some changes in my schedule, I woke up this day and learned that I had 15 minutes to shower, change and become presentable if I wanted to leave the house that morning. In a rush I packed up my DSLR, a book to read in my free time and my usual accessories: wallet, phone, ID etc. Impulsively, I chose to go to Ortakoy. I was not mentally prepared for scouting but figured that I could at least grab some breakfast and settle my thoughts a little (it had been a very hectic week). Ortakoy is the neighborhood where I had spent many of my nights drunk and hanging out with friends. Over the years it had become quieter and perhaps not the hang out spot. I still find it the most picturesque. Taksim has the atmosphere and the liveliness what with its crowds and every changing design. But Ortakoy is the postcard: the Bosporus bridge lighting up the water below, connecting Europe and Asia as a beautiful mosque sits underneath it. In the film, Ortakoy is the scene that shows the protagonist losing his connection with the city. It is a walk and talk scene that begins in the narrow passages of this diverse neighborhood (starting in the Kumpir and waffle street, going past the nargile bars and then the cheap pubs) and ends out in the open, under that postcard bridge. I had been filming and taking photographs with my SLR. However, as was expected, I was getting a lot of peeved and angry looks. People figured that since I kept returning to the same spots that I was not a tourist. I decided to switch to my phone for pictures. This was actually easier and also, I used a panorama app to take some super wide wides. I may have overused it. Also, if my hands were not steady some mistakes were made. See if you can spot some of these mistakes below!
Day 2: Morning Scout, Ortakoy I find myself scouting my second location sooner than expected. Due to some changes in my schedule, I woke up this day and learned that I had 15 minutes to shower, change and become presentable if I wanted to leave the house that morning. In a rush I packed up my DSLR, a book to read in my free time and my usual accessories: wallet, phone, ID etc. Impulsively, I chose to go to Ortakoy. I was not mentally prepared for scouting but figured that I could at least grab some breakfast and settle my thoughts a little (it had been a very hectic week). Ortakoy is the neighborhood where I had spent many of my nights drunk and hanging out with friends. Over the years it had become quieter and perhaps not the hang out spot. I still find it the most picturesque. Taksim has the atmosphere and the liveliness what with its crowds and every changing design. But Ortakoy is the postcard: the Bosporus bridge lighting up the water below, connecting Europe and Asia as a beautiful mosque sits underneath it. In the film, Ortakoy is the scene that shows the protagonist losing his connection with the city. It is a walk and talk scene that begins in the narrow passages of this diverse neighborhood (starting in the Kumpir and waffle street, going past the nargile bars and then the cheap pubs) and ends out in the open, under that postcard bridge. I had been filming and taking photographs with my SLR. However, as was expected, I was getting a lot of peeved and angry looks. People figured that since I kept returning to the same spots that I was not a tourist. I decided to switch to my phone for pictures. This was actually easier and also, I used a panorama app to take some super wide wides. I may have overused it. Also, if my hands were not steady some mistakes were made. See if you can spot some of these mistakes below!
Day 2: Morning Scout, Ortakoy I find myself scouting my second location sooner than expected. Due to some changes in my schedule, I woke up this day and learned that I had 15 minutes to shower, change and become presentable if I wanted to leave the house that morning. In a rush I packed up my DSLR, a book to read in my free time and my usual accessories: wallet, phone, ID etc. Impulsively, I chose to go to Ortakoy. I was not mentally prepared for scouting but figured that I could at least grab some breakfast and settle my thoughts a little (it had been a very hectic week). Ortakoy is the neighborhood where I had spent many of my nights drunk and hanging out with friends. Over the years it had become quieter and perhaps not the hang out spot. I still find it the most picturesque. Taksim has the atmosphere and the liveliness what with its crowds and every changing design. But Ortakoy is the postcard: the Bosporus bridge lighting up the water below, connecting Europe and Asia as a beautiful mosque sits underneath it. In the film, Ortakoy is the scene that shows the protagonist losing his connection with the city. It is a walk and talk scene that begins in the narrow passages of this diverse neighborhood (starting in the Kumpir and waffle street, going past the nargile bars and then the cheap pubs) and ends out in the open, under that postcard bridge. I had been filming and taking photographs with my SLR. However, as was expected, I was getting a lot of peeved and angry looks. People figured that since I kept returning to the same spots that I was not a tourist. I decided to switch to my phone for pictures. This was actually easier and also, I used a panorama app to take some super wide wides. I may have overused it. Also, if my hands were not steady some mistakes were made. See if you can spot some of these mistakes below!
Day 2: Morning Scout, Ortakoy I find myself scouting my second location sooner than expected. Due to some changes in my schedule, I woke up this day and learned that I had 15 minutes to shower, change and become presentable if I wanted to leave the house that morning. In a rush I packed up my DSLR, a book to read in my free time and my usual accessories: wallet, phone, ID etc. Impulsively, I chose to go to Ortakoy. I was not mentally prepared for scouting but figured that I could at least grab some breakfast and settle my thoughts a little (it had been a very hectic week). Ortakoy is the neighborhood where I had spent many of my nights drunk and hanging out with friends. Over the years it had become quieter and perhaps not the hang out spot. I still find it the most picturesque. Taksim has the atmosphere and the liveliness what with its crowds and every changing design. But Ortakoy is the postcard: the Bosporus bridge lighting up the water below, connecting Europe and Asia as a beautiful mosque sits underneath it. In the film, Ortakoy is the scene that shows the protagonist losing his connection with the city. It is a walk and talk scene that begins in the narrow passages of this diverse neighborhood (starting in the Kumpir and waffle street, going past the nargile bars and then the cheap pubs) and ends out in the open, under that postcard bridge. I had been filming and taking photographs with my SLR. However, as was expected, I was getting a lot of peeved and angry looks. People figured that since I kept returning to the same spots that I was not a tourist. I decided to switch to my phone for pictures. This was actually easier and also, I used a panorama app to take some super wide wides. I may have overused it. Also, if my hands were not steady some mistakes were made. See if you can spot some of these mistakes below!
