Sevin Yaman
Sevin Yaman graduated from Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Film Design, with a focus on directing. She received her MA degree from Kadir Has University, Cinema and Television Department. Yaman worked as an editing assistant and treatment writer in various feature films and TV series. She has cinema and media certificates from the University of London, University of Pennsylvania and The University of New South Wales. Currently, she pursues doctoral studies at Dokuz Eylül University, Department of Film Design. Your film I You He/She We You They is among the selected works of Experimental Brasil.
EB- What led you down the path of experimental filmmaking, and how do you perceive its role in the broader landscape of cinema?
I have always been interested in metaphorical expression. I think I have created a style that suits me by combining this narrative with cinema methods. I find the visual and auditory possibilities of experimental film more nourishing.
EB- When crafting a film, what is your approach to storytelling and how do you balance it with experimentation?
A linear story flow no longer excites me. In today's conditions, I find it more accurate to express stories not directly but indirectly. The possibilities of experimental film support me in realising these thoughts.
EB- How do you view the relationship between your films and the audience, and what techniques do you use to create an immersive experience?
I like to create a space that will challenge the viewer mentally and allow them to make their own meaning. I think that in my films I offer the viewer an experience space to produce their own interpretation and reflect on it.
EB- Can you provide insight into your creative process, from the initial idea to the final product?
Firstly, the subject I want to tell is visualised in my mind. While creating the script, striking imaginary scenes appear in my mind rather than a flow with a beginning and an end. At the next stage, the technical decision part begins, that is, how can I reconstruct this story by going beyond the classical narrative and disrupting it. After these decisions, the area I enjoy the most is 'reconstructing' the narrative at the editing.
EB- What obstacles have you encountered as a filmmaker, and how have you overcome them?
Unfortunately, the funds allocated for short films in Turkey are extremely limited. Therefore, I had to shoot my film with low budgets. Besides, if you look at the film festivals in Turkey, experimental cinema is still not taken seriously as a film genre and a narrative style. For this reason, it becomes a field that is open to genre abuse.
EB- How do you balance the technical aspects of filmmaking with artistic expression in your films?
I like to create more metaphorical expressions by using the technique. I find it more aesthetic to reflect this meaning by distorting it by intervening the image itself instead of directly conveying the meaning.
EB- What guidance would you offer to those seeking to enter the world of filmmaking?
At this point, I can only speak on behalf of experimental short film directors in Turkey. I know that in the film production process, which is a teamwork, you will do most of the work yourself because your opportunities will be limited. Nevertheless, if you have a script you trust, never give up, be patient and keep producing.
EB- How do you define success in your films, and what metrics do you use to measure it?
Any film that has been thought about by the audience and received different criticisms is a successful film for me. Of course, especially when my film is selected in festivals abroad, it reaches more audiences, more cultures and more experiences, and the feedback from there is also very satisfying for me.
EB- What are some of the recurring themes or topics that you explore in your films, and what motivates you to delve into these subjects?
As a female director, I find it important to focus on the theme of women in my films. This is primarily due to the country I live in. It is not possible for me to explain how difficult it is to exist as a woman in Turkey. Even though there is an incredibly heavy pressure on freedom of expression, including the field of arts, I can find the possibility of freedom in my short films. What motivates me is being able to create this free space in my experimental universe and to build my own resistance mechanism.