Hamza Kirbas
Turkish Videomaker
The Refugee Film Collection
Interview: 10 questions
1. Tell me something about your life and the educational background
1- I was born in Batman/Turkey in 1992. I’ m graduated from the Faculty of fine arts of Batman University in 2017. (2015-2016) Using the Erasmus Student Exchange program. I’ m continued his education at the University of Silesia Faculty of Fine Arts, Graphics Department, Poland. I was a Nominee at the 2018 Blooom Award. My work was included in many exhibitions and collections in Turkey as well as in the UK, New york, Baja California, Malta, France, Hungary, Germany, Hong Kong, Ecuador, Greece and Italy. I continue my master’s degree in painting Department of Hacettepe University Fine Arts Institute.
2. When, how and why started you filming?
2- I met photography at a very young age. I’ve been working on video and photography for many years and I started college with these experiences. I studied painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts for 4 years. and in theory, I studied video, researched world-famous video artists, and then, as a result of the studies, I started to produce my work by creating an original language.
3. What kinds of topics have your films?
3- The topics of my films include social events, stories and children’s games. I have a different approach to these issues. I’ve been working on slogans for a while, and sometimes I’ve changed these slogans. sometimes I studied the sociological and philosophical structure of a street play that children play.
4. Concerning your included video: please tell me more about the aims and the contents.
4- No human is legal. In my video work, there’s a slogan thrown in social movements. this video is symbolic of the refugees ‘ escape time on a two-channel Screen. on the second screen, there’s a fleeing person, a slogan in the sign language that shows his reaction.
5. How do you develop your films, do you follow certain principles, styles etc?
5- In my films I use stop motion technique in general, the life we have lived is not a static life and everything is moving. when I start a movie, I think about how I best relate the event to the viewer, and the forms are always changing.
6. Tell me more about the technical equipment you use.
6- In my movies, the technique is always variable. I don’t need very good equipment to make a movie, so I’m trying to produce it with the materials I have.
7. How do you finance your films?
7- I’m trying to finance my own low budget, I don’t get any support in my work, I’m having difficulties with it, but it doesn’t stop me from producing it.
8. Do you work individually as a video artist/film maker or do you work in a team?
if you have experience in both, what is the difference, what do you prefer?
8- I’ve never worked as a team, but I think it would be good to work with different filmmakers if I found enough funding for future projects. working alone is good at some point because I’m doing what I want to do without any intervention.
9. Who or what has a lasting influence on your film/video making?
9- As a result of my readings and research, I liked and followed the works of some artists. as the film, I was impressed with the style of Luis Bunuel and Gary Hill.
10. What are your future plans or dreams as a film/video maker?
10- In the future, I would like to leave a great deal of experimental work in World Cinema. and my work is always for the future. of course, we need to establish good communication for this. that’s why I’m trying to show and exhibit my work internationally. because I’m trying to do something with limited resources.