13/01/2023
It's finally time to properly introduce you to our leading lady Isabel Gray (formerly credit in films as Isabel Stewart!). She had a really tough job on her hands, having virtually no other actors on set to support her, as well as that the themes in this film didn't leave her cold!
This is what she had to say about her journey with The Yellow Balloon herself:
"This was definitely a challenging but thoroughly enjoyable role.
This was only my second horror film and just like comedy, horror is all about timing!
It was also a unique challenge in the fact that I had no screen partner. Everything I was drawing on had to be from myself and my environment. I really used my Meisner Training/Emotional Preparation skills to help with this.
I was also really lucky that the whole crew was absolutely wonderful, so supportive and inclusive. Creating a safe environment in filming is so important, especially when the scenes are so vulnerable.
My preparation for this role was really going into the details of the character herself. We don't learn much about her at all in the film, so I felt it important to add those details in myself. The audience doesn't have to know, but it helps as an actor if you know. What's my job, what's my life experience, what led me to this moment, how would I respond to being happy, what are my parents like...
This story is the invisible foundation that everything sits on and I think that really helped me build that connection with her.
One of the most helpful tips I was passed on about acting for horror was about absolute stillness. Especially for jump scare scenes. To be completely zen before filming, in an almost meditative state. It will then really help anything outside of that chill state really affect you!
The story is such an important topic, and I really hope it gets people talking and encourages the audience to maybe even go and learn more.
I hope I did this role and the team justice and I'm exceptionally excited to see the final product."
