Streamers are looking for Turkish TV production and storytelling

The Turkish TV market is being rocked by the arrival of more US streaming platforms, which is driving up production costs but also opening up new opportunities for talent, content creators and producers.

Netflix, which launched in Turkey in 2016, is the country’s streaming leader in terms of subscriptions – insiders say it’s close to 7 million – and in terms of production of its local originals.

Disney Plus, which is expected to bid farewell this summer, is busy assembling several Turkish productions that are still under wraps, while HBO Max has just launched and is also active in production.

Amazon Prime Video is expected to start producing Turkish originals in 2023.

“Disney Plus is investing in Turkey like there’s no tomorrow,” said Ahmet Ziyalar, head of Istanbul-based sales and production company Inter Medya.

He adds that the mouse house “pays incredible amounts [Turkish] Talent, including writers, directors and actors.

“They sign contracts with everyone, very aggressively,” says Ziyalar.

The rush of streamers in Turkey also makes it difficult to find not only cheap talent, but also crews and technical equipment.

Disney Plus did not respond to a request for comment on its Turkish operations.

In February, WarnerMedia announced the appointment of Nermin Eroğlu, a former executive at production powerhouse Ay Yapim and broadcaster Kanal D, to take over development and production of HBO Max’s Turkish originals, none of which have yet been announced.

The fact that streamers pay very high talent fees clearly makes production costs skyrocket. This, in turn, increases the pressure on Turkish producers who fail to partner with the giant platforms to recoup their investments.

It “also puts pressure on dealers,” says Izzet Pinto, CEO of distribution company Global Agency, calling this dynamic a “negative impact.”

On the other hand, the positive effect of streaming juggernauts having set up camp in Turkey is that “they are doing a good job of promoting the value of Turkish drama internationally” so that “Turkish drama is now a bigger brand than ever.” “. he says.

In terms of genres, the impact Netflix and smaller local streamers like BluTV have had on the landscape has essentially been ushering in shows that are edgier, faster, and more thematically daring.

A case in point is Netflix’s groundbreaking The Club, a historical drama set in cosmopolitan Istanbul in the 1950s, where Matilda, a Jewish ex-convict whose family suffered greatly from a Turkish wealth tax then imposed on the non-Muslims of the Landes works a nightclub where she reconnects with her estranged rebellious daughter.

“We want to make sure more people reflect their lives in our stories,” said Pelin Distas, Netflix’s director of original content for Turkey.

She also cites The Club and other Turkish Netflix originals like Fatma, the story of a cleaning lady-turned-serial-killer in response to years of misogyny and grief. “Ethos” connects characters from different socio-economic backgrounds. “Ethos” caused a sensation with its portrayal of religious and secular elements clashing and blending in contemporary Turkey.

“These were untold stories that both local and international audiences could easily relate to,” adds Distas.

“Based on the feedback we have received from our Turkish members and the industry, it would be fair to say that these shows have renewed the local approach to storytelling by encouraging viewers to experience the joy and beauty of mining of prejudice and mutual understanding,” she says.