Day 2: Morning Scout, Ortakoy I find myself scouting my second location sooner than expected. Due to some changes in my schedule, I woke up this day and learned that I had 15 minutes to shower, change and become presentable if I wanted to leave the house that morning. In a rush I packed up my DSLR, a book to read in my free time and my usual accessories: wallet, phone, ID etc. Impulsively, I chose to go to Ortakoy. I was not mentally prepared for scouting but figured that I could at least grab some breakfast and settle my thoughts a little (it had been a very hectic week). Ortakoy is the neighborhood where I had spent many of my nights drunk and hanging out with friends. Over the years it had become quieter and perhaps not the hang out spot. I still find it the most picturesque. Taksim has the atmosphere and the liveliness what with its crowds and every changing design. But Ortakoy is the postcard: the Bosporus bridge lighting up the water below, connecting Europe and Asia as a beautiful mosque sits underneath it. In the film, Ortakoy is the scene that shows the protagonist losing his connection with the city. It is a walk and talk scene that begins in the narrow passages of this diverse neighborhood (starting in the Kumpir and waffle street, going past the nargile bars and then the cheap pubs) and ends out in the open, under that postcard bridge. I had been filming and taking photographs with my SLR. However, as was expected, I was getting a lot of peeved and angry looks. People figured that since I kept returning to the same spots that I was not a tourist. I decided to switch to my phone for pictures. This was actually easier and also, I used a panorama app to take some super wide wides. I may have overused it. Also, if my hands were not steady some mistakes were made. See if you can spot some of these mistakes below!
Day 2: Morning Scout, Ortakoy I find myself scouting my second location sooner than expected. Due to some changes in my schedule, I woke up this day and learned that I had 15 minutes to shower, change and become presentable if I wanted to leave the house that morning. In a rush I packed up my DSLR, a book to read in my free time and my usual accessories: wallet, phone, ID etc. Impulsively, I chose to go to Ortakoy. I was not mentally prepared for scouting but figured that I could at least grab some breakfast and settle my thoughts a little (it had been a very hectic week). Ortakoy is the neighborhood where I had spent many of my nights drunk and hanging out with friends. Over the years it had become quieter and perhaps not the hang out spot. I still find it the most picturesque. Taksim has the atmosphere and the liveliness what with its crowds and every changing design. But Ortakoy is the postcard: the Bosporus bridge lighting up the water below, connecting Europe and Asia as a beautiful mosque sits underneath it. In the film, Ortakoy is the scene that shows the protagonist losing his connection with the city. It is a walk and talk scene that begins in the narrow passages of this diverse neighborhood (starting in the Kumpir and waffle street, going past the nargile bars and then the cheap pubs) and ends out in the open, under that postcard bridge. I had been filming and taking photographs with my SLR. However, as was expected, I was getting a lot of peeved and angry looks. People figured that since I kept returning to the same spots that I was not a tourist. I decided to switch to my phone for pictures. This was actually easier and also, I used a panorama app to take some super wide wides. I may have overused it. Also, if my hands were not steady some mistakes were made. See if you can spot some of these mistakes below!
Day 2: Morning Scout, Ortakoy I find myself scouting my second location sooner than expected. Due to some changes in my schedule, I woke up this day and learned that I had 15 minutes to shower, change and become presentable if I wanted to leave the house that morning. In a rush I packed up my DSLR, a book to read in my free time and my usual accessories: wallet, phone, ID etc. Impulsively, I chose to go to Ortakoy. I was not mentally prepared for scouting but figured that I could at least grab some breakfast and settle my thoughts a little (it had been a very hectic week). Ortakoy is the neighborhood where I had spent many of my nights drunk and hanging out with friends. Over the years it had become quieter and perhaps not the hang out spot. I still find it the most picturesque. Taksim has the atmosphere and the liveliness what with its crowds and every changing design. But Ortakoy is the postcard: the Bosporus bridge lighting up the water below, connecting Europe and Asia as a beautiful mosque sits underneath it. In the film, Ortakoy is the scene that shows the protagonist losing his connection with the city. It is a walk and talk scene that begins in the narrow passages of this diverse neighborhood (starting in the Kumpir and waffle street, going past the nargile bars and then the cheap pubs) and ends out in the open, under that postcard bridge. I had been filming and taking photographs with my SLR. However, as was expected, I was getting a lot of peeved and angry looks. People figured that since I kept returning to the same spots that I was not a tourist. I decided to switch to my phone for pictures. This was actually easier and also, I used a panorama app to take some super wide wides. I may have overused it. Also, if my hands were not steady some mistakes were made. See if you can spot some of these mistakes below!

