Can Okan, Founder and CEO of Inter Medya: “Valley of Hearts has received immense love from Turkish audiences since its debut and has also garnered significant interest from international buyers.” – Exclusive Interview

Can Okan, CEO and founder of Inter Medya, joins EPISODE once again for our DICM 2024 issue, highlighting the global debut of Valley of Hearts at MIPCOM, the company’s expanding co-productions, and their fresh format, Crossover.

At DICM, Inter Medya will introduce their latest hit Valley of Hearts alongside Love and Pride, reflecting the growing international demand for Turkish content and partnerships.

Inter Medya introduced TIMS&B Productions’ Valley of Hearts, one of the season’s most popular series, at MIPCOM for the first time. Valley of Hearts has been very well-recieved in Türkiye, but how was the feedback at MIPCOM?

Can Okan: Yes, as Inter Medya, we have taken on the international distribution of Valley of Hearts, one of this season’s most popular productions from TIMS&B Productions and launched it globally at MIPCOM. We celebrated this international launch with a small press event at our own stand. Valley of Hearts has received immense love from Turkish audiences since its debut and has also garnered significant interest from international buyers. Even before MIPCOM, we had already begun discussions with several clients for Valley of Hearts. This strong interest continued intensively throughout MIPCOM, with many promising talks. We look forward to announcing these sales very soon.

Can Okan: “Valley of Hearts exemplifies the hallmarks of a distinguished Turkish drama, masterfully combining captivating storytelling with the breathtaking scenery of Cappadocia. With a layered story full of love, passion, family values, and class conflict, along with moments of suspense, it keeps audiences engaged at every turn.”

How do you see the global journey of Valley of Hearts progressing? What elements of the series do you think will captivate international audience?

Can Okan: Valley of Hearts exemplifies the hallmarks of a distinguished Turkish drama, masterfully combining captivating storytelling with the breathtaking scenery of Cappadocia. With a layered story full of love, passion, family values, and class conflict, along with moments of suspense, it keeps audiences engaged at every turn. The talented cast brings each character to life with depth and authenticity. Touching on themes that international audiences look for in Turkish dramas, Valley of Hearts stands out with its stunning visuals, captivating music, and high-quality cinematography. We are confident that this series will secure a lasting and prominent place in the legacy of Turkish television dramas.

You also introduced your music competition format, Crossover, at MIPCOM for the first time. How was the interest? Could you tell us a bit about this format?

Can Okan: We’ve recently refined and streamlined our format catalog to make it more focused and versatile. Our catalog now includes a vibrant selection of competition formats, tailored to meet various needs with some of the most dynamic and engaging concepts. Crossover is a new addition, a lively and entertaining music competition program. In truth, Crossover is much more than just a music show; it’s a celebration of diversity, creativity, and musical artistry. It invites viewers to experience innovative, unexpected fusions of sound while providing contestants with a unique platform to showcase their versatility and range.

Can Okan: Whether you’re a fan of classical, pop, rock, or jazz, Crossover has something for everyone, bringing diverse musical tastes together in one electrifying show.

Your catalog of mini-series also received attention at MIPCOM. What does this interest make you think about the future of Turkish mini-series?

Can Okan: Mini-series have become a key focus in our catalog recently. To introduce these series internationally, we launched them under the brand New Generation Turkish Series, and we have put substantial effort into building this brand. The response has been very positive. Drawing on the richness of Turkish storytelling, these miniseries present bold, edgy narratives with a high production quality, creating an opportunity to reach new audiences previously untouched by Turkish content. They have succeeded in capturing the interest of viewers who may not have watched or preferred Turkish series before. In this regard, the impact of global platforms and successful Turkish productions is immense. Our mini-series play a significant role in contributing to the industry.

Inter Medya is making steady progress in terms of co-productions. You have completed four co-productions and mentioned you might provide updates on a new project. We’d love to hear the latest developments on this matter.

Can Okan: Yes, co-productions have been a strategic focus and area of investment for us for quite some time. We’ve already achieved historic milestones by launching the first-ever Turkish co-productions in Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic markets, with impressive results. Each project has helped us grow and refine our approach. To support these efforts, we’ve established an in-house team dedicated to co-productions. They are continually scouting new projects and stories, evaluating each one for potential partnerships. Currently, we have another co-production in production, with plans to launch it in early 2025. We’re confident that we will achieve many more firsts and successful projects in co-productions.

Following MIPCOM, we’re at DICM. Inter Medya will have a screening in DICM. Could we get more details on this?

Can Okan: On the first day of DICM, November 12 at 12:30 PM, we’ll be holding a special screening. During this session, we’ll present a 15-minute highlight reel of Valley of Hearts, giving our MENA clients, who may have missed MIPCOM, their first look at the series. We’re thrilled to introduce the show here. Additionally, we’ll be screening a 15-minute video of Love and Pride, a successful co-production that serves as an excellent example of Turkish collaborations. Through this presentation, we aim to showcase the potential of Turkish co-productions to our MENA audience. We look forward to welcoming all DICM attendees to enjoy this exclusive screening with us.

This exclusive interview with Can Okan was featured in Episode Magazine’s DICM 2024 issue.