My first choice of profession was to be an astronaut like most of the children in 90s. Then I wanted to be a professor like Professor Xavier who knows everything. That’s why I decided to be an physicist to be more like Xavier. Then the tradition said that “Oh poor child! You can not make money in physics, be an engineer which is a family profession, you may learn similar lessons and you will not get hungry as well.” They were wrong, actually the engineering make my mind flattened. Neither scientific idealism nor academic enthusiasm remained. My dream of profession was preserved with the popular science books at that time. So, I discovered the Chaos Theory. (I would have written two articles in this topic: 1, 2)
After graduating from Yeditepe University, Electrical and Electronics Engineering in 2004, I went to national service in Sirnak. I completed military service as a short term sergeant. I think in the military that this positivism and linearity is enough. I must study social science when I came back, so that my mind might be balanced. I made the following device in distress from the engineering department. It includes electronics, art and design.
Anyway, In 2007, I enrolled my second university in the Philosophy Department of Ankara University. But here I am compared to another monster: “rote learning”. I have been stuck with this addictive crush and the school has not finished. When my father cut his support, school and part-time job life become great burden. Then I looking for a course to gain new skills. This move would have saved me from heavy industry battles. (Later I was going to make a comic about it.) However, my dream for being a professor was ended because of my mistakes and ignorance about how the academic rules works. Meanwhile, I started to visit Gümüşlük Academy and Mathematics Village which are alternated education centers but they are meaningless in capitalist economic system.
I was neither a part of engineering nor a part of social science. The perfect description of this situation is being a looser. I have put on the medal of those who have not followed the mainstream career plans that the companies of the war industry (the so-called defense actually) are seeking for 10 years of experience that do not exceed 35 years of age. Engineering was good, if we were making useful inventions for humanity. Philosophy was good, if we were going to argue with Socrates and Nietzsche and push the gates of our minds. But both gates were locked by a linear and rote learning guardians. In this case, I needed an up-to-date profession to catch me and open the doors. I find a web-graphic course. The following visual remains from that time. In 2011, I could only make photo editing.
PS: If you do not understand anything about this kind of CV please be my guest to my Offical CV page.
Following Updates
2011.02.26: Yeah, the web-graphic training, It is worked. I found a job at a publishing company, even 2 months. We work mainly in Illustrator, Photoshop, Dreamweaver and obviously it is going well. Things started after we got here? One of my colleagues who did not make a job called me, “there is a job for printing,” a local agency called, “make us an interactive CD,” my course called “your qualifications are great, we find you a better job” a company called after few months, “be our graphic designer” they said … Yes, I love you too but sorry I found a job.
2012.09.28: I’m still at the publishing company. This is the first and longest relationship in my life. During that time, I learned a lot from the educational videos at Lynda.com. I used to say “they do not teach anything at university, they really teach at courses”. I learned more at work and on the internet than on the courses. I discovered After Effects. I am not accustomed to such an obscureness, from a distance, it is said to be good and I started to study about sociology via correspondence school. I love learning new things.
2013.12.08: We parted ways with the company. (I fired, may be I watched a lot of tutorial videos) Actually they wanted to me as a coder. They said C# language is good why don’t you learn (i.e. they wanted something like suicide). Anyway, I am freelancer now. I returned to the philosophy education, and I failed again because of memorization lessons, and also the second year of correspondence education Sociology going on. My love life also sucks, I’ve never been bottom like this before. I decided to read the book “How to Find Fulfilling Work”, and I think hard and I decided that the most appropriate professional for me is being an animator! (yes, my first preference was being an astronaut but in animation everything is possible). If the life shut all the doors to my face I say I will design my own door. Maybe this is dream, but what else if I fail? I am the greatest loser I have ever met.
I started to take life drawing courses after this decision. I hope it will be useful for my animation projects and combine with graphic design knowledge to get better jobs.
2014.04.19: As a result of my research I realized that sound is very important for animation movies. I started to study sound engineering at a nearby studio. They just show me the audio editing with Abelton. I produced the “Old Ram” with what I learned. I turned my room into a mini studio. This following is my first animation. I turned my childhood poem which I wrote to an animated music video.
2014.07.15: Still freelancer. I started to write Animation Dairy about my animation journey. If I die on this way, someone else keeps flagging. Till to the moment, I have made two animations. “The Strangest Creature in the World” was released at a local festival here. If I make a little more portfolio animation shorts, maybe I can find a job in an animation studio.
2015.09.06: After continuing for one year to drawing courses, I got the right to enter the Hacettepe University, Graphic Design Master Program. The first serious milestone on the way to animation was this. With all years of graphic and animation, This is the first official art school which I accepted. Remember I was an engineer, this is miracle. Wait for me, Pixar.
2016.08.16: The first year of graphic design was productive. This year I’m going to write my thesis. In addition, the sociology of the correspoındance school is finally complated. Right now I have two useless bachelor degrees. And the main important developments is I got accepted from Vancouver Film School (VFS). The biggest factor in my acceptance is undoubtedly my works in Hacettepe Graphic Design. Almost all the portfolio created those. I will study Animation & Concept Art in Canada. If I go, this will be the second big milestone in my animation journey. Yes, Pixar has never been this close.
2017.12.25: The first of six term at VFS in Canada has been completed. I had a chance to see the artists from Pixar, Disney, and the most important independent animators. The school is expensive for Turkey conditions, but honestly I can say that it deserves all its costs. I will explain the details in my Instagram and blog pages. The only and the biggest question is, can I integrate into this industry? Unclear. Studio owners usually give priority to their own citizens and those who has residence permit. Let’s see how we can overcome this obstacle. I hope so…
