Why Shoot in Turkey
Unique geography and history
Turkey has recently become a popular location to film for the Hollywood film industry. Producers have begun to use Turkey especially Istanbul as a platform, bringing a number of leading Hollywood stars to Turkey. Kevin Costner, Daniel Craig, Morgan Freeman and Matt Dillon just to name a few….
Latest James Bond film Skyfall, Ben Affleck’s Argo, Taken 2 starring Liam Neeson, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy which stars actors Tom Hardy, Colin Firth and Gary Oldman and Nicolas Cage’s Ghost Rider 2 are some of the films shot most recently in Turkey and there are more projects in line.
Why Turkey
Unique geography and history
Turkey has an incredibly diverse range of locations that can double for almost anywhere in the world She is often called “the cradle of civilization,” as it has been home to a rich variety of tribes and nations of people since 6500 B.C. Hattis, Hittites, Phrygians, Urartians, Lycians, Lydians, Ionians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans have all held important places in Turkey’s history. Ancient sites and ruins throughout the country attest to each civilization’s unique character.
Turkey is a big country with different climates and it has everything that a film director/producer may want: natural wonders like Cappadocia, Pamukkale, beautiful beaches, rocky shores, waterfalls, lakes, rivers, mountains, dry lands, modern architecture, unique cities, towns, villages and streets. For example The Cappadocia region, where a lot of Hollywood and European films were shot in the past, is like an open-air film studio.
Turkey can be the setting for various settings in different 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.
The Arabic architecture is dominant in Antakya, Mardin, Urfa, Adıyaman and Diyarbakır.
The Aegean region full of olive trees and vineyards can be the setting for Greece, Italy and Spain.
The Taurus mountains in the south of Turkey can be the setting for Switzerland, France and French Alps.
The nature and environment in the Black Sea Region is very similar to the nature and environment in England, Ireland, Scotland and the North European Countries.
A highly developed tourism infrastructure/superstructure.
As of 2012 with almost 32 million foreign visitor arrivals Turkey ranks 7 place in the world. Turkey’s licenced bed capacity has reached to 1 million (licenced by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism 610.000) and accommodation facilities range from multinational hotel chains to simple and small family run hotels and pansions.
Easy Access
Located at the crossroads of the continents, Turkey maintains an extensive transportation network that is both efficient and cost-effective.
Airport across Turkey welcome 12.000 international flights per week. Turkish Airlines, one of the world’s leading flagship carriers, frequent numerous major cities in Europe and the world.
Should visiting producers wish to transport film equipment via sea, many ports across the country are open to international freight ships.
As for railways and roads, TCDD (Turkish Republic State Railways) operates a system that extends 10.985 km in length, including a high-speed line that connects Istanbul to Ankara. The total length of the network of highways and motorways exceeds 10.000 km across the country.
A Budget-Friendly Country
The film business is about managing resources and coping with challenges as musc as it is about firing the mind to mold fantasies into reality. Professionals value a location not only for its spectacular offerings but also for the ease it lends to the course of work.
Home to a vibrant film industry with well-established traditions of coproduction, Turkey offer producers an ideal opportunity to diminish the costs of filmmaking.
Providing unbelievably low costs for film logistics, genuinely competitive prices for equipment rental and professional labor, and last but not least, incredibly favorable exchange rates for the world currencies, Turkey is a goldmine of advantages that offers great peace of mind to film professionals in each and every phase of film production.
A land for all seasons
Turkey is a unique country where you can shoot the winter and the summer scenes at the same time throughout the year.
Material supplies and equipment
The necessary technological equipment is available in Turkey and there are a lot of companies renting cameras, light and film set equipment, cranes, Jimmy Jib and Steadycam of the latest technology.
Antalya Studios is one of the most modern studio complexes in Europe as it is soundproof and practical to use and it has luxurious star suites, workshops and sections for costume, make up and hair.