Day 2: Morning Scout, Ortakoy

I find myself scouting my second location sooner than expected. Due to some changes in my schedule, I woke up this day and learned that I had 15 minutes to shower, change and become presentable if I wanted to leave the house that morning.

In a rush I packed up my DSLR, a book to read in my free time and my usual accessories: wallet, phone, ID etc. Impulsively, I chose to go to Ortakoy. I was not mentally prepared for scouting but figured that I could at least grab some breakfast and settle my thoughts a little (it had been a very hectic week).

Ortakoy is the neighborhood where I had spent many of my nights drunk and hanging out with friends. Over the years it had become quieter and perhaps not the hang out spot. I still find it the most picturesque. Taksim has the atmosphere and the liveliness what with its crowds and every changing design. But Ortakoy is the postcard: the Bosporus bridge lighting up the water below, connecting Europe and Asia as a beautiful mosque sits underneath it.

In the film, Ortakoy is the scene that shows the protagonist losing his connection with the city. It is a walk and talk scene that begins in the narrow passages of this diverse neighborhood (starting in the Kumpir and waffle street, going past the nargile bars and then the cheap pubs) and ends out in the open, under that postcard bridge.

I had been filming and taking photographs with my SLR. However, as was expected, I was getting a lot of peeved and angry looks. People figured that since I kept returning to the same spots that I was not a tourist. I decided to switch to my phone for pictures. This was actually easier and also, I used a panorama app to take some super wide wides. I may have overused it. Also, if my hands were not steady some mistakes were made.

See if you can spot some of these mistakes below!

