Behind-the-scenes insights from Deliver Us Mars actors on casting, research, and emotional storytelling
Introduction: An Indie Marvel’s Emotional Core
We gained exclusive access to Ellise Chappell and Neil Newbon to uncover the fascinating journey behind bringing Deliver Us Mars to life through their performances.
Deliver Us Mars emerges as one of this year’s most remarkable sci-fi achievements, particularly impressive given its origins with a modest indie team of Dutch developers. To illuminate how this expansive project materialized, we connected with actors Ellise Chappell and Neil Newbon about their experiences embodying the game’s central father-daughter relationship.
While KeokeN Interactive’s newest release presents an epic interplanetary narrative questioning humanity’s survival, this grand backdrop primarily serves to highlight an intensely personal family conflict. The strained relationship between scientist Isaac Johanson and his daughter Kathy drives the entire storyline, taking players through unexpected emotional twists where moral boundaries remain consistently blurred.
This compelling narrative structure earned praise as an “essential journey” for science fiction enthusiasts. Remarkably, this ambitious production featuring full motion capture, authentic performances, and polished scripting originates from a comparatively small independent studio operating in the Netherlands.
To understand how this massive project came together and what the experience involved for key cast members, we interviewed UK actors Ellise Chappell (Kathy Johanson) and Neil Newbon (Isaac Johanson) about everything from rigorous recording sessions to the research necessary for grounding this space adventure.
The Unconventional Casting Journey
Chappell and Newbon approached the project from completely different career trajectories. Chappell transitioned from numerous popular television roles to her gaming industry debut, while Newbon brought over a decade of expertise as a leading motion capture specialist—though he initially didn’t anticipate starring in the production.
“My initial involvement wasn’t as Isaac,” Newbon disclosed during our Dexerto conversation. “I was originally tasked with finding the right actor for Isaac.”
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Newbon had originally contacted KeokeN Interactive years earlier after experiencing 2018’s Deliver Us The Moon, becoming completely captivated and eager to collaborate in any capacity. By 2021, he joined the sequel during pre-production as performance director, assisting the team in casting their next generation of stars.
“Someone recalled ‘that person emailed us about three years ago!'” he humorously recounted from his first studio visit. The team soon recognized he represented the ideal candidate for the role himself.
“Contemporary game casting closely mirrors film industry practices,” Newbon elaborated. “We conduct screen tests, self-tapes, and much more extensive casting processes than previously, largely because gaming attracts greater actor interest nowadays.” Chappell reinforced this perspective, noting her audition arrived through her agent “identical to any film or television project.”
As the sequel’s protagonist, Chappell secured the Kathy role first, marking her video game debut. “I accepted immediately—this represented something I’d always aspired to experience,” she stated.
“The audition scenes immediately captivated me. I found the complexity fascinating, with the entire process feeling playful, engaging, and thoroughly interesting.” Adding to this “novel experience” was Chappell’s first audition within a ‘volume’—an advanced production environment similar to those used for The Mandalorian. This involves performing with minimal contextual elements, limited props, and no specific costuming to aid immersion, creating a distinctly different environment from traditional media productions.
“Ellise Chappell demonstrates extraordinary acting talent,” Newbon remarked, having been “profoundly impressed” by her debut in this specialized environment. “Watching someone of her caliber deliver exceptional performances while mastering performance capture technology… she completely amazed us.”
Complete Immersion and Research
The cast then prepared for intensive recording sessions, embarking on comprehensive research to ground their performances authentically.
Given their divergent career stages when joining the project, Chappell and Newbon’s familiarity with KeokeN’s series differed substantially. Newbon was already an enthusiastic admirer who had “developed deep affection” for the original game at launch.
“I found it an incredibly compelling and thought-provoking game,” he commented about Deliver Us The Moon.
“Discovering the relatively compact team size further impressed me. I actually emailed them expressing eagerness to collaborate on any project, regardless of capacity,” Newbon explained.
Conversely, as a gaming industry newcomer, Chappell hadn’t experienced Deliver Us The Moon before her audition. She described herself as a “casual gamer” before undertaking this substantial project.
Rather than playing games extensively herself, she preferred observing online playthroughs. Titles like The Last of Us demonstrated the medium’s narrative potential—”games where storytelling and character development rival gameplay excitement,” she clarified.
Since Chappell hadn’t yet explored the initial ‘Deliver Us’ installment, she waited until officially securing the role before catching up.
“The waiting period created some anxiety, but receiving the confirmation brought tremendous excitement. I deliberately avoided playing Deliver Us The Moon until securing the role. Once confirmed, I immersed myself in the original game and comprehensive ‘space preparation.’
“The experience completely captivated me—the atmospheric achievement of simulating space presence felt genuinely thrilling and immersive, making me truly appreciate the first game.”
With both actors now familiar with the original and committed to the sequel, preparation for their roles intensified. From reviewing reference materials to consulting field experts for script verification, every effort was made to ensure Deliver Us Mars achieved maximum authenticity.
“We extensively studied NASA transmissions,” Newbon noted. “This helped us comprehend space ambiance and astronaut training processes. We pursued realism wherever possible.”
