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| Magnificent Century, based on the life of Suleiman the Magnificent, the 10th Ottoman Sultan. |
How Turkey has become the second biggest TV exporter in the world? Interview with Timur Savci, founder of TIMS Produktion, the company behind "Magnificent Century" - the most watched Turkish show in the world.
Turkey is globally the second biggest exporter of TV series abroad after the United States. The export of Turkish dramas reached $500 million in 2018. Turkish shows have been screened in many continents from the Middle
East to the Balkans, from Africa to Central Asia, the Far East, and
South America, reaching some 700 million people in nearly 146 countries.
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| Magnificent Century, based on the life of Suleiman the Magnificent, the 10th Ottoman Sultan. |
The "Magnificent Century" was the most watched Turkish show in the world. It has been seen by more than 500 million people in 100 countries worldwide. It was the first dizi bought by Japan.
The company behind "Magnificent Century" is Tims Productions. I asked to the founder of Tims Productions Timur Savci what is the receipt for a successful dizi, how Turkey become the second biggest TV exporter in the world, how could the country become №1, which are the biggest markets for Turkish dizi, how the success of Turkish TV shows impacts the tourism sector in the country, and what will be the impact of Netflix entering the market?
Timur, how did you enter the TV series industry?
Actually, about 25 years ago, I started out
working at a commercial film production company. So first I was in the
advertising industry. But then when private television started blooming in
Turkey with the establishment of new privately owned networks, there were new
investments, ventures and demands for television series. Being aware of those demands
in advance, I decided to take that path. The opportunities I encountered helped
me with that endeavor, and that’s how I entered the TV series industry. But my
previous experience in commercial film production was a big help because I had
worked with many world-renowned directors and DOPs which endowed me with
valuable know how. And after I entered the TV series industry, I made use of
this know how in order to make a difference in the industry.
How many series have you sold till now?
I haven’t calculated this in exact numbers
of course. But since I founded my own company almost 15 years ago, we have produced
an average of three series per year. And I believe we have sold more than 60%
of those series worldwide.
Which is your most successful dizi?
Surely it is Magnificent Century (MuhteÅŸem
Yüzyıl). We can easily name Magnificent Century as our most
successful dizi in terms of its economic and cultural impact and export volume.
However, we have a few other dizi’s which I don’t want to be unfair to, that
have become true champions in our heart which also have success in export. I
can name Game of Silence (Suskunlar), Lovebird (Çalıkuşu) and Eternal(Ölene
Kadar) among them.
Which are your biggest markets?
Once upon a time the MENA region was our
biggest market. But now I think most important markets for us are Latin America
and Eastern Europe given the volume in those territories.
Where is Bulgaria as a market for
Turkish series?
We consider Bulgaria to be very important
because if a Turkish series reaches success in Bulgaria, its positive side
effect on the rest of Eastern Europe is massive. That’s why it is of utmost
importance for us. In a way, we could say Bulgaria is a solution partner in
terms of the broadcast of our series in the region.
Could a Bulgarian actor/actress take
part in any Turkish dizi?
Why not? I think it’s time for such things
as the world globalizes even more. In fact, entertainment content can travel
not only via actor/actress exchanges but also with co-productions projects. We
can consider that.
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| Still from Lovebird (Çalıkuşu) |
How Turkey has become the second biggest
TV exporter in the world?
Turkish producers sowed the seeds of the
Turkish television industry entirely with their individual endeavors and hard
work. Turkey has the advantage of its geological position between East and West
which enhances our culture. The fact that so many cultures have inhabited these
lands have made us open minded adopting a broad vision. That’s why we have
never been a Middle Eastern country nor an entirely Western one. The content we
have planned and invested in has been based on a synergy of the best parts of
each side and an expectancy that many people in the world would have similar
habits or behavior to ours. And naturally since the Turkish TV industry has
reached a certain point now, the governmental institutions and ministries have
been working to provide their support and input.
What could make Turkey №1 exporter? How
could you win the English-speaking world?
I think the state and private sector have
to cooperate on this. When you think about the US today, what they have contributed
to Hollywood and entertainment products in terms of subsidies and incentives is
evident. For example, when there is a need to surpass the quota imposed by
China on films, the American president can have a conversation with the Chinese
leader and unclog the situation. So what we must do is focus on creating good,
authentic and more innovative content and keep imagining as such, but the state
should also be acting in synch with us.
What’s so special about Turkish series?
How did you master the universal language to touch people around the world?
What’s special about Turkish series is
fundamentally this: it is all structured on a universal sentiment. The products
are not created on one emotion that only has a local sensibility. For example,
our comedy series are not exported so much. That’s because comedy can be a very
local concept. Secondly, we don’t produce very fast-paced or compact series nor
do we make shows that are as slow or immobile as in a soap opera taking place
in one location. We present content with tempo that takes place in a number of
fresh locations edited with a high sense of wonder but is longer in duration
than an American show. Another aspect is surely Turkey’s high potential in
terms of its infrastructure and natural beauties. And the coexistence of many
different religions, languages, races and cultures on these lands over the
course of history. And sometimes the series are quite authentic which is
another reason.
Which are the most common narrative
themes that you cover?
As you know, the most commonly explored
themes are love, impossible love and differences in characters’ socioeconomic
status.
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| The new military dizi Söz (The Oath) |
Some analysts say that the Turkish dizi is
used by the state to project Turkish soft power to the world, especially with
the recent historical serials. What’s
your comment?
I can answer only for myself on this one.
We cannot cite Magnificent Century as
an example of this because that was a series that we made with our own free
will and means, without any input from the state. We carried out its
international distribution in the same way. But after its huge success, its
similar versions may have been made with that intent, I don’t know. That’s why
such a statement is not true for our series.
What’s the influence of Turkish dizi on
the tourism sector in the country?
I think its influence is so much that it
would transcend the scope of this interview J The
impact is so powerful because the significance of the Turkish dizi export is
not the economic volume but its reach to so many people in the world and its
ability to intrigue them about or introduce them to Turkish culture. During the
last ten years, Turkish series have turned Istanbul into a brand name city that
is a place of high interest for those who like to travel.
On what new projects are your working
now?
We have three projects in the works at the
moment; two of them are almost ready, the third one is still in development.
The story is completed but pre-production hasn’t started yet. One of the
projects will be on ATV, while the other one will be on Blu TV. We haven’t yet
determined the network of our third project. In addition to these locally
produced projects, we are in talks with many international platforms; namely we
are working on a project for Netflix and the Hollywood remake of Magnificent
Century. We are also currently developing a co-production project with our
Spanish partners.
How do you see the future of Turkish
dizi in terms of content, markets? And what would be the impact of Netflix?
I’m hopeful about the future of Turkish
dizi because content is crucial. All platforms and broadcast media can change
but the need for content will never end. Turkey is a society which still has a
plethora of rich stories, tales and legends that are yet to be explored. That’s
why I think Turkish series will improve in quality and volume and continue full
throttle on their path. As for the impact of Netflix entering the market,
Netflix is a global powerhouse and naturally they aim to use that power in
order to carry themselves to a higher level. This is a handicap in countries
like ours where local production is rigorous because their strategy imposes a
framework that leaves no room for the producers and creators in terms of IP
rights in the content they commission. And that poses a threat. But I’m
guessing a consensus will be reached in this matter in the near future.
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