Mike Zorger was a very important figure in the D.C. skate scene during the early 2000's, having documented much of the area's talent through his independent videos and collaborations with other area filmers. He remains a motivating force in the metro area and continues to film regularly. His commitment and talent are underrated by some, but any who have seen his work can't deny the sincerity and high quality of his output. Mike is truly dedicated to skateboarding, and it's my pleasure to offer this interview to readers both familiar and unfamiliar with his work.

Interview By Dustin Umberger

Dustin: Describe how you got into filming and how that developed from a hobby into something more serious. Also tell us about your first official camera for filming skating.

Mike: I believe it started back in 1995 when my friends and I would watch legendary 411’s and Eastern Exposures then go out and skate. I took my dad's huge ass 8mm camera out to filmed us skating in front of my house. I started editing the footage with a VCR and if you asked me to do it today I couldn’t tell you how I did it. In 2000 all my friends went away to college so I decided I really wanted to take filming to a new personal level. So I got the Sony TRV11 with a baby fisheye and started skating with guys from GMU and going downtown a lot more. My first video Concrete Playgrounds was more of a joke video with all my buddies but after it premiered I was totally addicted to making skateboard movies.

Dustin: As you became more serious about filming and making videos, what were some of your ultimate goals? Do you feel that you've achieved them at this point?

Mike: Well my ultimate goal was to take the great talent DC had / has and expose it to everyone on the East Coast and hopefully it could filter some on the West Coast. I always thought skaters throughout the US kind of hated on DC, so I thought that was the perfect opportunity to make something that everyone will see. After Autonomous premiered I knew John Edwards and I completed a personal goal in film making.

Dustin: Filming is an incredible investment of time and money. I even personally broke one of your death lens trying to film a line! At any point did you doubt the benefits of spending so much money to produce videos at a loss?

Mike: Yes, and I still can’t find that footage of me going crazy after you broke it. You’re right, filming is extremely expensive but when you’re filming a lot with you friends and having a good time you forget how much your equipment cost. I would have to say filming is totally different now with HD completely taking over the industry. HD Panasonic cameras range from $3,000-$5,000. I just purchased the Panasonic HMC-150 and LOVE it but the more legit fisheye from Century is $3,000. I settled for a fisheye from Century that’s not really as wide as past lenses but it does the job for the stuff I film these days. Very few kids can afford a FULL HD set up and I think it’s a shame because skateboarding has brought so much business to Century Optics when the lens for the average camera was $700. When it came down to any of my premiers, at that point I wasn’t making ANY profit. You have to filter in gas, tolls, cameras, computers built for editing and the software; but it’s still fun.

Dustin: You are a patient filmer who also has a good sense of humor. When you film people, it seems that you're down for them and I know that goes a long way towards accomplishing goals for both filmer and skater. Is that patience something that is learned on the job? Were there ever times when you felt like it was too much of a waiting game, or that your energy was being wasted?

Mike: Every weekend when waiting at Pulaski for people to figure out where they really wanted to go. I’d skate for a few hours and wait for a few hours and we’d attempt to go to some hot spot where the skater would get 4-7 attempts to land a trick before security comes out to give us the boot. I think you have to be patient overall. Sometimes you would go out filming, spending 6-12 hours out and not really get anything that you’ll use in the videos but the next day you’ll go out for 10 minutes and have a hammer. Being patient comes easy when it’s a nice sunny day and you’re skating with your buddies, filming some fun tricks.

Dustin: The D.C. scene in the early 2000's was well-documented by you, John Edwards, and Kevin O'Dell. You also collaborated with those filmers for various projects. As a filmer, how do you deal with the competition for loyalty from skaters? At times do you ever feel that people are just using you to get footage?

