Discussing Skateboarding with Filmmaker Werner Herzog 

I want Werner to look at whatever I'm doing and whisper, "So many failures. It's astonishing."

that was a clean one - Werner Herzog

He should narrate a skate competition. "In this cramped and rotting structure it appears that we have here a group of people who only come to accept small successes over an impossible mountain of failure. We can observe them recklessly fumbling about the course like mice who know they are soon to be fed to a python. Only one small glimmer of hope comes when a rare window that is not certain death appears, and a trick is landed. And that was a good backside tailslide by Ishod the Weary."

You guys have to make a t-shirt quoting him: "That was a clean one." - Werner Herzog

I would absolutely devour a Herzog skate film.

“What you are doing is special, bordering the sacred.” What a line

The one dislike is from David Blaine

"Yes, that's kind of my people." -Werner Herzog on Skateboarders

"Bordering the sacred." Holy fuck.

No joke probably the coolest piece you've done. That was rad.

"that was a clean one" he IS one of us....

Listening to the Russian Orthodox music paired with skating as Werner Herzog mentions the connection to the 'sacred' really struck me in an emotional sense. I've often pondered and studied what different cultures and religious peoples refer to as their "connection to the sacred", whether it be meditation, prayer, physical forms of worship, and I completely agree that skateboarding is a sacred and emotional headspace that we all seek to achieve whether we realize it or not. I jokingly refer to skating as my yoga, but in all actuality it is most definitely an activity where I seek mental refuge and it is a healing place for me. If I've had a terrible day, skateboarding helps. I clear my mind and focus on one thing and one thing only. Anyways, this probably sounds borderline ridiculous, but I felt it in my chest when Werner made that observation.

This is it. The peak of skateboarding content. Nothing will ever be as good as this ever again.

Jenkem posting content none of us knew we needed

This young guy actually did a pretty good job of interviewing Herzog 👍

"have you fallen in love with a camera before?" "no"

When he said he saw skaters & thought "these are my people" I've never felt more proud.

This is the most bizarre, fever dream level video topic I've ever seen. Jenkem really just puts out the best stuff.

He absolutely, 100% gets what skateboarding is all about.

"What you're doing is special, bordering the sacred." Damn, I feel that so much there are tears in my eyes. Couldn't vibe with this guy's insights more.

In the ad for his filmmaking Masterclass he said something about filming footage along these lines "we were like thieves, and the footage we filmed was our stolen goods." That image fits so well on the entire skate filmmaking scene as a whole and it resonnates with me so much, it shook me quite a bit when I first heard it.

Werner Herzog got it 100% correct: "Russian Orthodox Church Choirs" to parallel the "Space and sacrality and what you are doing is special bordering on the sacred". For me it is the moments of flowing physical poetry and cresting weightless dance that makes Skateboarding & BMX so internally beautiful and magic and fulfilling, and when you stop that satisfaction does not dissipate, it just says with you, so radly!!! Thank you, thank you, thankyou for this cool video : )

I’m 100% sincere when I say this, but in spite of it not being Jenkem or Herzog’s intent, this video actually changed my life in a profound way. Herzog mentioning Russian Orthodox choir as appropriate skateboarding music made me interested in checking out the broader Orthodox Christian choral traditions, and I fell in love with the reverence for God and musical richness on display in them. This led me to actually attend an Orthodox Divine Liturgy for the first time in June 2022, and from there I found even more beauty in their Eucharistic communion, the stories of the saints, and so much more. I was baptized into the church in July 2023, and in a very strange way this video is the seed of that entire process. Also, I will share a story from a Desert Father which shows the unexpected parallels between the Orthodox view of repentance and the trials of skateboarding: “A young monk said to Abba Sisoes: “Abba, what should I do? I fell.” The elder answered: “Get up!” The monk said: “I got up and I fell again!” The elder replied: “Get up again!” But the young monk asked: “For how long should I get up when I fall?” “Until your death,” answered Abba Sisoes. “For a man heads to his judgment either fallen or getting back up again.””

