The movie "300" was an enormous undertaking for both director Zack Snyder and star Gerard Butler.
"Making a movie is always a challenge, but making a movie entirely on a blue screen is frickin' hard," Zack Snyder says about particular difficulties in the endeavor of filming "300."
"300" is a film based on Frank Miller's graphic novel depicting the last stand of the heroic 300 Spartans at the battle of Thermopylae. The film is directed by Snyder, who gained attention as a filmmaker with his 2004 remake of "Dawn of the Dead."
Snyder has been a longtime Miller aficionado. "I've been a fan of the original story of the Spartans as well," he says, "but I wanted audiences to see the battle through Miller's perspective. Having a shot at this movie was a dream come true."
Snyder also admits he was slightly intimidated at the prospect of working with Miller.
"I was more nervous about working with Miller than the actual project of making this movie," Snyder says. "I respected him so much that I didn't want to disappoint him."
Miller told Snyder that he had seen the older "300 Spartans" film in the past and did not like it.
"He said that this was the film he wanted to see," Snyder says.
The historical epic genre has not been successful in recent years. Films such as "Troy" and "Alexander" have received scathing reviews from critics, who have called them boring, unintelligent and uninspiring.
"In comparison to other epic historical movies like 'Troy,' '300' doesn't try to reinvent the entire genre, at least not visually," Snyder says. "Those movies have paved the way for me to approach '300' from a different angle, if you will. It's a graphic novel, and we tried to make the actors look a bit like the original characters, as opposed to having the actor 'flavor of the week' play King Leonidas."
Gerard Butler stars as the heroic king who led his small army of Spartans against countless thousands of Persian warriors.
"There was no movie without Gerry," Snyder says.
Butler said he read the script and the role appealed to him.
"There was a certain class and elegance about it," he says. "You can tell just from [Leonidas'] presence that he has absolute command and loyalty from his men."
Butler says the role was a difficult one. The entire film was done over a blue screen.
"It required physically more than I've ever had to give to a role, more time, more blood, sweat and tears than anything else before, but in a controlled way since it was all in a warehouse," he says. "There was something about this film where everything about it was fresh and new. It was like stepping into new territory."
Butler also admitted that it could occasionally be difficult to film "300" when the entire surrounding environment appeared as no more than a blue screen.
"A certain comradeship developed between the actors," Butler says. "We all had to watch each other and make sure we made the right movements. We connected well."
"300" is set to release on March 9. Snyder and Butler are both pleased with the film.
"What's great to me about the king is that he and his men are willing to do anything to win," Butler says about King Leonidas. "That's what we do. We kick ass"
