"filmmaking is all about teamwork"

After receiving her BA in philosophy from Bogazici University in 1999, Pelin Uzay enrolled in the prestigious film program at the Columbia University School of the Arts.  In November 2005, a month after she turned 28 and received her MFA, she produced her first feature film, Crystal Visions, in New York.

Due to her unique skills, professionalism and strong work ethic, Pelin has become a highly valued and esteemed member of the New York film community.

What was the film program like at Columbia University? What were its contributions to you as a filmmaker?
Film school was a great experience for me. At Columbia University, they encourage you to learn different aspects of filmmaking at the same time. I think this is really the strength of the program. I took classes in screenwriting, directing, producing, cinematography and directing the actors. I mainly focus on producing and writing now, but I strongly believe that my experience in directing and working with actors makes me a better producer. It makes it so much easier to communicate with the director and that is the person I work most closely with on any production.
In film school, I was surrounded by people like me who are passionate about filmmaking. One of the most important things I learned is that filmmaking is all about teamwork. When I produce, I work with at least thirty-forty other people, and I expect a lot of things from them on a daily basis. However, it is as also very important that I pay attention to their needs and expectations.
 

What happened after you graduated from Columbia University? Can you talk about your experience as a first-time feature producer?
In May 2005, while I was still a student at Columbia University, I produced a thesis film. It was on 35mm and we had a large cast. We shot in many locations all over New York City and I think that the demands of that production prepared me for a feature. The casting director on that project, Tsu Tsu Stanton, liked my work and brought me onto Crystal Visions. (Pelin adds that she hates the title and is relieved that the director is in the process of coming up with a new one.)
I have to admit that Crystal Visions wasn’t an easy shoot. Due to budget constraints, we had to work six-day weeks and complete the production in twenty-one days. The director, John Petrini, had plenty of experience with shorts and commercials, but this was his first feature. I think he did a fantastic job and I definitely look forward to working with him again. As a first time director and producer, John and I were very lucky, because we had the opportunity to work with an amazing cast that included two actors who are very well known on American TV.
Crystal Visions is a very American story about crystal meth (crystal methamphetamine) infiltrating small towns across the country. I thought that bringing on a director of photography with a European sensibility could add a lot to the project and create interesting results. I immediately thought of Martina Radwan, I’d worked with her in 2004 and I really admire her work. Martina has also worked in Turkey before. John was also receptive to the idea and when I look back on it now, I can definitely say that we made the right choice. Overall, this film was a great experience for me. I worked with some amazing people and learned a lot from them.

Which is the secret of being an exceptional producer?
If there is such a secret, it’s definitely too early for me to have discovered it! This is what I can tell you from my experiences: In order to be a very good producer, you must surround yourself with an excellent team. The people on the team can’t just be good filmmakers, actors, lawyers etc., they also have to be people you can trust and respect. I don’t want to be in a situation where I don’t respect the people I work with or not feel respected by them, but I still have expectations of success just because the material sounds interesting and/or I’m being paid a lot of money.
Of course being young and inexperienced, I have been in situations like that. Films can and do get made this way, but I have no interest in working in that manner, because it doesn’t add anything to me as a person or a filmmaker. When I believe in the project and can enjoy working with the people involved in it, then I can give more than a hundred percent. It is important that I enjoy my work, because for me there is no distinction between that and my personal life. That is a choice I made from a very early age.

What have been the most satisfying aspects of your job so far?
This might sound a little weird, but I find every aspect of my job very satisfying. I always meet new people and I’m constantly exposed to new projects. There is a lot of room for observation and sharing, and I find this very satisfying both on a personal and professional level.

What are your plans from now on? Are you considering working on any projects in Turkey?
I’m already attached to a second feature that is now in early stages of pre-production. The screenplay was adapted from a hit play that was produced at the Wings Theater in New York in 2004. There are actually several projects that I’m working on simultaneously. My thesis at Columbia University was a feature-length screenplay about 1950s Turkey, and it got very good feedback here. I’m not considering working in Turkey right now, though I’d be happy to see it produced there sometime in the near future.

An interview by Yamaç Okur
February 2006