I'm new to the whole acting thing and I recently got offered a role in which I am playing someone's girlfriend. While the film isn't going to involve any sex scenes it will require a good bit of intimacy. I'm nervous portraying the girlfriend of a guy that I don't even know.

How would you go about portraying this character? What type of preparation would you use to quell any nervousness?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

I would go for coffee with him or to the park or some such- somewhere you could bond a little, get to know one another and have a chat. Find some things that you have in common and simply get comfortable with him before the shoot date. That way it won't see as weird.

Playing intimate scenes without sex and other awkward moments with strangers is going to come up here and there and the sooner you can conquer your nervousness etc the better.

Got to tackle this one now.

Get to know him and then he won't be a stranger, will he?

I find it helps to think about it on a professional level.

Anytime I have a role that involves kissing/intimacy, I get together with my scene partner and talk about it. I ask her about past experiences, what works for her and what doesn't, and what makes her uncomfortable and what doesn't. I also ask what I can do to ensure she can focus on her role without worrying about me doing something that might break her focus.

Once we start rehearsing, I like to choreograph the scene as much as possible at first. Approaching the scene technically really seems to ease the initial tension. Secondly, it helps to prevent any awkwardness. You might fall into a natural rhythm with your scene partner, you might not. If it's choreographed well, you don't have to worry so much if that's just not happening.

Finally, I'm of the philosophy that if you aren't comfortable, stop the scene. A good director will tell you to stop the scene if you're not comfy. In either case, I wouldn't want anyone feeling "violated" or getting hurt because you're afraid to ruin the shot. You don't really have that luxury in theatre... but you do in film.

quote:

Originally posted by Nicole624:
I'm new to the whole acting thing and I recently got offered a role in which I am playing someone's girlfriend. While the film isn't going to involve any sex scenes it will require a good bit of intimacy. I'm nervous portraying the girlfriend of a guy that I don't even know.

How would you go about portraying this character? What type of preparation would you use to quell any nervousness?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Be physical. Think about how you interact with someone you love. You're not afraid to touch him, kiss him on the cheek from time to time, hold his hand, play with his hair, etc etc. Little details like that are going to go a long way to make it look like the two of you are in love.

But of course it's nervous doing this stuff with a stranger, especially if it's your first time in an intimate scene. Get to know him a little bit, make sure he's a nice guy who's respectful of your boundaries.

All these are good, practical suggestions. But I hope the underlying acting issue is obvious: it's not YOU kissing or otherwise being intimate with him, it's your CHARACTER. So beyond these very helpful physical, hands-on suggestions, there's simply the work of knowing what your character wants and how his character attracts or satisfies that.

This may be only half the job, but it's a pretty important half.

My advice is if you do do it...to sell it completely, and be totally professional.

You have to make yourself believe you want to kiss this guy or gal...you have to make the audience believe. Don't hold back. I'm not saying stick your tongue down their throat...but you can definitely get into a passionate embrace. If you hold back...the audience will notice.

When you're done making out, be professional about it. Don't start hitting on the person or playing suave...that's the worst. Just be completely professional and prepared...if both actors follow these two rules, you'll nail the scene, sell it to the audience, and gain respect for one another.

Guys...if you have stubble...make sure you're not beard-burning your partner. After a take, ask them, 'is that too forceful?" Ask them if your beard is hurting them? Be professional and honest. Respecting the other actor is part of your job.

ps. it doesn't hurt to have breath spray or gum around before the shoot.

Also, watch Michael Caine's "Acting in Film"...very great resource, entertaining, and he touches base on how to handle it.

Good luck.