Jukebox for My Films

Using music in my films has always been a bit of a headache for me. Securing the rights of the music I like is a difficult task. And finding a talented composer who can capture my vision can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Besides that, I’m not the kind of filmmaker who wants a composer to act completely free. If someone interprets the emotions evoked by a scene independently, it might not align with my vision. What really matters to me is the ability to engage in a collaborative act. Thankfully, Okan Kal opened the doors to the technical aspects of music creation for me. And together, we make some stuff.

Here’s a glimpse into the collaboration we have made with Okan.

Arranging Rossini’s Barber of Seville

We arranged Rossini‘s Barber of Seville Overture to be used in my feature film A Hero of Our Time (2023). You probably know this music, it is a popular classical mood lifter. We wanted to give it a gentle touch. In general, I like certain instruments that shine in different parts of a piece, especially if they’ve got a unique sound. At that time, I was interested in the bassoon which had this super soft classy bass.

I asked Okan if we could work it in. He kicked off the track with the bassoon. Then, he decided to take a bit of creative liberty with the strings and tuba which stray from the original piece but keep that same spirit alive. As we approached the finale, he went back to the original line. And right after that last beat, he wrapped it all up with the gentle touch of the bassoon, just as I suggested. I’ve got to say, it is a beautiful arrangement that has an acoustic feel even though it’s all created digitally.

Making Short and Sharp Closing Credits

I was looking for a wind instrument for the closing credits of my short experimental documentary Permutations (2016) as one of the film’s characters has a flirtation with such an instrument throughout the film. So, I sent some sample tuba sounds to Okan and hoped that he would catch the mood. He created a piece that might sound simple, but I think the secret sauce lies in the unusual mix of the trumpet and the Turkish oud.

Creating a Background Music

This music was made for a project that never saw the light. It is intended to serve as a background for a narrator. Once more, my fascination with wind instruments, particularly the tuba, took center stage in this piece.

Emulating a Regional Genre of Music

This song is a true collaboration. I wrote the lyrics. Okan worked on the composition. And a local singer, Gokhan Konya, contributed his voice. This piece plays the role of a regional radio hit in the cinematic world of my feature film A Hero of Our Time (2023). Emulating a certain musical tradition of Turkey’s eastern Black Sea coast, it features sentimental and tragic lyrics juxtaposed with lively cheap melodies (while carrying a subtle hint of irony, whether intentional or not). Of course, the musical taste of this genre lacks sophistication, but it fits the film’s world and mood perfectly.

I tried to translate the song’s lyrics into English. But the local language here is like a secret code, even for Turkish speakers. I can’t say how well I did, but at least it’ll help you to catch a glimpse of what the song’s all about and uncover the irony hidden beneath the music and words.