ÉCU FILM FESTIVAL, 2025
Oguzhan Kaya
Photocopy Logs
Festival Screening
7 Parnassiens – Grande Salle
9, May 2025
Session 1 - 19:15
April, 29, 2025
The white-collar man trying to reach the end of the day gets lost in documents as he integrates with routine.
Hi Oğuzhan, thank you for talking with The New Current. Are you looking forward to screening Photocopy Logs at ÉCU this May?
Yes, I am very excitedly looking forward to the screening of my film. This screening is very special to me and represents an important step in my independent filmmaking career.
What does it mean to you to have Photocopy Logs nominated in the European Experimental Film Category?
Throughout my life, I have always created experimental films, developing my own style and technique. I made many sacrifices for this, and after years of dedication, I reached a point where I could consistently produce new work. This achievement has been very meaningful to me. Being selected for screening at the European Independent Film Festival means a great deal in this regard. It is highly symbolic for me, and this recognition serves as a major reward and motivation for the works I will create in the future.
How important are festivals like ÉCU in champion and supporting independent films and filmmakers?
I believe that festivals like ÉCU are among the most important things an independent filmmaker needs. Independent filmmakers are often people who create films with zero budget, who sometimes turn down different opportunities that come their way in order to remain true to independent production, and who are willing to make many sacrifices. Supporting these people is incredibly valuable, and festivals like ÉCU fully embrace this mission. I hope festivals like this continue to grow in number.
Can you tell me a little bit about how Photocopy Logs came about, what was the inspiration behind you latest short?
The origin of Photocopy Logs is as follows:
I had decided to shoot an experimental feature film, but before starting that project, I wanted to make one more short film. I had an idea in mind for a short composed entirely of photocopies, and I thought, yes, I should definitely make this. Since I had previously worked in several companies, I was familiar with the term "photocopy logs," which refers to a technical process used to record daily photocopies made in workplaces. I found this concept fascinating when I first learned about it. Almost all of my films feature a photocopy machine. This device feels very surreal to me. I even used a similar element in my 2014 film A Perfect Day. The opening scene was set in a dark room filled with the sound of snoring. Suddenly, a photocopy machine starts working and captures the sleeping man's face. When he wakes up in the morning, he shreds the photocopies of his face in a paper shredder and begins his day. In my latest film, however, everything is built entirely from photocopies, spreading across the entire day. It was a very daring project for me, but I believe I succeeded.
When writing a screenplay do you ever draw inspiration from your own lived experience?
Yes,
in all of my films, I always draw inspiration from myself. I love observing. I value my own experiences and personal journey deeply. Life moves forward seemingly at random, but I don't believe anything appears before me by chance. What truly matters is being able to see, even when your eyes are closed.
Do you allow yourself some flexibility with your text once you start shooting?
Flexibility?
Flexibility is my middle name.
You can't achieve anything without it. Life is full of uncertainties; nothing ever goes exactly as planned. In all my films, I work without rigid planning. Filmmaking — or rather, creating art — is a magical moment. In that magical moment, you need to lose yourself and follow your feelings. And that is all about flexibility.
How important is the creative collaboration between you and your team?
I place great importance on one thing, being open to every idea.
If you walk onto a set with fixed ideas, you remain stuck in a fixed place. But if you listen to everyone, your path expands, the set becomes more dynamic, and minds collide and spark new possibilities. I believe everyone should feel free to speak on set. That's why I talk a lot with my team and brainstorm with them.
My ideas may be clear, and I may want to realise exactly what I have in mind, but listening to others never harms — it only enriches the process.
What was the hardest scene for you to film?
The scene where I put a gun to my own head. It was very difficult for me to create a facial expression in this scene. I must have made about 100 photocopies because I had to portray the madness of the man in this scene. He's not afraid of the gun, he's really determined to commit suicide. He's screaming in rebellion and he's very angry. It was difficult to fit all that into one frame. Because if you close your eyes too tightly, you're afraid of death, if you keep your mouth shut, you're afraid of pain, and I didn't want that here, this man was going to commit suicide very confidently, rebelling and angry. So this scene was the most difficult.
Looking back now is there anything you would have done differently on Photocopy Logs?
There is one truth:
A film is never truly finished... You will always notice something missing.
When I look back at Photocopy Logs right now, there is nothing I would want to change — for now. Maybe I will see something twenty years from now, I don't know...
