Halil Şafak Bakkalbaşıoğlu, known as Şafak Bakkalbaşıoğlu, (born 29 May 1964, Istanbul), is a Turkish Television Director, Television Producer, Documentary Producer and Director. He is married and has two kids.

Biography

He spent his childhood in Ankara, Gölcük, İskenderun and Mersin. In 1985, he was graduated from Department of Radio and TV , Ankara University Faculty of Communications and Media. During the second year of his university education, he started to work at Turkish Radio and Television Institution (TRT). Starting as scriptwriter, he continued his career as director and producer, until 1992. During this period at TRT, he produced different kinds of programs including “Lafı Güzaf - Verbiage (dramatic documentary), Edebiyat Üçlemesi - Literature Trilogy (dramatic documentary), Prensesin Böylesi - That Kind of a Princess (drama), and Ondan Sonra - After That (magazine program).^[1]

He transferred to ATV in 1992 and until 1997, produced several broadcasts including “A Takımı”, “Televizyon Çocuğu”, “Zaga”, “Siyaset Meydanı”. He is a founding member of Guild of TV and Cinema Producers (TESİYAP).^[2]

Using finger camera as action camera for the first time in the world in Televizyon Çocuğu (Late Night Show), he highly impressed the show business, pushed the limits of multi-camera broadcasts and become a highly respected director.

Lots of TV figures became known thanks to him. Savaş Ay, Özkan Uğur, Serkan Ercan, Wilco van Herpen, Kenan Doğulu, Özlem Conker, Janset, Erdal Beşikçioğlu, Ali Atif Bir, Alper Kotaman, Baybars Altuntaş, Binnur Kaya, Coşkun Aral, Ezgi Mola, Murat Serezli, Murat Akkoyunlu, Mehmet Ali Alabora, Nevin Sungur, Serhat Kılıç, Uğur Uludağ, Zafer Algöz, Erkan Taşdöğen, Engin Akyürek, Burcu Biricik and Beren Saat worked with him for the first time in their TV History.

He was the Executive Broadcasting Director of

After publishing his documentaries Mahzuni Şerif (2005) and Türkiye’nin Ruhu: Cemil Meriç (2008)^[3], his documentary named İnkılap ve Dokuz Kardeş (İnkılap Vapuru) - Inkılap and Her Nıne Sisters^[4] was screened at 28^th International Istanbul Film Festival and highly appreciated. Recently, he was the General Coorinator of Sanayi Savaşları - Industry Wars^[5] documentary, broadcasted at TRT Documentary.

Directing