We are proud and happy to present you Henry Fischer’s Pocket Part. It is not only special to us because Henry is 12 years of age and ripping but also because he filmed it together with his father Leandro Fischer who runs Al Carrer skate shop in Barcelona. As dads, this makes us super stoked to see father and son create something special together.
Enjoy.
FILMED & EDITED BY Leandro Fischer & Bruno Rocha
INTERVIEW: JOHANNS SCHOEN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRUNO ROCHA & BURNY
What’s up Henry & Leandro?
First of all congrats on 6 years of Al Carrer & Henry’s Pocket Part!
We are super stoked to host it.
Let’s get it started.
@Henry
How old are you and at what age did you start skating?
Hey guys, thanks for the love! I’m 12, and I think I started when I was 3 years old.
Wow, at three years! I assume your dad got you into skating. How is skating with your dad?
Yes, my dad would take me to sessions, even before I could walk – that’s what he tells me. Skating with him is the best, but filming him is sometimes a bit stressful because I’m still learning how to film.
@Leandro
Burny and I both have sons. Can you describe the feeling you have watching your son’s video part?Seeing the final video, I get that same feeling as seeing a new part by a skater you like a lot and which motivates you! But the filming process is definitely different!
What’s it like filming a trick with your son, especially if he really fought to get it?
We’ve been talking about this a lot these past few days. From the moment you have a child, you give up a lot. What’s changed is that I look for spots that we can skate and film together. At the end of the day it’s very rewarding seeing Henry getting his clip and me almost getting mine, haha! Fighting for it is part of the process!
You run Al Carrer skate shop in Barcelona. Can you tell us how that came about?
A long time before the actual shop, we’d already started a skate association in the neighborhood we lived in, the same neighborhood our shop is in today. We did comps and all sorts of events for the kids, tours of the local skate spots and a non-profit that organizes skate lessons. With that said, the shop is, in a way, the home for our community.
Amazing. What was your involvement in the creation of the Born plaza?
Our role as an association/Store is to get public space to skate. For this project we had 4 years of meetings with the city hall. Once the space was given, we were asked about the format, and there were a few months of conversations because we didn’t want a conventional skatepark, but a skate plaza.
The city hall contacted different architects for this project and Pol Martin was the one who presented the proposal for what we wanted: a skate plaza.
Was Henry into skating from day one or was it a “I do not want to do what dad does“ kind of scenario at times?
From day one.
@Henry
What cities did you visit in the process of filming this part?
Your invite for the part was back in December 2020, and since then we’ve had a few trips. I wouldn’t be able to say exactly how many, but we’ve passed through Perpignan, Copenhagen, Zaragoza and a few others. Whenever my dad’s able to, he goes on a trip somewhere and, lucky for me, he takes me with him, haha.
Who do you skate with the most? Also kids your age or your dad and his friends?
More with my dad’s friends.
Anything special or different about that?
In my opinion, I’m very privileged because I have people by my side who teach me a lot with their experiences, skaters who will skate around the world and with many types of people and always advise me for every situation! For me, that’s very special.
Can only agree. You grow up skating with people most only see video parts of. Flo Marfaing and Tiago Lemos celebrating your tricks in your part. So sick.
Also, we are really stoked on the art you post on Instagram.
How much time do you spend drawing and creating art?
I’m always sketching in my mini notebook, but, when I have time, I draw architecture that inspires me.
Do you draw these when you are out skating or how does this usually happen?
I’ve always got my watercolor kit with me in my backpack. That way when I’m finished skating and we’re at a spot that inspired me, I start drawing.
Just as your skating, your art is super proper and astonishing to think it was done by a 12-year old.
Any plans for the future when it comes to art?
Thank you guys. Not at the moment, just to keep practicing.
We just ordered something from Al Carrer and got a zine in the box that was made by you. It got us super stoked to see such a young gentleman appreciating print media. Tell us more about that.
To be honest, it wasn’t my idea. My dad and our friend Vitor, Al Carrer’s designer, asked me to illustrate the first edition of the AlCarrer Fanzine, and I was really happy! Personally, I really like printed skate media. I’ve always had it in my bathroom at home, haha. And at the shop there’s always the latest editions, so I’m pretty well informed.
Can you sketch something for us? How about sketch what a really good day would like look for you?
Yes, of course, right now! At break times, whether at school or in session, I’m scribbling stuff. I don’t have any preference, I like to draw things that come to mind. Type nature, characters, architectures, letters. I don’t always like everything at the moment, but I like to save it and then see how I evolve.
Your skating looks like your dad gave you some proper skateboard history lessons. What are your three favorite video parts and your three favorite skaters?
I’m not the biggest fan of skate videos. I like them a lot, but I don’t go watching all the ones that come out. In my free time, I’m drawing or playing the drums. I watch videos at the shop with the guys, or when I’m with my dad, but he’s always repeating the same ones older videos, haha.
Video Parts:
- Tiago Lemos “PressPlay”
- Lucas Marques (Gato Preto)
- Jeron Wilson (Gold fish)
Skater:
- Tiago Lemos
- Matheus Dubronks
- Akira Utida
3.2 Daddy as well (haha)
In your part you can see that you went back multiple times to get the ender. Take us in the process of getting the last clip of your part.
Wow, my friends could answer this one! It was crazy, 4 times!
The first one was at a session around the neighborhood, I was trying and I almost did it. Then the deadline was getting closer, we went for the second try, but I had a bad fall. The third, 2 days before the premiere, a lot of friends had come to motivate me, love you guys a lot! I made the trick just a day before the premiere, in the mid-day sun, just me and my dad. We had a 2nd angle camera that heated up and wasn’t recording anymore. But I really like how it came out in the edit, in a long shot!
What’s next for Henry Fischer?
Enjoy my free time to do things I enjoy, have fun with my family and friends, and hope to be able to make a new part for the new Al Carrer Video.