Werner Herzog believes there is "nothing wrong" with committing a crime to get the perfect shoot.
The 73-year-old screenwriter has admitted he would go to any length he needed to capture a great scene, although he has admitted he would not commit murder or another crime, which would sentence him to life in prison.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, he said: "There is nothing wrong with spending a night in jail if it means getting the shot you need.
"[But] Don’t commit murder.
"You shouldn’t commit a crime that would give you life in prison. That’s my advice."
Meanwhile, the filmmaker – who has worked with a large celebrity clientele including Nicole Kidman and Klaus Kinski – has admitted his knowledge gained from the film industry has inspired him to educate others, and has launched a six-hour course, which is available online, to pass on his wisdom and assist budding film enthusiasts on their journey of becoming a director.
Speaking about the reason behind the mentoring scheme, he said: "It is a systematic answer to some sort of demand that has grown and grown in the last 20 years. When I’ve been at a big event, there have been thousands of people who would immediately want to work with me, learn from me … I had that feeling that I should give a more organised answer and pass on some of the things that I’ve learned and hard lessons from real life.
"[But] I’m not into giving you nice and funny anecdotes.
"It’s various lessons for people who really want to look deep into making their own films and how they could survive long term in this field."
However, the German-born star has revealed it is easier for today’s generation to produce a successful film with a very low budget than it was for him.
He explained: "[This generation] has extraordinary possibilities and can make a film for almost no money."
Werner Herzog: Nothing’s wrong with spending a night in jail if it means getting the shot you need