PANORAMIC ISTANBUL   Day 1: Solo Scout, Bebek And so it begins: my first official scout in Istanbul for “Yabanci”. After arriving in Istanbul in the middle of a snowstorm, the weather could not have been clearer. This is perhaps one of the only times I will be thankful for global warming as I am shooting a summer movie in March. Yay, independent filmmaking!  As I dropped my mother off at her yoga studio in Etiler, I decided that the weather was so splendiferous that I would save money on cab fare and just walk to my first location, Bebek. Anyone that lives in Istanbul knows it is not a pedestrian city. Sure, within neighborhoods you have the ability to walk freely and enjoy some of the best pedestrian life available: street markets, bakals, restaurants, ancient runes mixed in with modern architecture and so on and so forth. But walking from one neighborhood to another is a pain in the ass for two reasons. Firstly, there are a lot of hills. Secondly, the sidewalks are so small they might as well be nonexistent. Yet, for this was a fine day and it being a downward slope into Bebek and sine I had a craving for a leisurely cigarette, I decided to go forth on this trek. And though I sit here, three days later blogging about it with my shins still aching I regret nothing. Bebek is one of the fancier and expensive districts of Istanbul. It has a very European vibe to it. One goes there to enjoy over priced drinks and overly crowded bars. This is not a place where one goes to dance but to loiter, linger, sit, eat, drink and relax in amenities. I have chosen it do be the location of the film’s climax because it is a side of Istanbul rarely seen in film. No mosques, no religious presence, no market places or stunning landmarks. The only thing that may resemble a stereotype is the abundance of fisherman who crowd the seashore — another way of making the city less pedestrian friendly, you really have to watch out for hooks. It was strange to walk around Bebek and look for production details. The city is so etched in my memory but I had never considered with a filmmaker’s eye before. Immediately, some major production concerns came up and with some exploring they were settled (safety, parking, sound, stunt coordination etc). Not because I figured them out. I did not and many more trips will be made. The concerns were settled because I chose to drink some tea, have another leisurely cigarette and just enjoy the day as I walked around, taking notes and pictures.
PANORAMIC ISTANBUL   Day 1: Solo Scout, Bebek And so it begins: my first official scout in Istanbul for “Yabanci”. After arriving in Istanbul in the middle of a snowstorm, the weather could not have been clearer. This is perhaps one of the only times I will be thankful for global warming as I am shooting a summer movie in March. Yay, independent filmmaking!  As I dropped my mother off at her yoga studio in Etiler, I decided that the weather was so splendiferous that I would save money on cab fare and just walk to my first location, Bebek. Anyone that lives in Istanbul knows it is not a pedestrian city. Sure, within neighborhoods you have the ability to walk freely and enjoy some of the best pedestrian life available: street markets, bakals, restaurants, ancient runes mixed in with modern architecture and so on and so forth. But walking from one neighborhood to another is a pain in the ass for two reasons. Firstly, there are a lot of hills. Secondly, the sidewalks are so small they might as well be nonexistent. Yet, for this was a fine day and it being a downward slope into Bebek and sine I had a craving for a leisurely cigarette, I decided to go forth on this trek. And though I sit here, three days later blogging about it with my shins still aching I regret nothing. Bebek is one of the fancier and expensive districts of Istanbul. It has a very European vibe to it. One goes there to enjoy over priced drinks and overly crowded bars. This is not a place where one goes to dance but to loiter, linger, sit, eat, drink and relax in amenities. I have chosen it do be the location of the film’s climax because it is a side of Istanbul rarely seen in film. No mosques, no religious presence, no market places or stunning landmarks. The only thing that may resemble a stereotype is the abundance of fisherman who crowd the seashore — another way of making the city less pedestrian friendly, you really have to watch out for hooks. It was strange to walk around Bebek and look for production details. The city is so etched in my memory but I had never considered with a filmmaker’s eye before. Immediately, some major production concerns came up and with some exploring they were settled (safety, parking, sound, stunt coordination etc). Not because I figured them out. I did not and many more trips will be made. The concerns were settled because I chose to drink some tea, have another leisurely cigarette and just enjoy the day as I walked around, taking notes and pictures.
PANORAMIC ISTANBUL   Day 1: Solo Scout, Bebek And so it begins: my first official scout in Istanbul for “Yabanci”. After arriving in Istanbul in the middle of a snowstorm, the weather could not have been clearer. This is perhaps one of the only times I will be thankful for global warming as I am shooting a summer movie in March. Yay, independent filmmaking!  