Balloon
Balloon follows the story of Ashley, a schoolgirl, who is struggling with exam stress and bullying.
The Idea of 'Balloon' came to me when I was sitting in traffic, I saw a schoolgirl walk past close to tears. I thought to myself, why is she sad? It brought back memories of being bullied at school and all the other worries and stresses I had, particularly with exam stress. I'm often asked why I chose a balloon. I think its one of the only objects that completely incapsulates adolescence and innocence. So I decided to use it as a metaphor for the burden that each child carries.
There is far too much pressure put on children in today's society. 'If you don't get this grade, you will fail'. 'You have to look like this'. 'This is what you have to do'. 'This is what happiness looks like'. Social Media is a huge contributor to this, but so is society as a whole.
When did we stop letting children be free?
Educating them and not teaching them how to pass exams.
When did we stop letting children be children?
- Robert Oliver (Writer/Director 'Balloon')
