‘Digital Cappadocia’ draws attention

NEVŞEHİR - Anadolu Agency

The fairy chimneys and the environment of Cappadocia were shot during a hot air balloon journey. The documentary will be a 4K digital television presentation. DHA photo

Cappadocia is to become a 4K digital technology-supported area. A team from South Korea has visited the area and made a documentary on Cappadocia and the documentary, over a period 10 days. The director of the documentary Yang Seung Duck and the producer Kim Kyung-il said the documentary was titled “The city of Gods.”

The fairy chimneys and the environment of Cappadocia were shot during a hot air balloon journey. The documentary will be a 4K digital television presentation.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Kim Kyung-il explained that 4K cameras used 3D technology, but that the visual quality was far better.

He said, the government gave support to make the technology usable and also develop the system and that they had chosen Cappadocia to present the technology. Kim said 3D/4K cameras used the latest technology to produce pictures that were four times better than full HD.

“The South Korean government supported us for the development of 3D technology and we chose Cappadocia for the shooting,” he said, adding that the film would be shown all around the world for the promotion of 4K televisions.

He said Cappadocia was suitable for 3D shootings. “We shot the Cappadocia region from the air on a balloon. Our pilot, Halis Erdoğan, provided us a great opportunity to shoot the valleys. We also shot some footage in Göreme, Uçhisar, Avanos, Zelve, Paşabağı, Aşk Vadisi, Kızıl Vadi and Yunak Houses. The works will be completed in October and the footage will also be sent to film festivals and technology fairs.”

Promoting the area

A film is to be made for the first time aiming to promote Turkey’s 37 cultural highlights including those featured on the UNESCO World Heritage List and the nominees. The Tourism Promotion Platform (TUTAP) is behind the plans for the film, in a bid to boost Turkey’s promotion abroad and increase tourism revenue.

“If we promote the places on the UNESCO World Heritage List well, we will host not 30 but 50 million tourists,” said TUTAP President Fikret Yıldız, speaking about the project.

Yıldız said that they had launched a large-scale promotional activity, and that the film, which will feature 11 places on the UNESO list, 37 nominees and 10 other cultural heritage sştes in Turkey, would fill a big gap in Turkey’s promotion abroad. He also said that the making of the film would begin on May 15 in Antalya since it has many places on the list, and was expected to be finished in five months, after passing through 30 cities. Yıldız said they had planned a comprehensive promotional film, adding that they had talks to collaborate with TRT Turk channel and in this way the film would also be screened on television.

“We think that a big deficit in Turkey’s promotion abroad will be met with this film because lots of promotional films have been made so far but our places included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List have not been promoted. I hope that we will be a leader and many films like this will be made after that,” Yıldız said. A team from Thailand has made a documentary about Cappadocia. The team also focused on the southeastern province of Gaziantep’s Zeugma Mosaic Museum, as well as the ancient city of the same name.

Asian documentaries

Documentary-making firm Talent Massmedia gathered seven people and prepared an exclusive documentary on Zeugma and its ancient past.

The team documented all the artifacts that were saved from the excavations. Talent Massmedia General Manager Naruchit Rochananond said they had come to Turkey to document Istanbul, Cappadocia, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa and Van.