Turkish soaps: a development on media front

By: AZMAT ANSARI

AS a teacher of Media Sciences for more than a decade in different universities at the MBA and BBA levels, I keep an eye on new developments on radio, television and press. Turkish soaps are a development on the media scene.

These have introduced much that is new and fresh, for example, unexplored idioms in photography, new levels of directions of photography, new techniques of follow through shots, long shots and close-ups.

Some shots showed complete command of the director on how to blend the environment of a location with the actors, how to help the camera with the dresses of the performers, how to emphasise the grammar of colours and fresh nuances on the sets so that these generally appear more pleasing to the eye.

Above all, the director knew how to extract most out of a situation. For example, the maximum effect was secured from a situation in the last episode of ‘Ishq-i-Mamnoon’ where Behlul the hero is caught on the staircase and he can’t decide which of his two loves he should go to.

It was the best visual representation of ‘caught between the devil and the deep blue sea,’ a situation that many directors have filmed and televised. This was certainly the best or one of the best.

As for the viewers becoming ‘sick and tired of the same faces’ on television, I have my reservations. Viewers seldom become sick and tired of the same faces. The careers of Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and of our own Mohammad Ali and Waheed Murad spanned over decades.

People, generally speaking, wanted to see them more often on the screen. There were certain Pushto actors whose careers also spanned decades. If these actors were not there, the films were sure to flop. Actors in Turkey, England, the United States and India are around for ages.

What adds to the viewers fatigue is not ‘the same faces’ but poor directions, poor photography, poor storyline and an inexpert blend of the elements of a film or drama. Inferior blends do not click. By the way there are only two kinds of acting — good acting and bad acting.

People like to watch the actor again and again who acts well.

Dawn