Yesterday I was lucky enough to see a question and answer session with German Director Werner Herzog.
Some of the more interesting things he talked about were:
1 Landscapes as his starting point and talked about how he directs them.
2 How to hypnotize a Chicken by quickly drawing a chalk line in front of them.
3 The barbarous nature of chickens – he called them cannibals and called their gaze “flat”.
4 His disgust for psychology.
5 The importance of language (he urged aspiring filmmakers to study other major languages).
6 The importance of journey on foot.
7 His view that nature is base and vile.
8 That there is no excuse for filmmakers today as good equipment is so readily available and cheap – he then said if you need money work as a bouncer in a sex club.
All his answers were very blunt, direct and at times dark. He told a story where in response to a rumour that was floating around about a crew member getting hit by a truck (she wasn’t) he created a wilder rumour by telling an Italian reporter that after the truck driver hit her – he got out and raped her on the street. I laughed very loudly at this. So much so that some dude in a cardigan turned around and shot me a disgusted look. I may think rape is funny – but he was wearing a cardigan, fuck you sir.
After the event was over I was on my way out with the space junk crew when I spotted Herzog to my right. I bee lined it to him and said “Thank you Mr Herzog” – he shook my hand and said “Thank you for coming”. I then asked him why he decided to shave his moustache. He smiled and said “Oh I don’t remember – I must have lost it during life’s trials and tribulations. ” I then said, “I am going to be honest with you – you grown an amazing moustache.”
I was pretty excited to speak to him, and later than night Wintle suggested I fuck the hand that shook his hand. This was good advice, and by osmosis my cock is now able to direct landscapes.
I’m glad you took my advice.
P.S. I like cardigans.