Is Bank commercial featuring Atatürk
Encyclopedia
The İş Bank
commercial featuring Atatürk
, the founder of Turkey
, first aired on Turkish television channels on 10 November 2007, coinciding with the 69th commemoration of Atatürk's death. This is reportedly the first commercial featuring Atatürk. "Atatürk" translates as the father of all Turks.
. A thorn pricks Atatürk's finger. The boy asks how a thorn can prick Atatürk's hand. Atatürk replies with the question: "can it not prick?" The boy further asks how Atatürk's hand can bleed. Atatürk replies with the question: "can it not bleed?" Shocked, the boy inquires whether he isn't Atatürk? Atatürk replies that he is indeed Atatürk. The boy, still shocked, replies "but...". Atatürk interrupts and explains that if one is going to grow a rose, one will suffer pain, one's hand will bleed, sun will make one sweat, there will be people putting to the gardener that the roses in the garden will never die, and that there will be people confronting the gardener on how a rose is supposed to be grown. Atatürk continues by saying that the boy should be asking him just one question: "Do I want to make this place a rose garden? Do I want to grow the world's most beautiful roses in this garden?" Atatürk further adds that if the boy really wishes it to be so, "he wouldn't care about neither the thorns that prick nor the words said". Atatürk continues by saying that whoever it might be, all he would care about is the scent of the rose garden. Atatürk concludes by asking, whether the boy understood the lesson and the boy acknowledges this. The commercial concludes with the statement "We respectfully commemorate Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of our country and bank".
The role of the boy was acted by Hakan Büyüktopçu and the role of Atatürk was acted by Haluk Bilginer
. Prior to the shooting, Haluk Bilginer
received a natural make-up lasting hours. Including the test shootings, Bilginer spent a total of 40 hours in the make-up room. The make-up work was conducted by Vittorio Sodano
and his team. For one week, the make-up team worked in Italy
for preparations and worked for another week in the set during the shootings. To convert Bilginer's face to Atatürk, first a cast was made of his face. Hair and eyebrow pieces that were prepared in Italy were put in their places by Suzan Kardeş after a 2-day worth work on them. The costumes were based on a photo from June 21, 1936 of Atatürk. Designer Nalan Türkoğlu and her team of six people created ten costumes in one week.
To find a suitable location for the take representing the features of the era, three separate teams searched İstanbul
, Edirne
, Bursa, İzmir
and Antalya
. Finally Paşabahçe was the location agreement concluded with. A special set was made for the filming, and the take of the 107-second commercial started in the morning and lasted till later that night. After each take, Bilginer went behind camera and had inspected each plan.
to Atatürk featured heavily in the comments by reviewers. Acting in the role of Atatürk for the first time, Bilginer himself stated that he was honored by the role and that he was very excited about getting to play it.
The commercial also established a candidate for the debated role of Atatürk in the upcoming movie on Atatürk. Kevin Costner
, who was in Turkey for a concert, declined this post, reportedly asking whether there wasn't a Turkish actor for the role. The commercial portraying Turkey
as a rose garden also demonstrates the difficulties Atatürk coped with.
Türkiye Is Bankasi
Türkiye İş Bankası is Turkey's first public bank and premiere national financial institution, ranked 102nd in the “Top 1000 World Banks” survey of Financial Times' The Banker and 371st in the Forbes Global 2000 lists as of 2008, with a Gross Profit for the Year 2006 TRY 2,540 million and USD 6.8...
commercial featuring Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey....
, the founder of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, first aired on Turkish television channels on 10 November 2007, coinciding with the 69th commemoration of Atatürk's death. This is reportedly the first commercial featuring Atatürk. "Atatürk" translates as the father of all Turks.
Plot
The commercial features a dialogue between a young boy and Atatürk working in a rose gardenRose garden
A Rose garden or Rosarium is a garden or park, often open to the public, used to present and grow various types of garden roses. Designs vary tremendously and roses may be displayed alongside other plants or grouped by individual variety, colour or class in rose beds.-Origins of the rose...