“I watched NASA live streams daily,” Chappell added. “This immersion technique facilitated environmental imagination during filming.”
Fortunately, the script was thoroughly polished before performance capture commenced, enabling deep familiarity with character journeys and narrative scope.
“NASA and ESA contributed to script development,” Newbon revealed. “Multiple space agencies independently reviewed the script to guarantee accuracy.”
“I received the complete narrative structure and majority script before shooting began, which proved incredibly valuable,” Chappell continued. “The approximately 400-page document outlined Kathy’s remarkable character evolution throughout the game.
“My preparation mirrored my television and film methodology. I charted her complete arc using wall-mounted post-it notes. This intimate, emotionally complex family narrative juxtaposed against epic themes and backdrops created something truly special. The relationship complexities and character depth made this journey incredibly rewarding to explore.”
The Intense Production Schedule
Newbon balanced dual responsibilities portraying Isaac while guiding overall performances, managing his actor and director roles on Deliver Us Mars. Handling multiple functions, he characterized the experience as “storytelling utilizing different creative tools.
“The focus necessarily shifts between roles. Directing requires more analytical thinking, while acting demands experiential presence rather than overthinking during performance.”
Compressing the entire capture process into two weeks created an “intense” daily routine, Chappell noted, often requiring recording “multiple scenes daily.” With Newbon’s guidance and Narrative Designer Raynor Arkenbout’s support, the team successfully navigated this demanding schedule.
“The experience was tremendously enjoyable,” Chappell reflected about her set experience. “Complete story immersion created a wonderfully rewarding creative environment.”
However, she acknowledged the “significant challenge” transitioning from familiar film and television territory to her inaugural gaming project.
“Traditional sets sometimes employ green screen technology, requiring environmental or character imagination. However, volume performances wearing motion capture suits eliminate costuming as an anchoring element. Additionally, the space setting represents an experience shared by minuscule human population percentages. This demands substantial imaginative capacity.”
Throughout the two-week production, the team “predominantly” adhered to the “precisely refined” script, though improvisational opportunities existed. Chappell received encouragement to “express vocal instincts aligning with character authenticity.
“Kathy’s portrayal largely followed the excellently crafted script. However, subtle moments allowed softening adjustments or humorous additions. Emotional scenes occasionally involved ad-libbed elements—understanding the scene structure, then expressing whatever emerged naturally.”
Similarly, during an emotional hologram scene appearing in the final product, Newbon expressed genuine feelings resulting in completely new dialogue beyond original parameters.
“The words emerged from my immediate experience,” he explained. “Something authentic surfaced during our performance, creating improvisational moments that felt completely appropriate. [Arkenbout] intentionally preserved this moment recognizing its natural, organic quality.”
Reception and Future Possibilities
After committing fully to the project in 2021, subsequent development fell beyond their control. Newbon and Chappell departed while developers spent the next two years realizing cinematic sequences and intricate gameplay elements.
With Deliver Us Mars now available for original fans and new audiences, this period feels “surreal” for cast members who contributed years earlier. Experiencing the complete package, viewing memorized sequences from new perspectives, and observing detailed craftsmanship makes this acting experience uniquely distinctive, both agreed.
“The experience feels wonderfully surreal,” Chappell expressed. “I deeply appreciate everyone involved—each person demonstrated incredible dedication and passion. Witnessing collective efforts materialize felt particularly special. My investment in the story and characters made experiencing the complete narrative incredibly joyful.”
For Chappell, this “remarkable experience” has opened doors to future gaming opportunities. “I consider gaming a magnificent medium offering deep immersion potential.” She’s even expanded her personal gaming engagement, recently acquiring a Nintendo Switch. “This represents my primary gaming platform currently,” she joked. “I’m genuinely embracing gaming and eagerly anticipating Hogwarts Legacy’s Switch release later this year!”
Regarding KeokeN’s future directions, both performers remain uncertain about forthcoming developments but express definite enthusiasm for potential future collaborations.
Moments before credits conclude, Deliver Us Mars emphasizes four concluding words: “We can be better,” spoken by Kathy.
During Earth return, complications arise. Our home planet has ceased communications for unclear reasons. Potential explanations range from technical malfunctions to catastrophic civilization collapse. While uncertainty persists, narrative threads remain available should KeokeN pursue third installment development.
“Future developments remain unknown to us,” Chappell acknowledged. “However, potential third installment opportunities offer extensive exploration possibilities, and I’d enthusiastically return as Kathy.
“The cliffhanger conclusion provides substantial scope for development. Earth’s fate, planetary conditions, and Mars technology malfunctions present numerous unresolved questions worthy of exploration. Remaining hopeful.”
“I’d welcome additional KeokeN projects,” Newbon added. “I hope they secure expanded budgets for future endeavors. Current developments remain unknown, but KeokeN’s growth promises increasingly exciting projects.
“KeokeN, regardless of your direction, I’ll always audition—even for background roles, I’d cherish further collaboration!”
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Delivering Mars: Inside the production on one of 2023’s most ambitious indie gems Behind-the-scenes insights from Deliver Us Mars actors on casting, research, and emotional storytelling