A cinematic multi-tasker, 35-year-old Robert Rodriguez wrote, directed, produced, shot, scored, designed, and edited his latest film, "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over". Determinedly based in Austin, Texas, his other movies include "El Mariachi", "Desperado", "From Dusk Till Dawn", "The Faculty", two previous instalments of "Spy Kids", and the forthcoming "Once Upon a Time in Mexico".
Why did you choose to make this latest Spy Kids film in 3D?
I thought why not? They re-released "House of Wax" on 3D when I was a kid, and it was just a whole different experience seeing the movie. I remember hearing the audience scream because things seemed to be coming out of the screen and I wanted to give that to kids who'd never gotten that experience before. There really hadn't been a family movie made which everyone could go see that utilised this technology.
There have been some dodgy efforts in 3D before though. It requires the right story to really make it work doesn't it?
I thought if you took the idea of 3D and made it part of the story, you could do something different. Instead of throwing things at the audience occasionally, you could use it to pull the audience into the screen. We go to the cinema to be transported into the movie, but usually you're left sitting there looking at the screen as a spectator. Here, when the character puts on his glasses, the audience puts on their glasses too and they're in that world with them. That's as close to a virtual reality experience as you can get.
How did you come to offer the villain role to Sylvester Stallone?
I met him in 1997. I was always a fan of his but I didn't know until then how funny he was in person. I remember thinking that I'd like to work with him one day, not in an action movie but a comedy. Years later I was making "Spy Kids 3" and I thought, This is the time to call him. I offered him five roles - all comedic - in something his kids could see. They can't see any of his other movies - they think he's a professional golfer - but now they'll know he is a movie star and it'll raise the stock with his kids. I know there's nothing more difficult than trying to impress your children.
How did he get on working at your breakneck pace?
I told Stallone that I'd shoot very differently from anything he's done in Hollywood. I said it'd be shot in Austin, Texas, on a green screen, with a very small crew. It was mainly me and him. None of the actors were there, so he was pretty much on his own. It was pure creative fun and he really got into it. I would change things all the time, and he brought a lot of ideas with him. It was really cool to see him have that much fun.
And what about George Clooney's involvement?
I'd already written him in the script but I didn't tell him because I wanted to figure out when I could film his scene. I called him in March, and said, "Hey, do you know you're in "Spy Kids 3"?". He said "I am?" I said "Yeah, you play the President!", "I do?", I said "Yeah! When can I come and film you?" and he said "Well, I should have some time in May." I said "How about Monday? I'm flying up there already and I got my HD camera, I'll just show up in your living room like last time, I'll set up the camera, two lights and the microphone, and I'll read the off-camera dialogue. The way we're shooting you, you don't even have to wear pants!" And so he came downstairs just wearing shorts on that Monday morning. It was just me and him and it was a blast. Afterwards I said: "Look, you're in a summer movie and it only took 30 minutes!".