As I dropped my mother off at her yoga studio in Etiler, I decided that the weather was so splendiferous that I would save money on cab fare and just walk to my first location, Bebek. Anyone that lives in Istanbul knows it is not a pedestrian city. Sure, within neighborhoods you have the ability to walk freely and enjoy some of the best pedestrian life available: street markets, bakals, restaurants, ancient runes mixed in with modern architecture and so on and so forth. But walking from one neighborhood to another is a pain in the ass for two reasons. Firstly, there are a lot of hills. Secondly, the sidewalks are so small they might as well be nonexistent. Yet, for this was a fine day and it being a downward slope into Bebek and sine I had a craving for a leisurely cigarette, I decided to go forth on this trek. And though I sit here, three days later blogging about it with my shins still aching I regret nothing. Bebek is one of the fancier and expensive districts of Istanbul. It has a very European vibe to it. One goes there to enjoy over priced drinks and overly crowded bars. This is not a place where one goes to dance but to loiter, linger, sit, eat, drink and relax in amenities. I have chosen it do be the location of the film’s climax because it is a side of Istanbul rarely seen in film. No mosques, no religious presence, no market places or stunning landmarks. The only thing that may resemble a stereotype is the abundance of fisherman who crowd the seashore — another way of making the city less pedestrian friendly, you really have to watch out for hooks. It was strange to walk around Bebek and look for production details. The city is so etched in my memory but I had never considered with a filmmaker’s eye before. Immediately, some major production concerns came up and with some exploring they were settled (safety, parking, sound, stunt coordination etc). Not because I figured them out. I did not and many more trips will be made. The concerns were settled because I chose to drink some tea, have another leisurely cigarette and just enjoy the day as I walked around, taking notes and pictures.
PANORAMIC ISTANBUL   Day 1: Solo Scout, Bebek And so it begins: my first official scout in Istanbul for “Yabanci”. After arriving in Istanbul in the middle of a snowstorm, the weather could not have been clearer. This is perhaps one of the only times I will be thankful for global warming as I am shooting a summer movie in March. Yay, independent filmmaking!  As I dropped my mother off at her yoga studio in Etiler, I decided that the weather was so splendiferous that I would save money on cab fare and just walk to my first location, Bebek. Anyone that lives in Istanbul knows it is not a pedestrian city. Sure, within neighborhoods you have the ability to walk freely and enjoy some of the best pedestrian life available: street markets, bakals, restaurants, ancient runes mixed in with modern architecture and so on and so forth. But walking from one neighborhood to another is a pain in the ass for two reasons. Firstly, there are a lot of hills. Secondly, the sidewalks are so small they might as well be nonexistent. Yet, for this was a fine day and it being a downward slope into Bebek and sine I had a craving for a leisurely cigarette, I decided to go forth on this trek. And though I sit here, three days later blogging about it with my shins still aching I regret nothing. Bebek is one of the fancier and expensive districts of Istanbul. It has a very European vibe to it. One goes there to enjoy over priced drinks and overly crowded bars. This is not a place where one goes to dance but to loiter, linger, sit, eat, drink and relax in amenities. I have chosen it do be the location of the film’s climax because it is a side of Istanbul rarely seen in film. No mosques, no religious presence, no market places or stunning landmarks. The only thing that may resemble a stereotype is the abundance of fisherman who crowd the seashore — another way of making the city less pedestrian friendly, you really have to watch out for hooks. It was strange to walk around Bebek and look for production details. The city is so etched in my memory but I had never considered with a filmmaker’s eye before. Immediately, some major production concerns came up and with some exploring they were settled (safety, parking, sound, stunt coordination etc). Not because I figured them out. I did not and many more trips will be made. The concerns were settled because I chose to drink some tea, have another leisurely cigarette and just enjoy the day as I walked around, taking notes and pictures.
PANORAMIC ISTANBUL   Day 1: Solo Scout, Bebek And so it begins: my first official scout in Istanbul for “Yabanci”. After arriving in Istanbul in the middle of a snowstorm, the weather could not have been clearer. This is perhaps one of the only times I will be thankful for global warming as I am shooting a summer movie in March. Yay, independent filmmaking!  As I dropped my mother off at her yoga studio in Etiler, I decided that the weather was so splendiferous that I would save money on cab fare and just walk to my first location, Bebek. Anyone that lives in Istanbul knows it is not a pedestrian city. Sure, within neighborhoods you have the ability to walk freely and enjoy some of the best pedestrian life available: street markets, bakals, restaurants, ancient runes mixed in with modern architecture and so on and so forth. But walking from one neighborhood to another is a pain in the ass for two reasons. Firstly, there are a lot of hills. Secondly, the sidewalks are so small they might as well be nonexistent. Yet, for this was a fine day and it being a downward slope into Bebek and sine I had a craving for a leisurely cigarette, I decided to go forth on this trek. And though I sit here, three days later blogging about it with my shins still aching I regret nothing. Bebek is one of the fancier and expensive districts of Istanbul. It has a very European vibe to it. One goes there to enjoy over priced drinks and overly crowded bars. This is not a place where one goes to dance but to loiter, linger, sit, eat, drink and relax in amenities. I have chosen it do be the location of the film’s climax because it is a side of Istanbul rarely seen in film. No mosques, no religious presence, no market places or stunning landmarks. The only thing that may resemble a stereotype is the abundance of fisherman who crowd the seashore — another way of making the city less pedestrian friendly, you really have to watch out for hooks. It was strange to walk around Bebek and look for production details. The city is so etched in my memory but I had never considered with a filmmaker’s eye before. Immediately, some major production concerns came up and with some exploring they were settled (safety, parking, sound, stunt coordination etc). Not because I figured them out. I did not and many more trips will be made. The concerns were settled because I chose to drink some tea, have another leisurely cigarette and just enjoy the day as I walked around, taking notes and pictures.

