Filming for this episode of Eylül Aşkın İle, hosted by Eylül Aşkın, took place at the Bohem Apartment on Lüleci Hendek Street. The guest was director and SETEM Board Member Aysun Akyüz Mehdiabbas. In the interview, the renowned director from Eskişehir shared insights into her career and upcoming projects.

It All Started with the Novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

In middle school, Aysun Akyüz Mehdiabbas discovered Ken Kesey’s novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest on her father’s bookshelf. After reading it with great interest, she later came across the 1975 film adaptation on television. Deeply affected by the story, she chose to analyze this film during her studies at Anadolu University’s Department of Radio, Cinema, and Television, saying, “That was the first film that truly inspired and influenced me.”

First Time in the Director’s Chair with the Series Yer Gök Aşk

Aysun Akyüz Mehdiabbas joined Yer Gök Aşk, one of the most popular TV series of its time, as an assistant director when it began filming in 2010 under the direction of Atıl and Ulaş İnaç. In 2011, with producer Şükrü Avşar’s decision to make changes in the directorial team, Mehdiabbas took the director’s chair for the first time in the first episode of the show’s second season. “I had already directed the episode in my mind while reading the script,” she said. Later in her career, she directed other highly popular series like Küçük Ağa, Kalbimdeki Deniz, and Serçenin Gözyaşı, earning “Best Director” awards for each of these productions.

There’s an Acting Workshop Called 1 Director 1 Actor

Unlike other acting workshops, 1 Director 1 Actor adopts a collaborative teaching approach, exploring acting from both the actor’s and director’s perspectives. The workshop is open to everyone.

“I See Being a Woman as an Advantage.”

Expressing that she sees an advantage in being a female director in the industry, Aysun Akyüz Mehdiabbas said, “On set, I see myself as gender-neutral. Under such tough conditions, there should be no difference between being a woman or a man. However, I believe we have an advantage in bringing a woman’s gentleness and sensitivity to the filming process.”

She’s Working on a New Series Script

Currently crafting a new story, Aysun Akyüz Mehdiabbas hinted at the project, saying, “It could become a series at any moment. It’s a woman’s story again, with some twists, crime, and mystery.”

As a board member of SETEM (Professional Association of Cinema and Television Works Owners), she also discussed copyright issues in the television industry and the efforts they are making in this area.