Mike: I love those guys. Back in 2000 I met Kevin and his crew. Billy Roper and I were going out a lot and he told me about his friends who lived in Woodbridge. I started filming all those guys with Kevin and those were some of the best sessions EVER!!! When I got my first generator it was all about the night missions and even though we were filming two different videos in 2001 we would talk about what footage would be in used in what video. In 2002 my second video Ocapade came out. John and I started going out with Roper and Jack Curtin a lot. John knew Roper was my boy and I knew Jack was his boy but we still played nice and separated footage in Ocapade and Pack a Lunch. Eventually John and I had to combine our footage and that’s how Autonomous came about in 2005.

Dustin: Skaters can be flaky people, especially if their priority is footage not friendship. Have you found it difficult to make long lasting friendships in the skate scene? Who (besides me) has remained a part of your life since the earliest days and your first video Concrete Playgrounds?

Mike: HA, I would have to say Chad Bowers and I are super tight still. He’s crazy busy with his duties at Alien Workshop but we still talk a few times a week on email. I think Landon Smoot has quit skating to work on his bus, don’t ask. I’m still friends with most of the guys I’ve given parts to in my videos but you’ll always film with someone who really doesn’t care about what video you’re making because his main focus is on blowing up in the industry

Dustin: You clocked in significant hours with Bobby Worrest, Jack Curtin, Zach Lyons, and many other DC guys that went on to make it in skateboarding. Do you feel that they owe you partial credit for getting their footage out there? Do you still stay in touch with any of those guys or other major players in the skate scene?

Mike: That’s a good question! I don’t think I’m owed any credit really. Those guys worked their asses off to be where they are today. I don’t stay in touch with many of those guys to tell you the truth because they are always traveling doing their thing. Shortly after Jack turned pro he told John Edwards and myself that he wasn’t allowed to film with us anymore. That was a pretty big bummer because the three of us became pretty tight during the filming of NEXT TRY and Autonomous. I’m not sure what that was about. I think Bobby is very busy with his hot new shoe and Coors Light (kidding).

Dustin: Your personal style, no offense, is more executive club-goer than dirtbag skate filmer. Are you leading a double life? Talk about your Clark Kent personality, your day job, and how that's played an important role in providing opportunities to make skate videos.

Mike: Another good question, man you’re good at this but I’m no “club-goer." Back in 2000 I landed an internship working for a local General Contractor (construction). That was fine at the time because filming then wasn’t SUPER CRAZY important to me at that time. But in 2002 when I was offered a salary, 401k, and benefits I knew I had to take that. At the same time I was going to school and just started filming for Next Try. So as you can imagine my schedule was pretty crazy. I’d go to work until 5:00pm, school until 10:00pm and a lot of times meet with Bobby Worrest or Billy Roper downtown to film. Sometimes we’d stay out skating until 3:00am and I would get three hours of sleep

Dustin: Out of all the projects you've completed or contributed to, which is your favorite? Which represents your best work? And finally, what is your favorite skate video of all time?

Mike: Hands down Autonomous. John and I filmed for 16 months and it was nonstop skating!!! I think Autonomous couldn’t have come out at a better time. Jack Curtin was moving on doing his thing. Billy Roper was in LA hanging out with Paris Hilton, Zach Lyons was just started to get lots of coverage, and Shaun Gregorior just got on Birdhouse. If John and I tried to do that today it wouldn’t really work because those guys film for a living and wouldn’t really want to film for an indie DC video. Favorite skate video of all time, THAT’S HARD!! I may have to say Welcome To Hell or Menikmati.

Dustin: Do you still film a lot? What's your daily routine these days, and what are your future plans?

Mike: Yes, I film whenever I get the call from Kevin O'dell or anyone. I’m currently filming an HD montage in Kevin’s new video This Machine Kills Facists slated to drop around Christmas. My daily routine is I get up, go to work, eat, go biking so I can get my knee back to 100% so I can skate again. My future plans are to just film whoever and help out on some videos. I currently have some big stuff on the burner but I don’t want to curse myself so I’ll keep that on the down low. I’m going to Thailand in November and I’m working on some mini films that should be finished soon.