PANORAMIC ISTANBUL

 

Day 1: Solo Scout, Bebek

And so it begins: my first official scout in Istanbul for “Yabanci”. After arriving in Istanbul in the middle of a snowstorm, the weather could not have been clearer. This is perhaps one of the only times I will be thankful for global warming as I am shooting a summer movie in March. Yay, independent filmmaking! 

As I dropped my mother off at her yoga studio in Etiler, I decided that the weather was so splendiferous that I would save money on cab fare and just walk to my first location, Bebek. Anyone that lives in Istanbul knows it is not a pedestrian city. Sure, within neighborhoods you have the ability to walk freely and enjoy some of the best pedestrian life available: street markets, bakals, restaurants, ancient runes mixed in with modern architecture and so on and so forth. But walking from one neighborhood to another is a pain in the ass for two reasons. Firstly, there are a lot of hills. Secondly, the sidewalks are so small they might as well be nonexistent.

Yet, for this was a fine day and it being a downward slope into Bebek and sine I had a craving for a leisurely cigarette, I decided to go forth on this trek. And though I sit here, three days later blogging about it with my shins still aching I regret nothing.

Bebek is one of the fancier and expensive districts of Istanbul. It has a very European vibe to it. One goes there to enjoy over priced drinks and overly crowded bars. This is not a place where one goes to dance but to loiter, linger, sit, eat, drink and relax in amenities. I have chosen it do be the location of the film’s climax because it is a side of Istanbul rarely seen in film. No mosques, no religious presence, no market places or stunning landmarks. The only thing that may resemble a stereotype is the abundance of fisherman who crowd the seashore — another way of making the city less pedestrian friendly, you really have to watch out for hooks.

It was strange to walk around Bebek and look for production details. The city is so etched in my memory but I had never considered with a filmmaker’s eye before. Immediately, some major production concerns came up and with some exploring they were settled (safety, parking, sound, stunt coordination etc). Not because I figured them out. I did not and many more trips will be made. The concerns were settled because I chose to drink some tea, have another leisurely cigarette and just enjoy the day as I walked around, taking notes and pictures.

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