Deniz Türkeri Explains the Inner Workings of Artificial Intelligence
According to AI film maker Deniz Türkeri, artificial intelligence is a tireless, temperamental, and industrious collaborator.
Having worked as an architect for many years, Türkeri experienced a turning point in his life upon discovering artificial intelligence. Initially incorporating AI into his architectural designs, he soon began merging this powerful tool with his own creative vision and transitioned into filmmaking. As the director of Turkey’s first AI-generated film, Türkeri now leads AiMAN!A Studios, which is currently involved in numerous projects. Among the latest are AI-generated music videos for Kenan Doğulu’s Rütbeni Bileceksin and İstanbul’da Sonbahar, the latter a collaboration between Teoman and Kenan Doğulu. We spoke with Türkeri about his creative journey and his latest ventures in the world of AI.
Architect, artist, AI expert… Which of these identities do you feel best describes you today?
Before any of these titles, I prefer to be known simply as a human being. At times, I feel as though I exist in the space between these professions. I earned my degree in architecture and practiced it for many years, but over time, the vision that art and architecture offered me led me down new paths. One of those paths brought me to artificial intelligence. Now, I find myself in a completely new profession—one that merges architecture, artistic expression, and AI. I see my role in this yet-unnamed profession as being a good, creative individual who contributes meaningfully to the world.
Such versatility demands a rich well of creativity. How do you nurture your creative side?
I believe creativity is a divine gift. I draw inspiration primarily from nature, as well as from the books I read and the films I watch. I’m very engaged with life, and I find that the authenticity of being among people significantly fuels my creativity.
“From the very beginning, every project I’ve created with artificial intelligence has carried a piece of my dreams.”
How did your journey with AI begin?
I worked for many years as both an architect and a corporate communications director. About four years ago, I started researching artificial intelligence and gradually began using it in my design work. The results were astonishing. I had always dreamed of transforming my inner visions into an exhibition, and AI gave me the tools to turn those dreams into visuals. Once I realized that the contents of my imagination could be translated into imagery, I became more and more immersed in working with AI.
Do your AI creations reflect motifs from your dreams?
Absolutely. From the very beginning, every piece I’ve designed using artificial intelligence contains elements of my dreams. Nearly all of them carry dream motifs, because inspiration most often finds me just before sleep or immediately after waking. Those transitional moments—between sleep and wakefulness—are when my creativity flows most freely.
Do you think it’s difficult to convey emotion in a work created with artificial intelligence?
Emotion is the product of the artist’s imagination and creativity. In my view, artificial intelligence is like an eighth emotion. When used correctly, it’s absolutely possible to convey emotion through AI-generated works. The more creative and grounded the person working with AI is, the more powerful and resonant the outcome becomes.
What does your daily work routine look like? How do you typically spend your day?
I try to stay up to date with the latest developments every day because this is such a fast-paced industry. Beyond that, I’ve left behind the highly structured, disciplined, and somewhat monotonous lifestyle that came with my corporate past. These days, I make sure to maintain my morning routines—breakfast, exercise, and a walk with my dog. Other than that, I let the day unfold naturally. Of course, every day involves working with artificial intelligence in one way or another.
You’ll now be producing your work under the umbrella of your new company, AiMAN!A Studios. What kind of studio is AiMAN!A?
AiMAN!A Studios is, at its core, an AI film studio. I co-founded it with İpek Sorak, and we receive invaluable support from our production consultant Ömer Faruk Sorak. Our aim is to become both the first and the leading company in Turkey that produces films and visuals using artificial intelligence.
It’s a film studio in every sense—with brilliant screenwriters and directors—but without a traditional film set. Our goal is to create projects ranging from feature-length and short films to commercials and visionary visual content, all with the help of AI. That said, we also plan to adopt a hybrid approach by combining real-life film shoots with artificial intelligence techniques.
How is a film made using artificial intelligence?
Think of it like a traditional film production process. It starts with writing the story and script. From there, we create a storyboard based on the script. Once we’ve developed the concepts and established the visual narrative, we begin designing the scenes one by one. These visuals can then be animated, or we can generate video content directly from the script.
We tend to favor a slightly more traditional approach—designing visuals first, then turning them into video. But the process doesn’t end there. These animated scenes aren’t just assembled one after the other; they’re edited into a cohesive film under the supervision of an editing team and a director.
How did your first film come about?
My first AI-generated film explored the movement of steam—rising from a teapot, a grill, or a lake. Following that, we produced a film about a version of Istanbul floating in the sky. This was the first AI-generated film to be screened in cinemas. The story of Istanbul suspended in the air was quite intriguing, and we now plan to develop it into a feature-length film.
What was your reaction when you saw the finished film for the first time?
I felt incredibly honored when the audience applauded at the end of the screening. That moment was very meaningful for me. I’m now genuinely excited about the upcoming feature-length adaptation.
Were you interested in cinema before your journey with artificial intelligence began?
I’ve been a film enthusiast since childhood. Ömer Faruk Sorak often tells me I have a director’s eye, and I believe my early curiosity about cinema has contributed to my development in this field. Even in my architectural presentations, I always preferred using sound and video. In that sense, AI has become the perfect creative partner for me.
Literature is another discipline you engage with through artificial intelligence. Recently, you created an AI-generated video inspired by Bilge Karasu’s novel Gece. How did that project begin?
We started a series called Ortasından Hikâyeler (“Stories from the Middle”). In this series, we select short excerpts from the middle of novels and stories and create 10–15 second videos inspired by them.
Our first piece was based on a passage from Bilge Karasu’s Gece. We plan to continue the series with works by authors such as Oğuz Atay and Aziz Nesin. There are many literary works that have yet to be adapted into film, and we hope to use artificial intelligence to bring these stories to a broader audience.
One of your latest projects is the music video you made for Kenan Doğulu’s song “Rütbeni Bileceksin.” How did that collaboration come about?
We had previously created a music video for another of Kenan Doğulu’s songs. Around six or seven years ago, there was talk of making a music video for his track “Yapma,” which hadn’t been produced at the time. During a conversation, that idea resurfaced.
After that video was released and well received, Kenan Doğulu approached us with the idea of producing a music video for his new rendition of Rütbeni Bileceksin, featuring Kenzi. He gave us full creative freedom. The story was written by İpek Sorak, and I directed the video. We’re very proud of how it turned out—and Kenan Doğulu loved it as well.
In fact, we went on to create another AI-generated video, this time for İstanbul’da Sonbahar, a collaboration between Teoman and Kenan Doğulu. It was a remix of the iconic autumn ballad dedicated to Istanbul. The video explores the city’s more chaotic side, and in a surprising twist, Kenan and Teoman appear together in the narrative. It was a fun and exciting experience to bring these two artists together in a single video.
“Artificial intelligence is a death machine for anyone who stops improving themselves.”
How would you describe artificial intelligence as a work partner in a few words?
It has no whims, and it’s incredibly productive—a tireless worker.
What kind of evolution do you expect artificial intelligence to undergo in the near future?
Artificial intelligence is a death machine for those who stop evolving. It poses a serious threat to anyone who stops reading, learning, and growing intellectually—it will shrink the human mind if used passively. But for those who engage with it creatively and purposefully, AI is an incredible tool for advancement. I believe it will continue to evolve rapidly, opening up even more possibilities.
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