Martin Freeman - Martin Freeman: Peter Jackson is a 'lunatic'

Martin Freeman: Peter Jackson is a 'lunatic'

Martin Freeman thinks Sir Peter Jackson is a ''lunatic''.

'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' actor said being directed by Peter was just as strange and ''ludicrous'' as working with eccentric filmmaker Peter Greenaway on 'Nightwatching' in 2007 because Jackson had an omnipresent, God-like quality on set.

Speaking at 'The Hobbit' press conference at London's Claridge's hotel, Martin told BANG Showbiz: ''They're both different kids of lunatics. Peter Greenaway was the first time I'd ever been directed over a loudspeaker and at the time I thought, 'This is ludicrous, it's madness.' Little did I know I would be repeating that experience with Peter Jackson!

''He does come out of his tent though, he comes out and has a little chat and a lot of time you're used to hearing this voice of well, I would say God. Any film director that makes it their business to follow their own path has to be driven and has to be ridiculously focused... but there's better sandwiches on the Peter Jackson film!''

The British star - who plays bumbling hobbit Bilbo Baggins - found it easy to adjust to seeing his face blown up on screen with new 48FPS 3D technology, while co-star Sir Ian McKellen admits Peter's up-to-the-minute process helped him hone his own acting craft by watching himself back.

Martin explained: ''I didn't do any practising of the face, although it's a big face, it's full screen! We had good make-up people and I just used my facial muscles as they will, and let them be free.''

Ian joked: ''As you can tell Martin's a rather shallow actor. I, however, spent a lot of time in front of the actor practising my facial gestures...

''It is wonderful to be able to do a scene and let Peter's imagination go put on the 3D glasses and watch what you've just done because you can see that you've done too much or too little. So you can sort of edit yourself. Acting's difficult isn't it!''