Original pieces from Werner Herzog influenced Richard Linklater's career (5)
I believe the answer is:
whirl
'career' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?
I don't understand the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for whirl that I've seen before include "Circular movement - brief try" , "Rotate" , "quick turn" , "Frantic activity" , "Do the twist" .)