TV drama production studios of Istanbul: From empty sound stages to standing sets

Abstract

This study explores the transformation of production spaces from empty sound stages to standing sets, drawing on the findings from fieldwork involving 14 key players; studio owners and managers, screenwriters and art directors. The sets containing standing decors of hospital rooms, police stations, jails and courtrooms, transformed from abandoned factories, warehouses and administrative buildings in Istanbul, mostly lack proper infrastructure and appropriate security measures. Examining their transformation shows that the demanded and repeated storylines of the Turkish TV series also shape these locations and create a cheap and fast studio system based on supply and demand, putting creativity and security of the crews into question. The research also aims to contribute to the critical debate about the production studies focusing solely on the means of production and excluding the text and the audience, with showing the need for a more comprehensive approach. In order to apprehend the intertwined relationship between production, representation and consumption, this study examines the links between the formation of the production spaces, the content of the TV series and the ratings.