. A thorn pricks Atatürk's finger. The boy asks how a thorn can prick Atatürk's hand. Atatürk replies with the question: "can it not prick?" The boy further asks how Atatürk's hand can bleed. Atatürk replies with the question: "can it not bleed?" Shocked, the boy inquires whether he isn't Atatürk? Atatürk replies that he is indeed Atatürk. The boy, still shocked, replies "but...". Atatürk interrupts and explains that if one is going to grow a rose, one will suffer pain, one's hand will bleed, sun will make one sweat, there will be people putting to the gardener that the roses in the garden will never die, and that there will be people confronting the gardener on how a rose is supposed to be grown. Atatürk continues by saying that the boy should be asking him just one question: "Do I want to make this place a rose garden? Do I want to grow the world's most beautiful roses in this garden?" Atatürk further adds that if the boy really wishes it to be so, "he wouldn't care about neither the thorns that prick nor the words said". Atatürk continues by saying that whoever it might be, all he would care about is the scent of the rose garden. Atatürk concludes by asking, whether the boy understood the lesson and the boy acknowledges this. The commercial concludes with the statement "We respectfully commemorate Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of our country and bank".
Production
The commercial was directed by Gürkan Kurtkaya and was shot in black and white giving it a historic feel with the slogan "the roses you have grown are mourning" . The preparations for the commercial lasted three weeks. The actual filming itself lasted 3 days. A technical team made out of 50 people took part in the filming. For the details of the era, Rıdvan Akar was consulted.The role of the boy was acted by Hakan Büyüktopçu and the role of Atatürk was acted by Haluk Bilginer
Haluk Bilginer
Haluk Bilginer is a Turkish actor. In addition to his acting career in Turkey, he has also worked in the United Kingdom and remains best known for his role as Mehmet Osman in the television soap opera EastEnders during the 1980s. He has also starred in Hollywood movies as a minor actor...
. Prior to the shooting, Haluk Bilginer
Haluk Bilginer
Haluk Bilginer is a Turkish actor. In addition to his acting career in Turkey, he has also worked in the United Kingdom and remains best known for his role as Mehmet Osman in the television soap opera EastEnders during the 1980s. He has also starred in Hollywood movies as a minor actor...
received a natural make-up lasting hours. Including the test shootings, Bilginer spent a total of 40 hours in the make-up room. The make-up work was conducted by Vittorio Sodano
Vittorio Sodano
Vittorio Sodano is an Italian make-up artist. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Makeup for his work in Apocalypto and for Il divo ....
and his team. For one week, the make-up team worked in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
for preparations and worked for another week in the set during the shootings. To convert Bilginer's face to Atatürk, first a cast was made of his face. Hair and eyebrow pieces that were prepared in Italy were put in their places by Suzan Kardeş after a 2-day worth work on them. The costumes were based on a photo from June 21, 1936 of Atatürk. Designer Nalan Türkoğlu and her team of six people created ten costumes in one week.
To find a suitable location for the take representing the features of the era, three separate teams searched İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Edirne
Edirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
, Bursa, İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
and Antalya
Antalya
Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
. Finally Paşabahçe was the location agreement concluded with. A special set was made for the filming, and the take of the 107-second commercial started in the morning and lasted till later that night. After each take, Bilginer went behind camera and had inspected each plan.
Reception
The resemblance of Haluk BilginerHaluk Bilginer
Haluk Bilginer is a Turkish actor. In addition to his acting career in Turkey, he has also worked in the United Kingdom and remains best known for his role as Mehmet Osman in the television soap opera EastEnders during the 1980s. He has also starred in Hollywood movies as a minor actor...
to Atatürk featured heavily in the comments by reviewers. Acting in the role of Atatürk for the first time, Bilginer himself stated that he was honored by the role and that he was very excited about getting to play it.
The commercial also established a candidate for the debated role of Atatürk in the upcoming movie on Atatürk. Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
, who was in Turkey for a concert, declined this post, reportedly asking whether there wasn't a Turkish actor for the role. The commercial portraying Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
as a rose garden also demonstrates the difficulties Atatürk coped with.