Originally from Istanbul, Turkey, producer Meric Aydin is a genius when it comes to making a production appeal to financiers; something he says comes down to how the production is packaged.
"My role is especially crucial during the packaging of the project, what I do is I pull out the most commercial elements out of the script, and combine them together to make it more attractive to a financier. To clarify; packaging in the film industry means turning the script into a sellable product. This is right after the script is fully developed and right before you get the financing, as this is how you get the financing," explains producer Meric Aydin.
Aydin is currently working on a variety of projects as a producer, but the majority of his work this year will be taken up with projects being produced by Eclectic Pictures where Aydin holds the title of Jr. Development Executive.
He explains, "I’m working closely with Heidi Jo Markel of Eclectic Pictures; we have two upcoming features this year. The first one is Septembers Of Shiraz… and the latter one is Frankenstein… Our previous work includes Olympus Has Fallen with Gerard Butler and Morgan Freeman and Lovelace with Amanda Seyfried."
Directed by multi-award winning director Wayne Blair who is best known as the director of the films Black Talk, The Sapphires and The Djarn Djarns, the film Septembers of Shiraz is a thriller backed by an all-star cast. Based on Dalia Sofer's New York Times bestseller, the film brings to life the story of a wealthy Jewish family caught in the aftermath of the Iranian revolution in the early 80s and the struggles they face living in Tehran after the fall of the shah. The film stars Oscar nominated actress Salma Hayek (Frida, Desperado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico), Oscar Award winner Adrien Brody (The Pianist, King Kong, The Grand Budapest Hotel) and Oscar nominated actress Shoreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog, The Lake House, X-Men: The Last Stand).
As a development executive at Eclectic Pictures, Meric Aydin was an integral counterpart in the efforts to launch the film Septembers of Shiraz into production. He recalls, "In Septembers of Shiraz I created marketing materials that we sent out to make the project achieve production, which included the project's logline and synopsis."
Aydin also worked with Eclectic Pictures on the highly anticipated upcoming film Frankenstein. Written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Bernard Rose who is known for the films Candyman, Immortal Beloved, The Devil's Violinist and others, Frankenstein is a contemporary take on Mary Shelley's classic horror novel told from the perspective of Adam, Frankenstein's monster. Set in present day Los Angeles, the film stars multi-award winning actress Carrie-Anne Moss from the films Memento, The Matrix, Chocolat and Disturbia, Golden Globe nominated actor Danny Huston from the films 21 Grams, The Aviator, Children of Men and Hitchcock, and Xavier Samuel from Fury, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 2, Healing, Adore and others.
Bringing in a well-known and marketable cast is another key function of a producer as an A-list cast is paramount in guaranteeing financers will make a profit on their investment in a film. Meric Aydin's ability to sift through the thousands of talented actors currently working in the American entertainment industry and select the ones who can bring a story to life on screen while driving profits came as a huge asset to the production of the upcoming film Frankenstein.
Aydin says, "I helped create cast lists, and provided my notes for the screenplay during pre-production and for the screening while the project was in post-production."
In the world of producers there are various roles one fulfills throughout each phase of production, which means taking on a wide scope of responsibilities; however, there are variations on a producer's title, for example: executive producer, associate producer, etc., which note an individual's most focused efforts and contributions to a production.
About the role of an associate producer, Aydin says, "That person does what needs to be done from pre-production to release. While sometimes it might mean creating PR material, sometimes it may extend to making a phone call and getting the actor attached to the project."
Meric Aydin is working as an associate producer on the upcoming films The Census Taker, Du Cap and Without Apparent Motive. With the films Frankenstein and Septembers of Shiraz both set for release this year, and three other features underway, Meric Aydin undoubtedly has a busy road ahead.