I would've gladly watched 30 more minutes of this

this right here

I better see more Russian Orthodox Church music in skate parts now 😤

"Have you fallen in love with a camera before?" "No" loool this was great

Artists understanding other artists

Werner "that was a clean one" Herzog

someones gotta clip "Zat was a clean one"

Holy moly werner herzog and skateboarding!!why did RU-vid show this to me 3 years late!!?????

Why is it so mesmerizing to hear Werner talking about any subject. He seems to always find a profound understanding and explanations that had never come to my mind

My man out here with such left field thoughts it's stunning. Brilliant

"That was a clean one." --Werner Herzog

I actually really dig that music behind the clips at the end.

Werner Herzog saying “that was a clean one” need to be a sound bite!!!

He was on point with the music went perfectly . Very interesting we all needed that we just didnt know it !

I don't think I've ever cried at a skate video before today....

This is AMAZING. As a lifelong skateboarder, and a film editor by trade, this was such a sick interview to land. Welcome to skateboarding, Werner!!!!

His answer on the question of soundtracks for skateboard films is worth the entire interview. Would love to see that kind of out of the box thinking applied within a skateboard film.

I have lost track of how many times I have watched this and recommended to others. It's a beautiful take on life. Tears me up every time.

This would be really cool as a series, perhaps involving other artistic professions such as photographers or sound artists and get their insight into it.

"so many failures" its like hes speaking right to me

There's a clip in Grizzly Man where he's holding a VX 1000.

I almost shed a tear when the Russian Choir came on... Just beautiful! Herr Herzog is the man! Thank you for this supreme interview!

This is one of the more authentic things I've seen on RU-vid in a long while. It not only felt refreshing to watch but also ignited my passion for life. Well done.

Super tight. Thank you for bringing this conversation into existence

this is golden, so many awesome quotes in 4 minutes, 'that was a clean one' - 'so many failures it's astonishing' and 'bordering the sacred' are the standouts !!

“What you are doing is special, bordering the sacred.” .........He gets it

Amazing!!! Fucking cried, sounded just like my Grandpa when he said “im puzzled”. Thanks guys

Impressive interview by Ian M. I’m in the same boat with Mr. Herzog on not familiar with the skateboarding world, but after this interview, I have a much better appreciation to the young folks trying endlessly to perfect their craft. 👏🏼👏🏼

I'm 50 and this vid made me go town a Herzog rabbit hole probably for the third or fourth time in my life. Definitely a skater's soul.

As a skater and a filmmaker of 20 years and a fan of his work.. This video was amazing!

Watched over 20 of this man's amazing, weird movies, most especially "The Great Ecstacy of Woodcarver Steiner" (highly recommend). I've been saying for years that he should make a movie (or movies) about underground, alternative sports/arts, i.e. skating, breaking, and/or freerunning. Nobody has a filmmaking eye for the surreal and uncanny - in his words, "ecstatic truth" - like this man.

I keep coming back to this video, what a special little moment in history

Jenkem you guys are the BEST!~ Thanks large for this insanely creative video 👊

The fact that you put this together is incredible, shout out to everyone at jenkem especially whoever comes up with these Concepts

wish this was longer

Werner ist der Beste! Seine Auffassungsgabe ist genial. Also props to Jenkem for the idea and also beeing able to get somebody like him for the interview.

Oh wow Herzog's music choice at the end was brilliant!! Now I want an entire skateboarding doc with that music narrated by Herzog 😤😤

Werner Herzog reacting to Mark Gonzales. Love.

That was beyond legit!

Who knew this would be so wholesome.

What I love is how unexpected and good this interview was. That is very Herzog.

Whoever's idea it was to do this piece, deserves a large bonus. Really interesting look from a brilliant mind!!

"Into the Abyss" is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen, Werner Herzog is seriously a genius and this is amazing he was down to this with Jenkem.

One of the things that great skaters and this great filmmaker have in common is that they can see ordinary parts of the world around them (landscape, terrain, whatever you want to call it) and imagine amazing things. Then they make those things real.

