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"Attaching Importance To The Contents" ["Legen Wert auf das Inhaltliche"] Interview published 'Quotenmeter.de' on March
6, 2011 Author: Michael Weis Link to original German article è here |
These days RTL's action series "Alarm für Cobra
11" celebrates its 15th birthday. Since the second epsiode Erdogan Atalay
participates as inspector Semir Gerkhan. Together we look back and talk about
the evolution of the show.
Quotenmeter: Mr Atalay, thank you for sharing your time with us. Right from
the start: One is always prone to actually call you Semir. Does this happen
often?
Atalay: Yes, it happens all the time but
it's still not grave and it is due to the nature of the business. I have played
this character for 15 years.
Quotenmeter: You take part since the second episode - and you have outlived
many, many colleagues ...
Atalay: I appreciate that. The series
has gone through an incredible development. A development which has grown
naturally. A great deal of it was not planned but did just happen step by step.
To be able to say you have participated in that makes you glad. "Cobra
11" is a beautiful playground for all of us.
Quotenmeter: Why haven't you already appeared in the pilot?
Atalay: It had been planned right from
the start that Rainer Stecker would play in it and even when it was still in the making, it was
already decided that I would join the team in episode two. By the way, back
then nobody believed in the success of "Cobra 11". Action made in
Germany? That the spectators know only from the United States and they do it
much better. It was good for us to be given the time to work it out four
ourselves. Each series must firstly find itself and also an audience must get
to the series. I believe nowadays "Cobra 1" couldn't get started this
way anymore because nowadays this time is lacking.
Quotenmeter: Is that why recent TV series such as "GSG 9" or
"Lasko" had it so hard?
Atalay: Yes, of course. Each series has
firstly to find itself - only very few formats are perfect right from the
start. The formats you've mentioned presented accomplished action - but success
also depends on storylines and there "Cobra 11" has never seen
stagnation, thank God.
Quotenmeter: Are there perhaps episodes you remember particularly well?
Atalay: I have made 200 episodes and I
do remember some of them very well. Sometimes I have to see the very show
before I can say anything about it, so for example it happens seldom that I can
recall the titles. Of course there are the pilots which remain in your memory,
but not only these ones. Currently we are just shooting a regular episode which
I certainly will keep in memory. We are working with the "Rote
Funken" ("Red Sparks") on carnival - that's a really swell. We
get tremendous support, the episode will become very lively and like a feature
film.
Quotenmeter: How has "Cobra 11" evoloved dring 15 years?
Atalay: It is hard to tell in a
nutshell. Maybe we can encapsulate it like that: In the beginning we had great
stunts and would build the stories around these stunts. Today it is the other
way around. We concentrate more on the storyline and the integrity of the
characters.
Quotenmeter: How has Semir evolved?
Atalay: Like me he has grown older. He
has grown with me.
Quotenmeter: ... but not vertically...
Atalay: (Laughs.) No, but we have grown
together. Semir is now a family man with two children. But in his heart he
hasn't changed.
Quotenmeter: Only some years ago there was a big demise of TV shows which
meant the end for nearly all home-made TV shows of Germany's commercial
broadcasting stations. Only "Cobra 11" survived. Were in you in fear
about your series?
Atalay: Fear, no. For that I had done it
already all to long. Everything has to come to an end some day. We depend on
the spectators, nobody knows that better than Quotenmeter. Still we always have
to waht we consider alright too. It is clear however, that you have to
anticipate that such a series comes to an end.
Quotenmeter: But currently it doesn't look like that. The last season was
really successful ...
Atalay: Yes it was. And on Thursday even
a second re-run had 19 %. That I consider very remarkable.
Quotenmeter: How does the show do the trick to be that successful? It is
really that in the land of Michael Schumacher flying cars and cool stunts do
already score?
Atalay: Of course I like to think that
it is not only that and the audience asks for more. No doubt: The stunts are
true highlights - but I feel they are not sufficient if the whereabouts are not
worth to be watched. I believe we are on a good way. We are always playing
around big time on the set and improvise. It is nice that we actors have this
liberty.
Quotenmeter: You have had many team partners at your side. Which one do you
like best with hindsight? Mark Keller?
Atalay: Mark ... That was a long time ago. It was
a good time. I remember Rene Steinke very well, since we have worked together for five years. We keep on meeting till
today. Everyone has added something to the series. But now with Tom it is
something special. I believe we have - actually without really foreseeing it -
chosen a completely accurate direction.
Quotenmeter: Hermann Joha told us recently in an interview he hopes you an
Tom Beck will stay by "Cobra 11" until you become pensioners. How are
the odds?
Atalay: That depends of course on the
spectators. Next year I will shoot my own film but I still enjoy working for
"Cobra 11" a lot and I am
able to to imagine that I will keep on doing it for quite a while.
Quotenmeter: Could you tell us more in regards to the film project?
Atalay: Not yet.
Quotenmeter: Is it for cinema or TV?
Atalay: I will produce it for cinema. Moreover
this year RTL's film "Geister inklusive" ("Ghosts
included") will come out and there I play a totally different character. I
am very curious about the audience's feedback.
Quotenmeter: Many thanks for this interview and all the best for the future.
* * *
Translation by Joachim Schulz - so many thanks !
Online March 14, 2011