Where did your passion for film come from?
My passion for film comes from observation. I enjoy observing nature, life, and reflecting that onto nature, or God. To me, God is nature, the universe itself. Nature, life, the flow of time, wants to see itself in a mirror, and showing that is what art is about. My commitment to cinema is deeply connected to this.
What is it about film as a medium that interests you so much and who are the filmmakers that have inspired you?
The most powerful medium for me to express myself is cinema. Surrealism, Dadaism, and Absurdism are other areas of interest, and blending these with experimental cinema feels like a form of magic to me. I became trapped within this realm because I discovered it.
I’m not a true cinephile, I don’t watch many films, and I don't have too many favorite directors or filmmakers. However, people like Wim Wenders, Terry Gilliam, Peter Greenaway, Theo Angelopoulos, Ingmar Bergman, Jacques Tati, and Jean-Jacques Annaud have shaped my life and influenced me deeply. On the other hand, I never say no to films by Ridley Scott, Milos Forman, Billy Wilder, or Sidney Lumet.
How much has your style and approach to your film projects changed since Megalopolis?
In Megalopolis, I worked entirely with real animals — snakes, tarantulas, snails, frogs, butterflies, leeches, ants... Megalopolis was an incredible project for me, and it was like a poem. It was a tribute to nature, which is why it was such an important film for me. In fact, I overcame many of my fears with this film. For example, I’m terrified of spiders. Well, I used to be... In this film, a giant tarantula walked on a laptop keyboard just 20 cm in front of me, and I guided it. That was an incredible moment for me, and I wasn't scared at all. From that point on, I stopped being afraid of spiders. There must be a scientific explanation for this, but I haven’t researched it, so I don’t know. I think when a person confronts their fear while doing something they deeply desire, it can solve everything. I faced such a fear while creating art, and the result was surprising.
Since Megalopolis, my style hasn’t changed. My style has always been the same; it's just that in Photocopy Logs, the technical foundation changed. In this film, I only used photocopies. Yes, every scene in this film was made of photocopies (even the shower scene), so technically, I adopted a completely experimental style in this film.
"I would like the audience to try to break free from routine."
What has been the most valuable lessons you have taken from making Photocopy Logs and how will these help you with future projects?
I learned valuable lessons regarding sound and set design. Sound is such an important aspect of filmmaking. It’s not enough to just capture good sound; it’s crucial to record the right sound and use it in the right way.
As for set design, I can say this: the importance of props, objects, and angles in a film is immense. They prevent you from losing the atmosphere of your film. You need to immerse the audience from the very first second and keep them there until the final scene. This is why I paid special attention to sound in my film, as well as to the decor, objects, and expressions on the photocopy machine.
What does Photocopy Logs say about you and the way you see the world?
What Photocopy Logs says about me is this: Never surrender to routine! Listen to the voice of your heart and let the wind carry you, let it take you where it will.
The world is God, and what it desires is your freedom. Everything is ready for your freedom, you just need to see it. Don't live as if you’re dead, survive, and merge with the rhythm of life.
What has been the best advice you’ve been given by a fellow filmmaker and is there any advice you would offer a new filmmaker?
I used to work as an assistant to a director. One time, on a feature film set, a lot of things went wrong, and the set was delayed. Some workers made very amateur mistakes. I got angry and frustrated. The director I was assisting told me: "Everything can go wrong, don’t run away from it or rebel. This way, you will learn how not to make a mistake."
That advice really impacted me. It was an important lesson for me.
Along with this lesson, I can generally say:
“Try to keep creating and observing no matter what. Don’t allow the chaotic and political depths of the world to steal your time.”
Technically, I would say: ‘’You can’t learn how to ride a bike by reading a book. You have to get on the bike and practice. You’ll learn by falling and getting back up. After that, all the roads are yours. In other words, don’t be afraid to make films. Once you listen to the voice of your heart and find your deep, unique style, nothing will stand in your way—this, I am sure of.’’
And finally, what is the message you would like your audiences to take from Photocopy Logs?
I would like the audience to try to break free from routine. Life flows in a completely irregular way. Getting trapped in routine in this irregular life is truly a waste of time. Yes, you might have a job, you may need to earn money, and these things are necessary, but sometimes take time for yourself and lose yourself in life. I am sure you will encounter great surprises.