Hamburg is a big city, one of the biggest in Europe. So, where is the skate scene? Stanley We just dropped a new video, Clepto and LOBBY are always out there. But for a city with close to two million people one could ask “What is going on in Hamburg”. That is one of the main questions Moritz Ueberall has been using to motivate himself. Being young and coming up from the HH he always felt strong about showing the city and his friends. Blessed be the young, and at 18 years of age Moritz’ video is really about showing that future. He does the decent thing in this interview though and shouts out the OG’s that helped him find his way. Now press play, or scroll down and read, but don’t forget to enjoy yourself.

Good morning, Moritz (Ueberall)! How are you today and first of all nice to meet you? Are you ready for your close up?

(laughs) Yeah, I am stoked! Yesterday was my last day of a two-week quarantine, so after this, I can finally go out and skate again. Corona is crazy, some people I shared a class with got the virus, so we all had to go home and separate from society. But that didn’t stop it. So, in the end, they closed the whole school down. Pretty crazy!

Did you have to get tested or did you have to quarantine?

I got tested, and the results were negative but they told me I still had to quarantine, which was tough. It was a bit hard not to go skate during the last weeks of summer. Plus, you have so much more energy that you can’t put to use if you have to sit inside.

But to stay positive, you did have all the time you needed to edit this video!

Yes, I did, two weeks, every day I spent behind the computer, editing. One other friend had to do the same thing but it was hard to see all the other homies skate on social media.

So what is the plan for today, getting those last bangers?

No. We don’t have any new tapes left, so I can’t really film with the VX anymore. They discontinued to produce the mini-DV tape and now any deadstock has become pricey. So, the filming is over. I am going to skate by myself now (laughs).

I am happy that I still have a new MK1 fisheye without any scratches! I saw that HD VX idea that Romain Batard had and I am saving up for that one now.

We worked with that setup, it is pretty nice, Louis Deschamps has that one.

How was it? Did the fisheye ring work and how was the long lens on that cam?

It was nice. That will be the new setup?

When I safe up the money, yes!

Enough camera nerd talk. What about your new video: Homeless II?

In the video, we have my friends, Willow Voges-Fernandez, Daniel Meyer, Theo Löffler and myself. We also have some other local Hamburg homeys who managed to get tricks as well.

In Hamburg we are one of the younger crews we are all around 18-years old.

How long have you been filming?

I think I bought my first VX four-years ago. I had a mini-DV cam before but I wasn’t taking it that serious. The VX was the start.

What changed?

I started informing myself more about the settings of the camera and Jonas Strecke, a really good filmer from Hamburg, helped and supported me with my filming. We got together and he would really show me what to do.

You went from a small filmer shoulder bag to a big bag?

(Laughs), I started with a basic backpack from amazon but lately I have been going out with two cameras. VX 1000 for fisheye and a 2000 for long lens and double angles. So I upgraded to a vanguard (tries to lift the backpack).

As far as filming style goes, who are your influences?

William Strobeck, for sure! He showed me that filming is not only capturing the trick but it can be about transmitting emotions as well.

On the VX side I would also say Beagle. When I first got that camera he was important. And in Germany I really like Leon Moss‘ filming.

What about Homeless I?

We put that video out last year in November. Are you aware of the Crack & Kanten crew from Hamburg? They are good friends and we decided to put on a event together. They launched PEX and we premiere our first Homeless video.

That video didn’t have parts, it was more of a montage. It kinda just happened. We were already working on another project and so the first video was kind of B-footage from Homeless II (laughs). We wanted to save up footage and have a project in which we all had full parts. The project changed over time and turned into what we have now.

So this is also the end of your VX filming?

Well I think so, the problem with the DV-tapes etc kind of makes it hard. Also, we all decided it would be fun to do something in HD now. Willow just got on Vans, so if I film something with him in HD it could also end up being used for those kinds of projects.

Is that the reason his section is a bit shorter?

Yes, he wants to safe up some of the gnarlier stuff. Theo also has a shorter part because he got unlucky trying a nollie inward heel down eight stairs and tore his ligaments so that was the end of filming for Homeless II for him.

Luckily we had a good amount so he still has a solid section.

What about Daniel Meyer?

He is out filming with the Stanley We guys a lot as well, so in combination with this and the fact that we are also filming for a LOBBY part, it is a lot of work for him to do.

I understand. I was wondering who picked the name homeless?

Well, it is kind of our crew name. After the premiere, people started calling us the Homeless crew so we stuck with it. It turned into our thing (laughs).

Your crew are the new kids on the block in Hamburg and when we first got in touch, you also said you made the video to show what is going on in your city can you tell me what you mean by that?

Well, Hamburg doesn’t produce much, we have LOBBY and Stanley We but beyond that there is not much content coming out of our city when you compare it to Berlin or the Ruhr Valley.

But we also have talent here and I wanted to show something new, and some new people that deserve to be shown. The crew element is also important. We want to show what we are about and what we like.

I also got support from the OG’s in Hamburg they really motivated me to keep going and make Homeless II, I want to thank them for doing that.

Whats next for you then?

Well, I am only 18 and I am filming my friend getting clips in a Vans video living the life basically. The fact that my video is being launched on your platform is also very motivating. I want to keep going and represent my city while doing it.

Hamburg pride is a thing!

I think that is because there used to be a lot from Hamburg that was relevant in the skate scene and it feels like outside of the above mentioned that the city is on its ass a little bit, asleep. If you want to know what is going on in the rest of Germany you can go to your IG or Website and you can see it but if you want to find more stuff from Hamburg you have to search for it. That gave me the motivation to show my city.

Look at Berlin, the visibility comes from the fact that people move here. You constantly get new talent coming in. But if you look at the Ruhr Valley, of course it is not one city but that scene has really been great the last few years with Leon Moss, Europe Co, Obtain and more.

They have the connections. We were there and met Kuyt (DD Local) and got the full experience, Düsseldorf alone has so much to offer.

You can also see that those places are a bit more rough and the edits benefit from that vibe.

We are also bound by school so maybe that is why you learn to love what you have and in Hamburg we have a lot.

So does that mean we get a homeless 3 soon?

You will have to ask the mini-DV tape producers because I don’t want to do a homeless project on HD… well… maybe if that HD-VX thing works out. But at the moment, I want to focus on new things, it is nice with HD that you don’t have to look at how much tape you have left, you can just film. So we will see but for now, enjoy Homeless II.