Hollywood Movies

10,000 BC - Director Roland Emmerich and Nathanael Baring

with Rebecca Murray

Filmmaker Roland Emmerich loves to explore big themes in epic movies and he does so again in the Warner Bros Pictures action drama, '10,000 BC.'

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Transcript: 10,000 BC - Director Roland Emmerich and Nathanael Baring

Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the US Premiere of 10,000 BC.

Writer/Director Roland Emmerich

How do you make a story that's set back then relatable to audiences now?

Roland Emmerich: "We talked about it a lot when we were writing the movie because you always ask yourself, 'What has this to do with our lives?' And what we did, we created a hero who unites. And that's a very, very important thing when you think about it because in our world, there is so much division, so when you have a person, like a hero, who's [uniting] many different people of different ethnic origin and religion, color of their skin, then you have something I think really worth watching today."

And you like to explore that father/son dynamic, too. Why does that interest you?

Roland Emmerich: "That's just because I think I had the greatest dad in the world. He passed away a couple of years ago and I really miss him. And I think, you know, because I had such a great dad who was such an inspiration for me, I always like to have a father story. A lot of troubled father stories, because a good dad is kind of not that interesting. But at one point my mom said this to me, 'You always do these troubled stories.' I said, 'Yeah, our family is boring as hell!'"

How easy was it to cast two people in this who aren't the most recognizable faces, and get a studio to back that with a budget like this?

Roland Emmerich: "Well, I was just from the beginning decided that. I was very convinced about it. And I think I had all the right arguments. I think studios are kind of now in these days see it too. 300 didn't have any big name stars. So I think the people are very, very… Also, I traditionally have not big stars. When I cast Will Smith [in Independence Day] he was not a big star. He was just some TV actor. Same thing with Heath…"

And in 2012 you're going to keep following that same path?

Roland Emmerich: "I think so. Not totally unknowns, but just good actors."

Nathanael Baring ('Baku')

What was the set like?

Nathanael Baring: "Incredible, so realistic. It felt like really being there."

And fake animals so you guys had green screen – or what was in place of the animals?

Nathanael Baring: "Yeah, we just had to use our imaginations."

How tough was that for you?

Nathanael Baring: "It was tough at first, but you kind of get used to it after a while."

It seems like a strange thing to get used to, the idea that you're working with mammoths and saber-toothed tigers. How long does it take and is there a point where you really feel comfortable?

Nathanael Baring: "I would say the first couple of times it's just strange, really, being able to imagine these huge beasts, you know, looming over you. But after a while you really kind of get into the whole scheme of things and it becomes quite natural."