I just watched 'Aguirre The Wrath of God'. Although I have been familiar with Werner's work for some time now I am still astonished that this happened and gives me tremendous joy as a skateboarder. Maybe its validation from a person I would never assume would be involved all the same, thank you jenkem. :)

Whoever is coming up with the concepts for Jenkem's content deserves a raise

Really a wonderful segment. As a 'mature' skater (40+ years) and fan of Herzog (separately) this hit several positive notes at once. But it was too short! This could def lead to a new series of interviews with non-skaters in the arts. (dancers, other directors, performance artists, urban space theorists (they would LOVE to talk about street skating ala Gonz)). Regardless, an original and insightful interview. Edit: Check out Australian artist/skater Shaun Gladwell for another take on these art/skate relationships.

Yet another reason to love Werner Herzog.

This is the interview we didn't know we needed. Thank you.

“That was a clean one” made me laugh out loud

Werner Herzog - "That was a clean one" 1:48

What a great idea interviewing this man ✨

He did this interview while waiting for the Mandalorian to bring him Baby Yoda

As a german I'm so proud of Werner Herzog. You can see that even though he is not very familiar with the topic he instantly caught it's essence and admires it authenticity and also rawness. And that's what Werner Herzog is all about. Doing shit on the streets for nobody, just for yourself, ready to go through pain and suffering just to land a clean one. That's his philosophy of art.

He said “That was a clean one.” Holy guck that was awesome!

Great talk! Well done Ian and Jemkem. - And well done Werner Herzog

Herzog is an absolute legend. It's extremely admirable the level of reverence and admiration that he gives to the sport. If he ever wanted to make a skating video, I would buy that in a heartbeat.

Dopest piece you've done. 2021 looks promising for you guys.

This is so awesome. I loved going to film school and learning about Werner Herzog. I would get high as fuck right before film screenings and i remember watching Grizzly man and Lessons of Darkness just completely blown away

fucking love this meeting of generations in a completely humble and genuine way

"bordering the sacred."

This is so cool. I can actually see how Werner would be interested in the human aspect of skateboarding. Way cool interview to land

Werner is a treasure. From this, to his cameo as self in "The Boondocks," to the nightmare production of "Fitzcarraldo" to working enthusiastically with Harmony Korine, his interests are pure and impossible to pin down. He's lived and worked as he saw fit. I only hope I can do the same.

It’s a testament to skateboarders about the resilience they have for their craft. Despite failure, despite pain, despite frustration, they press on, they keep trying, and when they succeed they continue to build and grow. Learning how to accept failure and keep trying is a lesson that we all should think about. I don’t skate, but I can only image the euphoria of landing a trick that has troubled a skater so many times. That has to be Nirvana. Good on you, skateboarders. Great segment 🙂

Asking Herzog about the Sony VX - and his answer - was genius! Lovely interview.

When he said “that was a clean one” you know he’s into it

WERNER HERZOG...? MORE LIKE WERNER PUMP UP THE HERTZ-DOG!!!! HIS “CLEAN ONE” COMMENT WAS SOME LIT ELECTROMAGNETIC FIRE WAVE TYPE SHIT...

This is great, this is why Jenkem is this best skateboarding platform

This interview made me cry, laugh and then cry again. Thanks. Werner is such an amazing athlete. Most of his films wouldn't be possible where it not for his outstanding physical condition.

I love this. I would love more stuff like this in the skate video world. Connecting skateboarding with art, sociology, philosophy , and other “serious” subjects. I think skating is very similar to these subjects

Amazing. Plz post the extended cut if there is one.

You guys are so wonderful for even making this connection. Just proof yet again that skateboarders see the world and make connections in ways that that simply can't be explained by folks who aren't familiar with the lens through which we view the world.

I simply can not believe what I just saw. Hezog on skateboarding... mind blown to pieces

this is beautiful. in so many levels.

entertainment for high society !

What the -- never thought my love of cinema and my love of sk8 would merge. I used to skate to my filmmaking lectures in college so I often had my skateboard with me while watching Werner Herzog films and documentaries. It never occurred to me that his rejection of the establishment and skateboarders rejection by the establishment would fit together so well, but it makes sense. No gods, no masters.

As someone who is almost 50, a writer, a painter, a photographer- skateboarding is my high-art. And thank you Werner! *A.