“Sesini Çıkarma!” | Deniz Gökkan | TEDxIAFL Youth

Early Influences and Creative Aspirations

• Deniz Gökkan was bullied as a child for being overweight and from Eastern Turkey. (9s)
• Gökkan wrote a book about a character named Emre who creates a "happiness play" with other ostracized children. (1m37s)
• Gökkan entered a short story competition in middle school and wrote a story about a man who gives away all his belongings and commits suicide. (2m47s)
• The speaker wanted to pursue a career in a creative field, but their family believed that such professions were not real jobs. (7m33s)
• A family friend who had worked in documentaries discouraged the speaker from pursuing a creative career, warning them that they would end up poor. (8m18s)

Gökkan's Journey in the Creative Industry

• Deniz Gökkan had invested time in learning filmmaking skills like camera work and editing, aspiring to work in the film industry. (9m45s)
• Despite pursuing architecture in university, Gökkan continued to develop his media skills by taking related courses, making short films, and exploring writing and modeling. (10m39s)
• After graduating, Gökkan started a YouTube channel with a friend, worked in broadcasting, and gained a following, but he felt unfulfilled and experienced a sense of identity crisis. (12m0s)
• Deniz Gökkan spoke with their father about an identity crisis they were experiencing, despite outward signs of success and happiness. (14m37s)
• After the death of their father, Gökkan realized that they had been pursuing things for external validation rather than personal fulfillment. (16m42s)

Authenticity and Passion in Art

• King left his painting Hering unfinished, despite knowing he was dying. (4m51s)
• Gökkan believes that many contemporary artists and creators exhibit arrogance, which hinders their work. (18m17s)
• Some individuals in the industry produce substandard work, relying on their reputation and connections rather than merit. Their motivation is solely financial, and they exhibit excessive pride in their inadequate and incomplete work. (18m37s)
• Young people who aspire to enter this industry should prioritize authenticity and passion in their work, drawing inspiration from their own experiences and telling their unique stories. (18m57s)
• Deniz Gökkan transformed personal pain into a video, finding solace and healing through the process. This experience led him to embrace storytelling, leveraging his platform to amplify the voices of the unheard. (19m18s)