Turkish TV Industry Faces Major Shift: Summer Series Suspended Due to Rising Costs
We Talked to Onur Güvenatam, Founder of OGM Pictures and OGM Universe
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We interviewed Onur Güvenatam, the founder of OGM Pictures, covering various topics ranging from the Turkish TV series industry to the key priorities in their own productions. Güvenatam underscored the significance of storytelling in content production and highlighted his active involvement in all project stages within his company.
When discussing his inclusion in Variety’s ‘500 Most Influential People Shaping the Global Media Industry’ list, Güvenatam shared his insights on the factors that contributed to this recognition. Below are Güvenatam’s evaluations on the sector, showcasing him as one of the influential figures shaping the Global Media Sector.
You founded OGM in 2019, and your company, now in its fifth year, has achieved many successes. How did you decide to establish the company, and what is the secret behind the successes you have achieved in the last four years?
Founded in 2019, OGM Pictures is passionate about storytelling. It has a vision to create high quality content that resonates with audiences and reflects their inner selves. Our success over the past five years can be attributed to a combination of many factors. Firstly, we have a dedicated team of professionals committed to excellence in production. Secondly, our focus on diverse and compelling storytelling has allowed us to connect with a wide audience both locally and internationally. Lastly, we always strive to tell stories that have a purpose and touch people’s lives.
You have produced long-running series like Inocentes and The Red Room, which are widely watched in Türkiye, but your international success is also significant. For example, Golden Boy was sold to more than 100 countries. What are the reasons behind Golden Boy’s popularity and success worldwide?
The international success of Golden Boy can be attributed to its universal themes, compelling storytelling, strong characters, and high production values. The series resonated with audiences across different cultures due to its relatable storyline and engaging narrative. Additionally, the remarkable cast, the focus on high production values, and the attention to detail ensured the series maintained its quality across different markets. This contributed to its widespread popularity.
One of the greatest achievements of the Turkish series, and perhaps its greatest achievement, is their ability to blur the line between real life and the screen. This aspect likely played a significant role in Golden Boy’s success worldwide, as it allowed viewers to connect with the story on a deeper level, transcending cultural boundaries and resonating with audiences globally.
As a result of these international successes, you were listed on Variety’s 500 Most Influential People Shaping the Global Media Industry. What did you feel, and what does it mean to you?
It was an honour to be included in Variety’s list of the 500 Most Influential People Shaping the Global Media Industry. This was the result of our international achievements for both free TV series and streaming platforms. It is a recognition of the impact our work has had on a global scale.
This recognition motivates us to continue pushing boundaries and striving for excellence in the media industry. It also reinforces our commitment to creating content that resonates with audiences worldwide and contributes positively to the ever-evolving media landscape.
Turkish series have an interactive relationship with the audience, which is uncommon in the world. Audience reactions affect script shaping. How does this production process and the series’ success affect you?
The interactive relationship between the Turkish series and the audience is a testament to storytelling’s power. We value our audience’s feedback and engagement. However, even though we cannot say that the audience’s reactions shape the storyline, they do influence it. This interactive relationship inspires us to continuously improve and innovate, ensuring our content remains relevant and compelling.
You have not only produced projects for traditional television channels but also Netflix. You have popular works such as Anotherself and The Gift in your portfolio. Prime Video’s first Turkish series, Düğüm, is also OGM-signed. What is your approach as a producer in terrestrial and digital works? Do you look for different things in stories? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each, in your opinion?
Our approach as a producer in both traditional and digital works is to focus on creating a strong story that resonates with audiences regardless of platform. While storytelling may vary based on platform requirements, our core focus remains on delivering high-quality content with universal appeal. Digital platforms have global reach and flexibility, allowing diverse storytelling formats. However, terrestrial channels offer a more traditional viewing experience with a dedicated audience. By balancing our presence across both platforms, we can cater to a wide range of viewers and maximise our content’s impact.
What do you consider when selecting projects? Which stories/genres are priorities for you?
When selecting projects, we prioritise stories that have a strong narrative, universal appeal, and the potential to have a meaningful impact. Our priority is to create content that resonates with our audience while pushing storytelling boundaries like telling a hidden story for the first time. The creative aspect, the idea itself, excites me greatly when starting a project. Being able to touch the people with these projects, to say something to them, makes me very happy. In other words, the thought that I can make a difference in people’s lives with content is the greatest joy I derive from my work. I am very interested in how I influence people. I am very interested in my creation’s contribution to people. Working with people to convey what I know, learn, or feel excites me.
In addition to this, I experience different excitements in all the other production processes. These include the creative process, the development process, the production process, casting, script development, and creating a world. Finally, watching the first episode is a different experience.
Ömer received higher ratings in the new season. It is one of your company’s adaptations. How did you adapt this work? Turkish producers have shown significant success in adaptation works in recent years. What do you think is the secret of this success?
The decision to adapt Ömer stemmed from our belief in its naive storyline and potential to resonate with our audience. This is despite the story coming from a different culture. Turkish producers have indeed achieved significant success in adaptation. This can be attributed to the rich source material available in Turkish literature and the ability to adapt these stories to modern audiences. The key to this success lies in staying true to the essence of the original work while making it relevant and engaging for contemporary viewers.
Are you a producer involved in every stage of projects? What is the most challenging part of working with you?
As a producer, I am involved in every stage of the project to ensure our vision is realised. The most challenging part of working with me is perhaps the high standards I set for both myself and my team. I believe in pushing boundaries and striving for excellence, which can be demanding but ultimately leads to the most effective results.
Our country is experiencing a serious economic crisis, and high inflation affects budgets. How has this crisis affected you? Since series are one of our country’s most important export items, they must continue to be produced and sold internationally…
The economic crisis and high inflation have indeed posed challenges for the industry, affecting budgets and production costs. However, we remain committed to delivering high-quality content and adapting to the changing economic landscape. The success of the Turkish series as a major export item underscores the industry’s resilience. We are optimistic about overcoming these challenges through innovation and strategic planning.
What is the most challenging part of being a producer for you?
The most challenging part of being a producer is navigating the dynamic and ever-changing entertainment industry. It requires constant adaptation, creativity, and strategic thinking to stay ahead in this competitive landscape. However, these challenges also present opportunities for growth and innovation, which keeps producer roles exciting and rewarding.
You recently established OGM UNIVERSE. What is the reason for this decision? What are the goals of OGM UNIVERSE?
The establishment of OGM UNIVERSE was a strategic decision aimed at expanding our reach and strengthening our presence on the global market. By managing the sales and distribution of our projects in-house, we have extensive control over the positioning and marketing of our content, allowing us to maximise its potential. Our goal with OGM UNIVERSE is to establish ourselves as a leading player in the international media industry. We will do this by forging strategic partnerships and delivering compelling content to audiences worldwide.
Do you think our Turkish series will maintain its success in the future? What are the risks and opportunities for our series and content in the future?
I am confident that the Turkish series will continue to succeed in the future. This is driven by our rich storytelling tradition and global demand for diverse content. However, this success is not without its challenges. As the industry evolves, we must adapt to changing audience preferences, technological advancements, and global market dynamics. The key lies in staying innovative, adaptable, and true to our storytelling roots. This will open up new opportunities for our series and content in the future.
