The 3rd Yalova Film Festival continues with panel discussions. On the third day of the festival, panels held across three separate sessions at the Yalova Chamber of Commerce and Industry thoroughly explored the transition of cinema from analogue to digital, the impact of artificial intelligence on cinema, and the industry transforming alongside the attention economy.
In the first session, moderated by Prof. Dr. Aytekin Can, Faculty Member at Selçuk University’s Faculty of Communication, the technical and emotional transformations experienced in the digital world were discussed and supported by presentations. During the session, Prof. Dr. Aytekin Can shared current trends in short filmmaking, while Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Akyol addressed the impacts of cinema's transition from analogue to digital on both the industry and audiences. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Aytaş evaluated changing consumption habits in the age of the attention economy and the audience's inclination toward rapidly consumed content due to decreasing attention spans through the lens of film runtimes. The session concluded with Prof. Dr. Ahmet Oktan's analysis of documentary cinema through the philosophy of Henri Bergson, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rıfat Becerikli's presentation examining Eastern and Western philosophies through examples from Yeşilçam cinema.
The focal point of the day's second session was the impact of artificial intelligence technologies on cinema and content production, alongside a comparative analysis of AI and human creativity. Moderated by Prof. Dr. Serkan Öztürk, Faculty Member at Istanbul Medeniyet University’s Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, the session addressed human-machine collaboration in editing, emphasizing the vital importance of collaborative synergy over either steering clear of AI or completely surrendering control to it. The program opened with a presentation by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mesut Aytekin on screenwriting in an increasingly digital world and the contributions of AI to text generation. Continuing the session, Asst. Prof. Dr. İsmail Erim Gülaçtı illustrated the concept of 'operational images and unwatched images' through examples, explaining to participants that an operational image signifies not merely the image itself, but also the technical operation it represents. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tülay Çelik Tunca spoke on novel audiovisual explorations in film education. Industry representatives also shared their expertise during the panel: Deniz Türkeri, Founder of Aimai Studios, and Digital Content Creator Ozan Sihay discussed the transformative role of generative AI in directing and content creation drawn from their own professional experiences.
The final session of the day took place under the theme 'The Transformation of Cinema from the Silver Screen to Digital Platforms and Vertical Formats.' Moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yavuz Küçükalkan, Faculty Member at Yalova University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Küçükalkan shared observations regarding the evolution of narrative from traditional cinema toward vertical, consumption-oriented series. During the session, Producer-Director Didem Tütüncü delivered a presentation on animating archival footage using artificial intelligence in documentary cinema, while Dr. Gülşah Polat discussed algorithms, screen culture, and digital representation practices through the documentary 'U-Tube Kingdom.' Among the panel's other speakers, Ece Yirmibeş evaluated hybrid structures and ruptures in audiovisual culture, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ümit Sarı examined the boundaries of film as well as changing audience profiles and experiences throughout the transition from the big screen to digital platforms.
Following the conclusion of the sessions, a Q&A segment was conducted in a warm and interactive atmosphere where audience members and speakers engaged in lively exchanges on the topics discussed. Concluding with keen interest and fruitful presentations, the event came to an end with the presentation of certificates of appreciation to the speakers and a commemorative group photo.
NEWS: Muhammet Emin Ulutaş
PHOTOGRAPHY: Muhammet Emin Ulutaş, Ömer Faruk Savaş, Nehir Uzun, Selen Özet
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