Pazartesi Script Club, Year One

Facebook memories keep reminding me, though I don’t really need them. I was already in a reflective mood with the year coming to an end. So here’s a little recap of my script club in 2025.

1. How it started: I was reading and analysing scripts on my own, reverse-engineering them to understand what made stories work. Then I discovered monthly script clubs and quickly fell in love with the idea. Inspired by CenterFrame’s Script Club and Sundance Collab, I founded my own script club in November 2024.

2. The name “Pazartesi”: It means “Monday” in Turkish. Somehow, despite its usual negative associations, I realised I actually love Mondays. I love their seriousness, that sense of beginning, the feeling that everything is still possible. Just like screenwriting, it requires discipline, but it’s also fun and exciting. Since it also marks time, it’s easier for it to feel like a tradition: meeting on a Monday once a month.

3. Groundhog Day: Groundhog Day is simply my all-time favourite movie, so it naturally became the subject of our first meeting. I was happy to find the script online, but as I kept reading, I realised it wasn’t the final draft. There were major differences between the version I had and the finished film. I got quite frustrated. My deep-dive internet search for the final version led nowhere, so I decided to ask the screenwriter himself, Danny Rubin. Audacity? Maybe. But I had nothing to lose.

4. Danny Rubin is my pen friend (not really): I sent an email explaining the situation, and he replied quickly. Not only did he kindly share a scan of the shooting script, but he also explained how Harold Ramis added an opening scene after test screenings and how Bill Murray improvised some of his lines.

Continue reading “Pazartesi Script Club, Year One” →
0

From Screenwriter to Prompt-Writer

Last month, by pure chance, I found myself being interviewed by an ad agency based in San Francisco. One twist though: it wasn’t a conventional agency, but an AI-powered one. Which meant they were looking for a scriptwriter for ads created entirely with AI tools. No set. No shots. Just you, the writer, and then an editor who would stitch all the generated images together.

Continue reading “From Screenwriter to Prompt-Writer” →
0

Thelma’s Toothpaste

Are you good at picking a gift for your loved ones? That skill might come unexpectedly in handy when you’re creating characters. But how?

In one of her interviews, Thelma & Louise screenwriter Callie Khouri mentioned that she once came across an interview with Geena Davis, where Davis said, “I bet Callie Khouri knows which toothpaste Thelma uses.”

Khouri later laughed and replied, “Yes, of course. Thelma uses the one with red, green, and blue stripes.”

Continue reading “Thelma’s Toothpaste” →
0

The Unexpected Lesson I Learned from John Yorke: Creative Community Building

At the beginning of summer, I joined John Yorke’s 16-week training on story structure, and though it ended a few weeks ago, it’s still keeping me inspired. How?

Now I’m in the alumni area, which connects not only classmates but everyone who has ever taken the course, as well as participants from other programs on the platform.
There are weekly “sit & write” sessions where writers from around the world gather online and focus on their own projects for two hours, as well as monthly interviews with authors, screenwriters and producers. Honestly, it feels like having a lifetime free-flying pass for creative growth.

Continue reading “The Unexpected Lesson I Learned from John Yorke: Creative Community Building” →
0

Everyone Says Call My Agent! (Spoiler: But in very different ways)

This month, our Script Club focused on the Turkish version of Call My Agent! (the acclaimed French series Dix Pour Cent).
As I dug into the pilot script, I noticed the starkly different creative choices between the French and Turkish versions.

Sure, much of it comes down to culture, industry norms, and audience expectations but what fascinated me was how these elements translate into the dramatic codes of each country. And as a writer, I wondered if I could learn something from seeing how each remake reshaped the same story through its own lens.

Here is what I did to find out.

Continue reading “Everyone Says Call My Agent! (Spoiler: But in very different ways)” →
0

Let Your Ears Burn

Let’s be honest. Sharing this piece brings both shame and joy.

Joy, because I first wrote it back in 2015 and it found its way into a book by Danny Gregory; one of my favorite voices on creativity.
Shame, because it’s a raw confession of my lifelong battle with my inner critic. Even now, my ears still burn when I reread it.

Continue reading “Let Your Ears Burn” →
0

Just a story?

Sometimes I can’t help but wonder: if we haven’t been personally transformed over the years, then what are we even doing in the storytelling business? Where do all those stories we take in go? Do we just watch them and think, “Well, that only happens in movies”? Are the characters the only ones who need to grow — while we remain safely untouched?

Continue reading “Just a story?” →
0

New Storytelling Journey Ahead: John Yorke’s Advanced Structure Training

I’ve always loved the first day of school — and today is no exception.
Here I am, sitting in my own room, yet connecting with writers from Australia to Portugal through John Yorke’s learning platform.
I’m especially excited about this journey, as the course offers a unique approach to online learning.
I plan to share my experiences and reflections here along the way — because sharing gives me a reason to pause and reflect.
And lately, I’ve come to believe that this, too, is an essential part of learning.

0

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