He studied Radio, TV and Film Studies at Ege University Faculty of Communications, receiving the Sedat Simavi Award for two short films, Masal (The Tale) and Kurban (The Sacrifice), which he made in the course of his studies. After graduating in 1992, he worked in cinema and television as an assistant Director to Orhan Oğuz, Mahinur Ergun, Filiz Kaynak and Yusuf Kurçenli, and was awarded first prize by IFSAK for his short film Play Me Old and Wise (1998).