The series "Gassal" was discussed on TRT 12 Punto

12 Punto, the script development and co-production platform organized by TRT for the 7th time, is hosting various events with the participation of directors, producers, and film industry professionals from 35 countries until July 20.

As part of the events, a talk titled "Everything About Gassal from the Script to the Third Season" was held in Feriye Garden.

Screenwriter and director Sümeyye Karaarslan said in her interview that Gassal was a project that had been prepared since 2015 and was written as a feature film.

Karaarslan, who stated that he drew inspiration from some memories from his personal life when creating the main story, said, "I let the story linger on the sidelines. Perhaps that played a part in that reflection. It was initially intended to be a feature film, but it didn't, and I'm glad it didn't. It reached a wider audience. Later, I wrote Gassal as a novel so it could expand even further and look at it from a different perspective. But I wrote it entirely for myself, meaning I didn't send it to anyone; we didn't read it. Finally, after working with the production company, they told me they were looking for a comedy series. Frankly, I said, 'Okay, I have a story, but I don't think it will be widely understood.'"

Karaarslan, who stated that the story would receive a positive response, said, "The story owner tries to sell it by saying, 'My story is very good,' but with us it was the opposite. They swore, 'No, this is a very good story, let's buy it.' Of course, they met with the production company, and I'm glad it happened."

Karaarslan stated that he liked screenwriting more than directing and said:

"Directing seems like something to me. Someone tells you a story, you love it, or they tell a joke, and you go and tell it again in a more crowded place. Now, the joke teller is also very funny. Ahmet (Kural), for example, is a terrific joke teller. I realize that when someone else tells the same story, or if they tell it because they think Ahmet told them something like this, it doesn't seem so funny. In directing, for example, you read a script, believe in a story, and tell it to others. If the story, the script, isn't good, nothing good will come out of it. But if it is, and there's a problem with your retelling, that's also very problematic. Being a good storyteller, being able to present the material you present in a more artistic, different, and original way, is probably the most important thing in directing. I say this, of course, considering that the work begins with the script, and ultimately, it's the script that reaches the audience."

Actor Ahmet Kural pointed out that comedy and drama have their own challenges, saying, "Comedy is a place where you can fall if you lose your rhythm. Humor is a lively thing, so you have to find the right moment, but drama requires a more layered approach. In fact, one feeds on tempo, the other feeds on silence. They're like two different sides of the same talent; one makes you laugh, the other makes you think. So, I think they're siblings. When you can balance both, you become an actor. I strive to be an actor, too."

The rule continued:

"First of all, when I received a script called Gassal, I said no, because when you read it, you realize it would be a hit and that it was something that had never been done before. Baki's past and the pain he experienced were my guide. So, I tried not to judge him during the preparation process. Because he doesn't see his profession as a profession; he carries it with him through his life. That's where his tragedy, his inner silence, lies. Being a gassal is also very difficult, a profession that involves almost complete solitude. I tried to delve into that loneliness. The hard part was that he could show his deep wounds and pain by remaining silent. The easy part was his honesty. Because there's no pretense with Baki, clearly."

Actress Hande Soral stated that she wanted to be an actress since she was still in school, saying, "Of course, it takes luck, perseverance, and hard work, but first, it takes desire. No matter how much you want to do this job, or any job, if you don't give up on it, it won't let up on you. Just like in any job, it takes perseverance and luck, but first, it takes desire."

Soral, who explained that one of the reasons Nihan's character chose this profession was the tragedy she experienced, said, "The loss she experienced at a very young age, a mother she couldn't get out of her life but wasn't actually in her life, and a sibling she could never forget. She carries the burden of this with every step she takes, every breath she takes. She sees her own sibling in every dead body she washes, and she experiences her own mother."

Soral pointed out that everyone might have different ways of coping with the events they experience, saying, "Some ignore it, some die with the dead, some continue their lives like Nihan. I hope we don't experience such tragedies in our lives. Whatever the response will be, it will be based on the mood of the person living at that moment. It's both difficult and frightening to predict."

Bayhan, who composed the music for the second season of the series, also told the story of joining the series and sang a song.

Bayhan, who stated that the subject matter seemed very interesting to him when he saw Gassal at the promotion for Tabii, said, "A month later, I received an offer for the second season of the production. I was very happy to be involved in such a project. It was already successful in itself. We are grateful that they accepted us for a successful project."

During the talk, the speakers answered the questions of the participants and took a souvenir photo.