The Directors: Ahmet Iltas

Ahmet Iltas is a multidisciplinary designer/illustrator who creates characters, environments and concepts for films, commercials and various other content. He started drawing when he was 11 and never stopped. This course gave him the chance to play with lots of different styles. He always tries to add new things into each artwork to make his style even better. Ahmet was influenced by the flow of cubism and blended it with minimalism to create his own style. He has worked on high profile brands such as Nike, Turkish Airlines, Coca-Cola. 

Ahmet really loves playing with light and shadows to create dreamlike environments.

Name: Ahmet Iltas

Location: Istanbul

Repped by: Nerd Productions

LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?

Ahmet> I like mostly dramatic or emotional scenarios. It's exciting to bring them out with dark and saturated light-shadows!

LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?

Ahmet> Creating style frames or some storyboard ideas is always good to approach the spot. It gives the client a clear vision about the look, feel and flow.

LBB> If the script is for a brand that you're not familiar with/ don’t have a big affinity with or a market you're new to, how important is it for you to do research and understand that strategic and contextual side of the ad? If it’s important to you, how do you do it? 

Ahmet> Making some research online is always a good starting point. We always need to be ready for new clients and opportunities. The demands in the advertising industry are quite wide and variable. Research allows me to stay up to date and follow new trends to meet the needs of the client. It can also be a powerful tool to divert confused clients.

LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?

Ahmet> I think it's important to do at least one job beforehand. Everything gets easier when you understand the way someone thinks during the process.

LBB> What type of work are you most passionate about - is there a particular genre or subject matter or style you are most drawn to?

Ahmet> Illustration and animation projects!

LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?

Ahmet> I don't think I've ever thought about this!

LBB> Have you ever worked with a cost consultant and if so how have your experiences been?

Ahmet> Nope, but that would really help!

LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?

Ahmet> When a replacement request comes in for an approved part, it can be very challenging. But, if you guide the client correctly and resolve it with a good idea the situation might turn out to be in your favour. We've had this many times before. Sometimes you just need to make it the simplest way possible. We are always looking for love! 

LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?

Ahmet> Believing in your idea is the keyword. If not, we have to accept someone's idea anyway. Sometimes you can feel when you have a good idea. The rest is just visualising it and showing it as a frame, board, or any mixed media. It's not always possible for someone to clearly understand the ideas you have in mind.

LBB> What are your thoughts on opening up the production world to a more diverse pool of talent? Are you open to mentoring and apprenticeships on set?

Ahmet> There are always people of various cultures and races in the team I work with. I know that this situation contributes to the development and depth of the projects. We are always open to working with interns to bring more talent to the industry. Because sometimes a chance to start can give birth to great artists.

LBB> How do you feel the pandemic is going to influence the way you work into the longer term? Have you picked up new habits that you feel will stick around for a long time? 

Ahmet> During the pandemic, we realised how life-saving technology is. Face-to-face communication is obsolete. I'm not even counting the distances we've traveled to get together for meetings!

LBB> Your work is now presented in so many different formats - to what extent do you keep each in mind while you're working (and, equally, to what degree is it possible to do so)? 

Ahmet> Honestly, I'm still trying to get used to the formats. Various different measures are required for each social media platform. The easiest way to deal with this for now is to take note, but I believe over time this will become a very commonplace situation.

LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work (e.g. virtual production, interactive storytelling, AI/data-driven visuals etc)?

Ahmet> In our age, desktop movies have begun to move beyond traditional techniques and I definitely want to be a part of it. Because it is possible to make even a simple animation much more effective with technologies such as VR and AR. While I haven't had the time to devote to these technologies yet, I can't wait to develop that part and be a part of a new age!

LBB> Which pieces of work do you feel really show off what you do best – and why?

Ahmet> Mostly dramatic story telling animation projects!