Intimate Scene Analysis
Good acting is not about what you do, but about how you do it.
Anyone can learn their lines, sit in a chair and say what Marlon Brando says in Godfather. But only Marlon Brando can say it in such a way as to make you believe he is the Godfather.
In other words, Brando doesn’t play the action, he plays the character.
And it is the same when it comes to intimate scenes.
Intimate scenes are in essence no different from any other scene for the actor. Right from the beginning you need to remove from your head the idea that they are “special” or somehow different.
In other words, when you get the script and begin your scene analysis, don’t get caught up in the action but instead work out and ask yourself why your character is having the scene to begin with. Ask yourself why they are kissing. And then why are they flirting or being sexually aggressive or whatever is happening in the scene.
To take an example, think about real life. Why do you have sex? Here are a few common reasons:
- To show someone you love them.
- To feel love.
- Out of a sense of duty.
- To procreate.
- To get back at someone else.
- Physical desire or pleasure.
- To keep your partner from leaving.
- To apologise.
- To dominate them.
- Out of sexual or partner curiosity.
- etc…
And each time you have sex for a different reasons the emotions in your head are different and this affects your actions and the way you perform.
So you really do need to ask yourself why your character is involved in this sex scene and rather than just go out and play the sex scene, play the emotion instead. Don’t work through the actions but let the actions come about from the underlying reason and emotion.
If possible, next time you are intimate or have sex with someone, try to analyse your thoughts and ask yourself what is actually happening here and why.
Doing this will show you that when you know the answer to why you are engaged in the intimate scene the action changes. In other words, it pays to think about the subtext of the scene as this will make your performance more subtle and more believable.
