Journal / Production Guides
Shooting in Türkiye: Beyond Istanbul
Cappadocia, Ephesus, the Turquoise Coast, the Black Sea, Mardin and Pamukkale — what each region gives a film, and what to plan for.
Draft — written, needs fact-checking and LSS review before publishing.
Istanbul is where most international productions start, and it is our base. But some stories need volcanic valleys, an ancient city, a Mediterranean coastline or misty highlands — and Türkiye has all of them within a short domestic flight. These are the regions visiting producers ask us about most, with the practical notes that shape a schedule.
Cappadocia
Fairy chimneys, cave hotels and dawn balloon flights over volcanic valleys. Balloons fly only when the wind allows, so sunrise scenes need a back-up morning; aerial work over the valleys needs its own approval.
Photo: Ricky LK / Unsplash
Ephesus & the Aegean
The Library of Celsus and marble streets of one of the Mediterranean’s great ancient cities, close to İzmir, Kuşadası and the stone lanes of Alaçatı. Heritage sites need permissions arranged well in advance and are best filmed outside visitor peaks.
Photo: Mert Kahveci / Unsplash
Antalya & the Turquoise Coast
The Taurus Mountains drop straight into turquoise water: long beaches, Kaleiçi’s old harbour and coastal roads towards Kaş. A long season of reliable light and resort infrastructure that can host larger units.
Photo: Erik Karits / Unsplash
The Black Sea
Steep green valleys, tea terraces, mountain lakes such as Uzungöl and high plateau villages. Mist and rain are part of the look — and the schedule, so weather days are worth building in.
Photo: damoon katooei / Unsplash
Mardin
A honey-coloured stone city stepped above the Mesopotamian plain: rooftops, courtyards, monasteries and some of the warmest evening light in the country. Religious sites are filmed with permission and respect for daily life.
Photo: Musa Ortaç / Unsplash
Pamukkale
White travertine terraces and thermal pools beside the ruins of Hierapolis. A protected site with strict rules on access and footwear, so professional filming is planned with the site management ahead of time.
Photo: Jordi Vich Navarro / UnsplashPlanning a regional shoot from Istanbul
Most regional shoots combine a few days in Istanbul with a short flight out. We group locations by region, decide early which crew and kit travel from Istanbul and what is sourced locally, and build travel days and weather contingencies into the plan instead of discovering them on the call sheet.
Tell us where the story needs to go. We’ll come back with what’s realistic, in what order, and what each location asks of the schedule.