Whether you’re acting in a play or a movie, every scene counts. Each scene will call for a different range of emotions, with some being more demanding than others. The emotional climax of a piece is always one of the most important for an actor to excel in, but nailing an emotional scene is easier said than done.

Excellent actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Cate Blanchett can create compelling performances for demanding scenes using various acting techniques. If you’re currently prepping for an emotional scene or audition, these tips can help you nail it every time.

How to Perfect an Emotional Scene

As with most things in acting, the most crucial element of performing an emotional scene is preparation. Your success in a demanding scene will come from the time you spend in rehearsal and character development. 

The time and effort you spend prepping for an intense role will help build the reality of the character and help you define the stakes, flow, and rhythm of the scene. Once you’ve done that preparation, you must trust that the work you’ve done will allow you to own the scene.

Examine the Scene You Are Acting In

Before acting out the scene, you must read through the whole script and discover the backstory of the scene. Uncovering what might be leading up to the scene can help you create your character and shape how you portray their emotions, gestures and motivations. 

You’ll also have a better understanding of how to work with more intense scenes and avoid looking like you’re projecting fake emotions.

Study and analyze the character’s emotional life and personal story. What do you know of their past, present, and future? Judging by this character’s experience, what are they feeling and how does their story come into play for that scene?

Once you feel that you understand the character, focus on the moment. Peel back all the layers to understand what this character might be feeling. It’s helpful to picture what the character’s thoughts might be, what memories are coming up and to consider their relationships with other characters in the scene.

Tips to Analyze a Character’s Internal Struggle

A great way to “put yourself in someone else’s shoes,” meaning your character, is by writing about what you think they might be feeling in that scene. Write an entry in a diary as your character. 

Ask yourself the following questions: What imaginary circumstances are they going through? What emotional experiences have they had? Write about what they would be thinking or feeling in that moment to help you bring the character to life.

Can You Overprepare for an Emotional Scene?

There is a counterintuitive notion that overthinking your scene preparation can hurt you in the end. The best way to prepare for a scene is to avoid overthinking it before playing the scene. In acting, every line should be a discovery, so you want to come into the scene fresh.

When you enter the scene, it’s time to rely on your preparation, your imagination and your honest reaction to the events of the scene and the actors you’re working with. Immerse yourself in the character and the story, make your experience of the scene as real as possible and listen to your authentic reaction to the other actors in the scene. 

Notice how none of these acting techniques focus on calling up an emotion or memory. Instead, they create the conditions necessary for an authentic emotion to come forward. That’s the key.

Reliably performing emotional scenes is one of the most difficult aspects of the acting profession. With all things, it’s possible through preparation and hard work. Now that you understand how to get into character, you should be able to create emotional scenes in no time!

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